Use of high-concentration Li–Nd–La phosphate glass in Q-switched lasers

Results are presented of an experimental study of the use of high-concentration Li–Nd–La phosphate glass in Q-switched lasers for the giant-pulse and pulse-periodic regimes. When an electro-optic switch and a rotating prism were used for Q switching, a 1% efficiency was achieved. When a passive switch utilizing color centers in LiF was used, the laser efficiency was 0.5%. A method of optimizing a Q-switched laser for a given output energy is described.