High-peak-power Q-switched 1988  nm bulk laser based on an electro-optical La3Ga5SiO14 modulator

An electro-optically (EO) Q -switched Tm:YAP laser with high peak power was demonstrated based on a L a 3 G a 5 S i O 14 (LGS) crystal. The EO modulator was operated in a pulse-on mode driven by a 1/4 wave voltage of 2400 V, which was the lowest voltage designed for LGS-based EO modulators at 2 µm, to the best of our knowledge. At a repetition rate of 200 Hz, a maximum single-pulse energy of 3.15 mJ was obtained with a minimum pulse duration of 17 ns, corresponding to a peak power as high as 185.3 kW.