Timing Jitter and Pulse Width Reduction in a Hybrid Q-Switched Cr,Nd:YAG Laser

We present a detailed study of a combined actively and passively Q-switched (CAPQ) laser with an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and a codoped Cr⁴⁺, Nd³⁺:YAG crystal. The hybrid Q-switch approach is used to produce a short laser pulse with stable and tunable repetition rates. The timing jitter, average pulse width, and average pulse amplitude vary periodically with the AOM modulation frequency under a fixed pump power. The repetition rate of the CAPQ laser can be turned approximately from 4kHz to 16kHz with the jitter less than 400ns.