Dual-rod Cr:LiSAF oscillator/amplifier for remote sensing applications

A dual rod configuration is used to achieve 16W average power operation from a flashlamp-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser oscillator. A double-pass dual-rod amplifier configuration was used to amplify 141{mu}J pulses from a Q-switched diode-pumped LiSAF oscillator by a factor of {approximately}120. This experiment established a small signal gain of 13.4% per cm at 820 nm. Improved slope efficiency (7.4% electrical-to-light) and pulse repetition frequency (40Hz) were achieved with a single-rod oscillator using improved Cr:LiSAF material