Neodymium-glass laser with an ultrasonic Q switch

An investigation was made of the lasing threshold, total output energy, duration of emission and its time structure, duration of a single spike, and transverse distribution of the intensity in the beam emitted from a neodymium-glass laser with an ultrasonic Q switch. These properties were determined as a function of the control voltage applied to the switch. The results obtained were interpreted on the basis of a theory of the diffraction of light by a standing ultrasonic wave.