Widely tunable, narrow-linewidth, subnanosecond pulse generation in an electronically tuned Ti : sapphire laser

Widely tunable subnanosecond Ti:sapphire laser radiation pumped with a cw Q -switched laser-diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser has been demonstrated in a simple laser system with a configuration of variable cavity length. Laser wavelen gths can be continuously tuned by adjustment of the rf of an intracavity ac ousto-optic tunable filter with a computer through the whole range of the l aser gain. During tuning of the whole spectral range, there is no need to r ealign any optics in the laser, except for moving the mirror to track the c hange of the rf. The peak powers of the output pulses at a pump level of 30 0 mW are comparable with those of conventional tunable picosecond Ti:sapphi re lasers at a cw pump level of almost 10 W. (C) 1999 Optical Society of Am erica OCIS codes: 140.3580, 140.3600, 140.4050.