Multichannel neodymium-glass laser with a plasma shutter

Synchronized Q-switching in a multichannel neodymium-glass laser using a single reflecting laser plasma as a shutter is reported. The laser consists of four identical single-channel four-stage devices, the outputs from which are converted into a single parallel beam and focused on a graphite target. One channel of the device is pumped to the threshold for single-pulse lasing and acts to trigger the remaining channels by a train of high-power nanosecond pulses when a dense reflecting plasma forms at the target, with self-mode-locking occuring in all channels. An energy of 400 J with an average nanosecond-peak power of 10 GW has been attained. The simultaneous triggering of lasers with different optical arrangements and different output wavelengths using a common plasma shutter has also been observed.