Solid-State Q-Switched Lasers Expand Their Reach
Since their introduction a decade ago, there have been nearly continuous improvements in the performance and reliability of diode-pumped, single-transverse-mode, solid-state lasers with Q-switched operation. Current systems can deliver low noise output at 1064, 532, 355 and 266 nm at 10 times the power levels of those first lasers, with maintenance intervals reaching 10,000 hours or more. As a result of these advances, applications now range from stereolithography and hard disk texturing to...
Photonics Spectra, August 2002