Abstract

A saturable absorber (SA) operating both as a laser and as an intracavity Q-switch for its pump laser medium (LM) is analyzed. This analysis is performed in terms of dimensionless normalized functions and laser parameters. According to the theoretical predictions there is an optimal value of SA normalized pumping rate m²σ_1a/σ_2e ensuring maximal efficiency of the SA intracavity pumped laser; where m is a magnification of an intracavity expander, σ_1a - SA absorption cross section, σ_2e - LM emission cross section. This optimal value depends on the initial losses distribution (as it is seen in Fig 1) but does not almost depend on the initial gain. It corresponds with inefficient passive Q-switching case when the most amount of energy stored in LM is absorbed by SA.

© 1998 IEEE