Miniature Pockels Cells for Laser Q-Switching

Ultra compact 8mm KD*P Pockels cell with integrated polarizer and waveplate for Q-switching

Prompted by a need for even smaller components than our model EM510C we have developed this latest model EM508UC to provide a full, 8mm aperture in a package only 19mm diameter yet it also packs a factory pre-aligned thin film Brewster plate polarizer and quarter wave retardation plate making it ideal for pulsed quarter wave Q-switching.

The Brewster polarizer is required when Q-switching laser media that do not have strongly polarized gain cross-sections and of course, Nd:YAG is a classic example (Nd:YVO4 would not require the polarizer). The retardation plate is usually orientated towards the rear mirror so P-polarized light which passes through the polarizer during the pump phase is converted to S-polarization after a double pass and is rejected from the cavity by the polarizer. The cavity therefore experiences high loss during this phase. The application of a fast rise time (ask about our drivers) quarter wave pulse means that P-polarized light passing through the polarizer is no longer switched to S-polarization so this then experiences minimum loss and the P-polarization is then allowed to be amplified in the cavity and the giant, Q-switched pulse is produced.

Ultra compact 8mm KD*P Pockels cell with integrated polarizer and waveplate for Q-switching
Both the Brewster thin-film polarizer and the low order quarter wave retardation plate will be pre-aligned with the axes of the KD*P crystal. The standard orientation is for transmitted P-polarization to be parallel to the axis of the connecting studs, but if you prefer we can orientate the studs at 90° to the polarizing optical elements on request.

Provisional Specifications: