Electro-optic control of a PPLN-unpoled LiNbO3 boundary for low-voltage Q switching of an intracavity frequency-doubled Nd3+:YVO4 laser.
We present a simple technique to integrate an electro-optic Q switch in a periodically poled bulk lithium niobate crystal bounded by two unpoled (monodomain) regions. The technique exploits the high sensitivity to low applied electric fields of the total internal reflection condition in the periodic poled-unpoled boundary for the small grazing incidence angles associated with the diffraction of a focused Gaussian beam that propagates in the periodically poled region with its axis parallel to the boundary. When the arrangement is placed intracavity to a 1064 nm diode-pumped Nd(3+):YVO(4) laser, it performs simultaneously as a Q switch and as a second-harmonic generator, with Q switching starting at applied voltages as low as 1 V over a 500 microm thickness and with no additional optical elements.
Torregrosa
A J
AJ
Area de Teoría de la Señal y Comunicaciones, Departamento de Física y Arquitectura de Computadores, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, E03202 Elche, Spain.
Maestre
H
H
Fernández-Pousa
C R
CR
Pereda
J A
JA
Capmany
J
J