Controller for the electro-optical shutter of a dual pulse laser

A unit for controlling the cavity Q of a dual pulse laser utilizes the independent discharging of two high voltage capacitors in an electro-optical shutter. The capacitors are charged to a voltage of 0.5 to 15 KV. The controller contains three regulated power supplies: two for the capacitors and a 0 to 12 KV DC bias supply for the shutter. The high voltage switchers in the controller are controlled from any industrial dual channel square wave generator with an output amplitude of 10 V or more (for example, a G5-56). The output pulse amplitude is continuously variable from 0.5 to 15 KV; the bias voltage is continuously variable from 0 to 12 KV; the rise time of the pulses is no more than 0.5 KV/ns. The minimum delay between the pulses is 0.1 microsecond. The maximum switching frequency is 3 Hz. The controller is powered from the AC mains at 220 V, 50 Hz with a power consumption of 450 W. The dimensions are 510 x 500 x 310 mm and the weight is 30 kg.