CPC H01S 5/0615 (2013.01) [B32B 18/00 (2013.01); C04B 35/495 (2013.01); G01S 7/484 (2013.01); H01S 3/113 (2013.01); H01S 3/1685 (2013.01); H01S 5/0071 (2013.01); C04B 2235/3203 (2013.01); C04B 2235/3224 (2013.01); C04B 2235/3225 (2013.01); C04B 2235/9653 (2013.01); C04B 2237/343 (2013.01); C04B 2237/36 (2013.01); H01S 3/061 (2013.01); H01S 3/0627 (2013.01); H01S 3/09415 (2013.01); H01S 3/1312 (2013.01); H01S 3/1643 (2013.01)] | 25 Claims |
1. A passively Q-switched (P-QS) laser, comprising:
a gain medium comprising a gain medium crystalline (GMC) material that includes a ceramic neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG);
a saturable absorber (SA) rigidly coupled to the gain medium, the SA comprising a ceramic saturable absorber crystalline (SAC) material selected from the group of doped ceramic materials consisting of a three-valence vanadium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (V3+:YAG) and two-valence Cobalt-doped crystalline materials;
an undoped YAG shaped as a cylinder encircling the gain medium and the SA for preventing heat from accumulating in an absorptive region of the gain medium; and
an optical cavity within which the gain medium and the SA are positioned, the optical cavity including a high reflectivity mirror and an output coupler.
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