CASCADED MODELOCKED LASER SYSTEM

摘要

A cascaded laser system providing optimum stable shot-to shot reproducible modelocking of high power lasers, particularly gain or Q switched lasers, such as high pressure C02TEA lasers and Nd:glass lasers. The system combines both active and passive modelocking techniques so that the stable generation of ultra short, high power pulses of fixed timing is provided over a wide range of system parameters. In the system, active modelocked pulses generated by a relatively low power laser modulates the loss of a saturable absorber associated with a relatively high power laser in such a manner that during buildup of modelocking the high power laser exhibits the characteristics of an actively modelocked laser but thereafter exhibits the characteristics of a passively modelocked laser.