Tunable Yb : KGW laser, CW or Q-switched, enabled by dual-axis tilt of a MOEMS mirror

Paterson, Alan and Bauer, Ralf and Lubeigt, Walter and Uttamchandani, Deepak (2018) Tunable Yb : KGW laser, CW or Q-switched, enabled by dual-axis tilt of a MOEMS mirror. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 24 (5). ISSN 1077-260X

Preview

Text (Paterson-etal-JSTQE2018-Tunable-Yb-KGW-laser-CW-or-Q-switched-enabled) Paterson_etal_JSTQE2018_Tunable_Yb_KGW_laser_CW_or_Q_switched_enabled.pdf Final Published Version License: Download (2MB)| Preview

Abstract

The experimental proof-of-concept demonstration of an end-pumped Yb:KGW laser with tunable spectral and temporal output characteristics is reported. For the first time, tuning of both of these characteristics in a solid-state laser is achieved simultaneously using a single electrothermally-actuated MOEMS micromirror with controllable tilt angle in two dimensions. In continuous-wave mode, a wavelength tuning range of 22 nm with < 0.3 nm linewidth was achieved by using static MOEMS mirror tilt about one axis to select the intracavity wavelength dispersed by a prism. A wavelength tuning range of 15.3 nm with < 1.1 nm linewidth was achieved in Q-switched operation, by using simultaneous static tilt and resonant scanning of the MOEMS mirror about orthogonal axes. In this operational mode, a pulse repetition rate of 2.06 kHz was obtained with pulse durations varying from 460 ns to 740 ns over the addressable range of laser wavelengths.