Patent ID: 7313155

Claim:
A high power Q-switched laser system with intracavity frequency doubling, the laser system comprising: a gain medium that is stimulated to emit electromagnetic radiation at a first harmonic; a resonant cavity that defines an optical path along which electromagnetic radiation emitted by the gain medium is directed; a nonlinear crystal installed along the optical path defined by the resonant cavity, the nonlinear crystal being adapted to convert the frequency of at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the gain medium from the first harmonic to a second harmonic; a Q-switch disposed along the optical path defined by the resonant cavity, the optical transmission of the Q-switch being controllable between a minimum transmission value and a maximum transmission value; and a controller that receives a trigger signal and controls the Q-switch to operate in at least a laser-ready mode and a pulse-on mode based on the received trigger signal, wherein in the laser-ready mode, the transmission of the Q-switch remains at or near the minimum transmission value, wherein in the pulse-on mode the transmission value of the Q-switch is modulated according to a predetermined frequency and amplitude, wherein in response to an indication in the trigger signal to switch the Q-switch from laser-ready mode to pulse-on mode, the controller controls the Q-switch to ramp the transmission value up from the transmission value implemented during the laser-ready mode to a transmission at or near the maximum transmission value prior to controlling the Q-switch to modulate the transmission value in accordance with the pulse-on mode.