Acousto-Optic Stabilization of Mode-Locked Pulsed Nd: YAG Laser

Abstract

Increasing complexity and accuracy of experiments involving picosecond lasers have led to the need for more reliable and more stable picosecond sources than available thus far. Improvements of the stability of a passively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser by adding both Q-Switch and active Q-Modulation has been reported already in 1974 [1]. A Pockels cell was used for the modulation requiring high voltage in the 100MHz range. Later, the availability of appropriate acousto-optic modulators made experimental set-ups with less complexity possible. Improvements of the pulse train amplitude stability of Nd:Glass lasers down to ±5% was reported [2,3]. Nd:YAG lasers are only briefly mentioned in reference 3. An actively/passively mode-locked Nd:YAG laser operated at 1Hz repetition rate is described in reference [4], but no characteristics of the laser are given.