High repetition rate electrooptic Q-switching of Nd3+:YAG lasers showing strong optical birefringence

Using a novel configuration of two coupled resonators, electrooptic
Q
-switching of CW-pumped Nd
³⁺
:YAG lasers has been investigated. This technique yields two linearly polarized output beams with practically all the power contained in one beam. In the case of strong pumping, e.g., using high repetition rate flashlamp pumping, the optimization of mirror reflectivity leads to a single-resonator configuration.