Computational and experimental study of a Q-switched cw chemical HF/DF laser

The energy and temporal parameters of radiation from a cw chemical medium-size HF/DF laser mechanically Q-switched by a mirror rotating at a frequency of up to 1 kHz are calculated and studied experimentally. The peak power of laser pulses in the repetitively pulsed regime exceeds the cw output power of the HF laser at least by a factor of four. The average power in the repetitively pulses regime is lower than that in the cw regime, but it increases (approximately doubles) with increasing modulation frequency. The time of the complete recovery of the gain profile in the active medium is measured to be 6–7 μs. Two numerical models are developed which describe the dynamics of Q-switched HF and DF lasers. Some specific features of the operation of these lasers are analysed with the help of these models.