Abstract: A laser for generating pulsed laser radiation is provided, having a resonator, a laser-active medium, which is situated in the resonator, a Q-switch, which is situated in the resonator, and which can be put into a first state and a second state to set the resonator quality. The resonator quality is lower in the first state than in the second state. The laser also may have a detection unit, which, when the Q-switch is in the second state, measures the intensity of the building laser pulse and outputs it as an intensity signal. The laser may further have a control unit for controlling the Q-switch, which, as a function of a predetermined pulse duration and the applied intensity signal, switches the Q-switch from the second state into the first state, before the pulse buildup of the laser pulse is completed.

Abstract: The object of a pulsed laser arrangement and a method for adjusting the pulse length of laser pulses is to change the pulse length over a wide range substantially independent from the laser output power, in particular to counteract a reduction in output and to prevent a negative change in the beam parameters when lengthening the pulse by means of varying the oscillator output. A multistage laser amplifier in which an amplifying medium with a small-signal amplification of more than 10 is provided in every stage (17-22) is arranged downstream of a diode-pumped Q-switched solid state laser oscillator with variable oscillator output for supplying oscillator pulses. The total small-signal amplification brought about by all of the amplifying media is greater than 1000. The pulsed laser arrangement and the method can be used for industrial and medical purposes requiring pulse lengths in the range of several hundred ns to several ?s at pulse repetition rates between 10 kHz and 200 kHz.

Abstract: The object of a pulsed laser arrangement and a method for adjusting the pulse length of laser pulses is to change the pulse length over a wide range substantially independent from the laser output power, in particular to counteract a reduction in output and to prevent a negative change in the beam parameters when lengthening the pulse by means of varying the oscillator output. A multistage laser amplifier in which an amplifying medium with a small-signal amplification of more than 10 is provided in every stage (17-22) is arranged downstream of a diode-pumped Q-switched solid state laser oscillator with variable oscillator output for supplying oscillator pulses. The total small-signal amplification brought about by all of the amplifying media is greater than 1000. The pulsed laser arrangement and the method can be used for industrial and medical purposes requiring pulse lengths in the range of several hundred ns to several ?s at pulse repetition rates between 10 kHz and 200 kHz.

Abstract: In a diode-pumped laser amplifier the inventive object is to increase the tolerance of the amplifier arrangement relative to variations of the input parameters significantly, so that fine-tuning is no longer necessary for guaranteeing the stability of the amplifier. Into a laser-active solid-state medium where a thermal lens of a strength which is different in orthogonal planes is generated in consequence of the irradiated pump radiation, a laser beam to be amplified is directed into the laser-active solid-state medium while being focused in the plane with a strong thermal lens, wherein a beam waist that is being generated lies in the area of the thermal lens. The laser amplifier can be used for amplifying the radiation of an oscillator.

Abstract: In a diode-pumped laser amplifier the inventive object is to increase the tolerance of the amplifier arrangement relative to variations of the input parameters significantly, so that fine-tuning is no longer necessary for guaranteeing the stability of the amplifier. Into a laser-active solid-state medium where a thermal lens of a strength which is different in orthogonal planes is generated in consequence of the irradiated pump radiation, a laser beam to be amplified is directed into the laser-active solid-state medium while being focused in the plane with a strong thermal lens, wherein a beam waist that is being generated lies in the area of the thermal lens. The laser amplifier can be used for amplifying the radiation of an oscillator.