Diode-pumped ytterbium — erbium glass microlasers with optical Q-switching based on frustrated total internal reflection

An optical system is proposed in which a switch based on frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) is used to vary actively the Q-factor of longitudinally pumped erbium glass microlasers. Continuous pumping (with a power of 320 mW) generated giant pulses, of 500 — 600 W peak power and of 10 — 12 ns duration, at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. An FTIR switch in a laser transversely pulse-pumped by a linear laser-diode array delivering 100 W produced pulses of up to 7.5 mJ energy and of 30 ns duration.