PULSED DIODE-PUMPED SOLID-STATE LASER

摘要

A pulsed, solid laser having a solid-state gain-medium (30) and Q-switch (28) is optically-pumped by a diode-laser array (29) controlled to deliver pump-light pulses to the gain-medium. The Q-switch and the diode-laser array are cooperatively controlled by a controller (40) such that laser output-pulses produced in response to pump-light pulses have the same energy independent of the time-interval between laser output-pulses. Pump-light pulses may be provided by the controller operating a switchable current supply which supplies current-pulses to the diode-laser array for causing pump-light pulses to be delivered to the gain-medium. A controller may also be arranged to drive the diode-laser to provide continuous pump-light output and to operate a light modulator located between the diode-laser array and the gain-medium to cause pump-light pulses to be delivered to the gain medium.