LiNbO3 pockels cell for Q-switch of Er:YAG laser

Specially designed LiNbO3 electrooptic shutter was used for Q-switching of Er:YAG laser system. Brewster angles was employed at the Pockels cell LiNbO3 crystal faces to avoid the insertion of a polarized into the resonator. By help of the theoretical analysis based on Jones calculus, the dependency of Pockels cell radiation transmission on applied voltage was found. Theoretically and experimentally was proved, that for 25 mm long LiNbO3 crystal the voltage of 1.5kV is sufficient to avoid the laser oscillation. With this Pockels cell a stable running Q-switched Er:YAG laser system was realized. The generated giant pulse length and energy was 70 ns and 30 mJ, respectively.