Diode-end-pumped passively Q-switched 1319 nm Nd:YAG ceramic laser with a V3+:YAG saturable absorber

The performance of a LD-end-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:YAG ceramic laser at 1319 nm with a V3+:YAG saturable absorber was demonstrated for the first time to the best of our knowledge. The average output power of 1.8 W was obtained under the pump power of 23.7 W, corresponding to the optical conversion efficiency of 7.8% and slope efficiency of 9%. The minimum pulse width was 128 ns with the pulse repetition rate of 230 kHz, which was attained with a T = 2.8% output coupler at the pump power of 23.7 W.