Self-Q-switched, orthogonally polarized, dual-wavelength laser using long-lifetime Yb3+ crystal as both gain medium and saturable absorber

A novel self-Q-switched and orthogonally polarized dual-wavelength laser has been investigated with Yb3+-doped CGB disordered crystals. By slightly inclining output coupler to introduce the Fresnel loss, we realized simultaneously dual-wavelength laser operation at 1052.6 nm in E//b polarization and 1057.7 nm in E//c polarization with a frequency difference of 1.38 THz. Self-Q-switched pulse generation was observed in this free-running laser, originating from the nonlinear reabsorption effect of Yb:CGB as well as the strong storage of inversion population induced by the long excited-state lifetime (similar to 1 ms). Pulse duration of 287 ns was obtained with an output average power of 416 mW and a repetition rate of 35 kHz. The self-Q-switching effect increased the peak power by 100 times the average power. This very simple laser, free from the complexity and high-cost of additional intracavity polarization modulator and Q-switcher, may be applied for constructing miniature, integrated and portable laser system. (C)2014 Optical Society of America