Photosensitive Liquid used as a Nondestructive Passive Q-Switch in a Ruby Laser

A solution of cryptocyanine in methanol has been used as a self-synchronizing, nondestructive, passive Q-switch in a ruby laser. A symmetric giant pulse of ∼10 nsec width and 5–10 MW peak power is produced with a standard ruby laser system. This pulse is comparable with pulses generated by other Q-switching techniques.