Passively Q-switched microchip laser at 1.5 μm

We demonstrate a compact laser source in the eye-safe wavelength regime (approximate to1.5 mum) that produces peak powers up to 10.6 kW at pulse durations of 0.84 ns with a repetition rate exceeding I kHz. An Er:Yb:glass microchip laser was passively Q-switched with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). We investigated SESAM damage under Q-switching conditions and developed an improved SESAM design that can withstand microjoule pulses. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.