• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.340-346
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• 2002

To understand the characteristics of the passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser output energy with $Cr^{4+}$:YAG saturable absorbers, the transmissions of $Cr^{4+}$:YAG and the inversion population densities of Nd:YAG at the onset of Q-switch were experimentally analysed. The measured transmissions at the onset of Q-switch were 0.70$\pm$0.02 and 0.62$\pm$0.02 for the 0.48 and 0.38 of initial transmission, respectively. It means that the initial transmission loss of $Cr^{4+}$:YAG absorber is reduced in a low Q-state due to the initial absorbing effect of $Cr^{4+}$:YAG. In pumping stage, $Cr^{4+}$:YAG has absorbing processes due to the fluorescence and amplified spontaneous emissions of the Nd:YAG even if there is no laser oscillation. The minimum population inversion densities for Qswitch were approximately 3.7${\times}{10^{17}}$ and 4.0${\times}{10^{17}}$ $cm^{-3}$, respectively. At the beginning of Q-switch, the number density of $Cr^{4+}$ions in the ground state of $Cr^{4+}$:YAG was approximately 1.4${\times}{10^{17}}$ $cm^{-3}$ and the ratio of the ground to the excited state of absorbing $Cr^{4+}$ions was 0.44 both. The modified theoretical output energies with the initial absorbing effect were 18 and 18.5 mJ. The measured output energies were 17$\pm$1 and 18$\pm$1.5 mJ, respectively. The quantum extraction efficiencies of Q-switch were 0.32 both. The theoretical Q-switched output results with the initial absorbing effect of the saturable absorber are a good agreement with the experimental results.