Q-switching

Q-switching, sometimes known as giant pulse formation, is a technique discovered circa 1962 by R.W. Hellwarth and F.J. McClung using electrically switched Kerr cell shutters and is a technique by which a laser can be made to produce a pulsed output beam. The technique allows the production of light pulses with extremely high (gigawatt) peak intensity, much higher than would be produced by the same laser if it were operating in a continuous wave (constant output) mode. Compared to modelocking, another technique for pulse generation with lasers, Q-switching leads to much lower pulse repetition rates, much higher pulse energies, and much longer pulse durations.

Related Topics:
Kerr cell - Laser - Pulsed - Gigawatt - Intensity - Continuous wave - Modelocking

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