Flashlamp-pumped wavelength-switchable Cr, Tm, Ho:YAG laser

A flashlamp-pumped wavelength-switchable Cr, Tm, Ho:YAG laser was investigated through changing output coupling ratios. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the wavelength-switching between four typical wavelengths (2091 nm, 2097 nm, 2121 nm and 2130 nm) of the Ho3+ laser has been systematically implemented. The variation of the output coupling ratio of the resonator is realized by combining several output couplers with fixed transmittances or adjusting the orientation of the axis of quarter-wave plate when using a polarizer as output coupler. A theoretical model with consideration of mode competition validates the experimental results. Joule-level pulse energy is obtained for multiple output coupling ratios in this laser system.