Investigation of a Tm:YLF Quasi-3-Level Laser in Continuous and Pulsed Operation

There is a long-standing discussion in the laser community about the physics leading to continuous wave and selfpulsing in Quasi 3-level laser systems. In this work, we want to investigate laser design parameters that affect the laser output parameters of a compact Quasi-3-level Tm:YLF $\mathbf{1. 9 1 } \boldsymbol{\mu}$ m laser, providing new knowledge of the underlying temporal dynamics. By manipulating the laser cavity parameters, e.g. cavity length, and overlap with the pumped laser volume, the laser can be tuned for stable operation in the two regimes. The intricate physics will be discussed. The compact laser cavity and straightforward tuning of its operation and output parameters make it a compelling choice for applications requiring simple $2 \mu \mathrm{m}$ light sources, e.g. frequency conversion.