Diode-side-pumped Nd:YAG/BaWO4 dual-wavelength Raman laser emitting at 1502 and 1527 nm

A diode-side-pumped, actively Q-switched eye-safe dual-wavelength laser employing crystal Nd:YAG as gain medium and BaWO4 as Raman medium is demonstrated for the first time to the best of our knowledge. The dual-wavelength Raman laser emission at 1502 and 1527 nm is based on the stimulated Raman scattering action of the dual-wavelength fundamental laser emission at 1319 and 1338 nm. With the pump power of 125 W and pulse repetition frequency of 5 kHz, the maximum dual-wavelength output power of 2.3 W was obtained, comprising a 1.4W, 1505 nm laser component and a 0.9W, 1527 nm laser component. The simultaneous Q-switching and mode locking of the dual-wavelength Stokes laser without mode locking component was obtained at the pump power of about 50-90 W and the pulse repetition frequency of 1 kHz. The mode-locked pulse width was less than 75 ps at the pump power of 90W. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.