High power single-longitudinal-mode Ho:YLF unidirectional ring laser based on a composite structure of acousto-optic device and wave plate.

We report a unidirectional single-longitudinal-mode Ho:YLF ring laser. An acousto-optic modulator and two half-wave plates were used to enforce the Ho:YLF ring laser in a unidirectional operation. The single-longitudinal-mode output power could reach 3.73 W successfully when the incident pump power was 16.4 W. The corresponding slope efficiency was 27.1%. The wavelength of the single-longitudinal-mode Ho:YLF ring laser was 2063.8 nm. The M 2 factor was 1.12. The results illustrated that the single-longitudinal-mode output power could be further enhanced by increasing the radio frequency power of the acousto-optic modulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]