Cobalt-doped magnesium aluminate spinel (Co:MgAl 2 O 4 ) allow the generation of short nanosecond pulse with high peak power around the eye-safe wavelength of 1.5um,perfect for telemetry applications. The absorption spectrum of Co2+-doped MgAl 2 O 4 exhibited a broad absorption band in the wavelength range of 1200–1600 nm, which indicated that Co2+ ions substituted for the tetrahedrally coordinated Mg2+ ions in the MgAl 2 O 4 lattice. Passive Q-switching of solid-state lasers with solid-state saturable absorbers is a very attractive Q-switching technique because it allows to develop compact and low cost laser sources of nano and sub nanosecond pulses far various applications

Co spinel——saturable absorbers for the passive Q-switching of solid-state lasers operating at eye-safe wavelength of 1.5 μm