Modelling of a Nd:YAG laser Q-switched by a scanning interferometric mirror

Abstract : We have modelled a continuously pumped Nd:YAG actively Q-switched by a variable interferometric mirror made up of a scanning Michelson or Fabry–Pérot mirror. We have characterised the three-mirror laser dynamics by using a bifurcation diagram constructed from the plot of peak power-enhancement factor as a function of mirror speed. One observes different chaotic windows separated by period-doubling bifurcations, and stable periodic regime. It is demonstrated that the best performance of the Q-switched laser is obtained rather for low than for high mirror speed (pulse width of 20 ns, and high peak power up to 400 times greater than the continuous emission).