Suppression of relaxation oscillations in flashpumped, two-micron tunable solid state lasers

摘要

A flashpumped, tunable, two-micron, solid state laser is disclosed in which laser spiking is suppressed. The solid state laser comprises: a laser cavity defined by a first reflective element and an output coupler reflective element to form a reflective path therebetween; a laser crystal disposed in the laser cavity, the laser crystal having a host material doped with preselected activator ions sufficient to produce a pulse of laser emission at a desired laser transition wavelength in a range between about 1.9 microns and about 2.1 microns when the crystal is optically excited to produce the laser emission; a pulsed flashlamp for optically exciting the laser crystal to produce a pulse of laser emission at the desired laser transition wavelength; a tuner disposed in the laser cavity between the laser crystal and one of the reflective elements for tuning the laser emission to the desired laser transition wavelength in the range of wavelengths between about 1.9 microns and about 2.1 microns; optical plates oriented at Brewster's angle in the reflective path for suppressing oscillation of undesired wavelengths within the laser cavity; and a nonlinear crystal disposed in the reflective path to enable the laser to emit through the output coupler reflective element a smooth, long pulse of laser emission without spiking at the desired laser transition wavelength.