Pockels Cells &
Q-Switches

Quantum Technology manufactures 4 types of Pockels cells, using high quality strain-free crystals of E-O materials: (View Informational Photographs)

1) Series QS Transverse Electrode (TE) BBO crystal Pockels cell (200nm to 1064nm) for high speed, high average power switching. (DS 718 QS Series BBO Super Switch  Q-Switches)
2) Series QC Ring Electrode (RE) KD*P crystal Pockels cell (300nm to 1064nm) for low loss intra-cavity switching. (
DS 722 QC Series KD*P Pockels Cells)
3) Series LN (TE type) Lithium Niobate crystal Pockels cell for (800nm to 2500nm) Q-Switching and modulation. (
DS 738 LN Series Lithium Niobate Q-Switches)
4) Series RT (TE type) RTP Crystal Pockels cell (600-2100nm)for Multi-KHZ to Multi-MHz for stable Q-Switching and Pulse Picking. ( 
DS 742 RT Series RTP Crystal Q Switches)

1) Series QS BBO Super-Switches have a low insertion loss, resonance free operation, and withstand average powers in excess of 20 KW/cm2 (CW). The AC quarter-wave voltage for 3mm aperture is 4.0 KV at 1064 nm. For extra-cavity use, two crystal Model QS-3-2 is recommended with a half-wave voltage of 4.0 KV. As the wavelength is decreased, this voltage goes down linearly. The unique feature is its extremely low capacitance of less then 2pF, giving a fast rise-time in a 50 ohm impedance system. BBO has a high damage threshold. The crystal faces are AR coated with a proprietary Polymer coating and the BBO is placed between AR coated windows. Model QS-3 is ideal for Q-Switching of high power compact Diode-Pumped Solid State lasers at sub-nanosecond speeds (Data Sheet 718)
2) Series QC Pockels cells utilize crystals with two levels of deuteration, 95 % KD*P and 99 % KD*P. The first type is suitable for switching a Ruby laser (typical quarter-wave voltage 2.2 KV). The second type is useful for a Nd:YAG laser (typical quarter-wave voltage 3.2 KV). These industry standard Q-Switches are available in dry or wet versions. The crystal is coated with Polymer coating for dry operation or index-matched for low loss in a housing with AR coated windows. The diameter of QC-10 is 35 mm and the length is 45 mms. Two crystal devices, such as QC-10-2 are available in most Models for lower half-wave voltage operation (Data Sheet 722)
3)Series LN Pockels cells are intra-cavity Q switches with hard apertures of 9 mms (LN-9) and 16mms (LN-16). The Model LN-9 requires a DC switch-out voltage of 1.5 KV at 1064 nm. The other Model LN-16 requires a switch-out voltage of 2 KV at 1064 nm. These are dry type only with AR coated faces and AR coated windows.  (Data Sheet 738)
4)MODEL QB-8 is a Brewster KD*P Pockels cell for low loss and high optical power handling capability for an 8 mm laser beam. These and other modifications are available in all Models to increase their usefulness (Data Sheet 729).
5)MODEL MC-10 is an impedance matched KD*P Pockels cell for picosecond rise-time optical pulse generation when it is terminated in 50 ohms (for low VSWR) and driven by a suitable high voltage source. The MC models are available in single crystal versions only (Data Sheet 721)
6)MODEL LAP is a 50 mm Large aperture KD*P Pockels cell.
7) RTP crystal Pockels cells have negligible piezoelectric resonances and have wide optical bandwidth of 600-2100um.  These dual crystal Pockels cells are useful for modulation rates 100's of KHz to1-2 MHz with fast rise & fall times with available drivers. (Data Sheet 742)

Pockels Cell Specifications
Model No. Material Aperture Contrast V1/4 @ 1064nm
QS-3 BBO 3mm 2000:1 3.6 KV
QS-4 BBO 4mm 2000:1 4.7 KV
QC-8 KD*P 8mm 1000:1 3.4 KV
QC-10J KD*P 10mm 1000:1 3.4 KV
QC-10 KD*P 10mm 1000:1 3.4 KV
QC-16 KD*P 16mm 1000:1 3.5 KV
QC-20 KD*P 20mm 750:1 3.6 KV
QC-24 KD*P 24mm 500:1 3.8 KV
LN-9 LINbO3 9mm 100:1 1.5 KV
LN-16 LINbO3 16mm 100:1 2.0 KV
QB-8 KD*P 8mm 1000:1 3.4 KV
MC-10 KD*P 10mm 1000:1 3.4 KV
LAP-50 KD*P 50mm 250:1 3.9 KV

Home | E-O Systems | Pulse Picker Systems | Pockels Cells/ Q-Switches | HV Drivers
Non-Linear Optics | Sales Agents | Product List | Data Sheets | Application Notes