Environmentally Conscious and Economically Sound Machine Dismantling Forum > Milwaukee
> Electrical Machinery
> Inverters High Power
> New inrad pockels cell laser q-switch spectra physics
New inrad pockels cell laser q-switch spectra physics
NEW INRAD POCKELS CELL LASER Q-SWITCH SPECTRA PHYSICS
Spectra Physics 0100-4460-1
With Inspection test spec report
Electro-optic Pockels cells are used in applications that require fast switching of the polarization direction of a beam of light. These uses include Q-switching of laser cavities, coupling light into and out from regenerative amplifiers, and, when used in conjunction with a pair of polarizers, light intensity modulation. Pockels cells are characterized by fast response, since the Pockels Effect is largely an electronic effect that produces a linear change in refractive index when an electric field is applied, and they are much faster in response than devices based on acoustic changes in a material, for example.
Although INRAD Pockels cells can be used for phase modulation, during which sidebands are imprinted onto the frequency of the transmitted light at multiples of the drive frequency of the Pockels cell, these cells are not as efficient as devices that use an optimal crystal orientation and electric field direction and are designed specifically as phase modulators.
Because of the desire for the light beam to experience no birefringence in the absence of an electric field, the light beam propagates along the optic axis of a uniaxial crystal for all standard INRAD Pockels cells.
KD*P is routinely used for Q-switching applications from the uv out to about 1.1 m where absorption limits its use in active cavities, although it can be useful at longer wavelengths when a few percent of absorption can be tolerated.
LiNbO3 is used at 1.064 m and longer wavelengths. As a Pockels cell with an electric field applied transverse to the direction of light propagation, it can be configured to operate at a lower voltage than KD*P at 1.064 m by selecting the thickness and length of the crystal. LiNbO3 is useful at infrared wavelengths as long as 4.0 m although the half wave voltage becomes quite high. INRAD offers a damped LiNbO3 Pockels cell that dramatically decreases piezoelectric ringing and allows the Pockels cell to be used at higher repetition rates.
BBO can be useful at wavelengths from the uv out to about 2 m. The crystal handles high average powers better than either KD*P or LiNbO3, although it has a relatively small electro-optic coefficient. Hence, for BBO Pockels cells, voltages typically are high. Longer crystals reduce the voltage requirement. Thinner crystals, for which the clear aperture is smaller, also require less voltage for a given application.
INRAD Pockels Cell Specifications
PKC21 9.5, 12, 15, 20, 25 .30 - 1.32 m FC > 96 % 8, 9, 10,14, 17 3.3 kV > 1000:1
PKC02 9,15,20 .30 - 1.32 m FC > 95 % 14, 22, 28 1.65 kV > 1000:1
PKC23 10 .30 - 1.32 m FC > 96 % 6 3.3 kV > 1000:1 > 500
PKC24 9 .30 - 1.32 m SG > 99 % 8 3.3 kV > 1000:1 > 800
PLC01 8.5 1.0 - 3.8 m > 98 % 20 1.65 kV > 600:1 > 300
PLC01/D 8.5 1.0 - 3.8 m > 98 % 20 1.65 kV > 600:1 > 300
PBC05 2.5, 3.5 .22 - 2.1 m > 98 % 3 4.8 kV, 3.6 kV > 1000:1 > 500
PBC06 3.5, 4.5 .22 - 2.1 m > 97 % 5 3.6 kV, 2.4 kV > 500:1 > 500
