Abstract

We report on a fiber amplified passively Q-switched microchip-laser delivering 85ps, 3MW pulses with 105kHz repetition rate. An all-optical synchronization technique reducing the mean pulse to pulse jitter of the microchip laser to 40ps is demonstrated for the first time. In comparison with existing setups at comparable average powers, the repetition rate is nearly on order of magnitude higher and the pulse duration is one order of magnitude shorter, making it a formidable micromachining source with high ablation rates.

© 2008 Optical Society of America