Abstract

A 30-W output frequency-doubled YAG laser was recently achieved by our group. Because the output is high and it works in the visible spectrum (0.532 µm), and because it can operate either in the cw mode or the acoustooptically Q-switched mode (frequency 1-10 kHz; pulse width <100 ns; average cw output 30 W), we have used it as a high-speed photographic light source, as a cw source for a frame camera, and as a stroboscopic source for a drum camera. As high as 10,000-fps frame rate pictures including general, shadow, and schlieren pictures, were obtained. It seems that the output is high enough for much higher frame rates. Moreover, the laser is a coherent source, and electrooptic Q-switching and phase-locking techniques can also be used in the system; the 30-W output is achieved without any optical amplification.

© 1987 Optical Society of America