Passively Q-switched 1.34 μm Nd: YxGd1-xVO4 laser with Co2+: LaMgAl11O19 saturable absorber

The static and dynamic 1.34 mu m laser output performance of the Nd: YxGd1-xVO4 mixed crystal, pumped by a flash-lamp, is investigated with different transmissions of output couplers (T = 15%, 30%, and 40%) in a plano-concave laser cavity. With the output coupler transmission of T=30%, the static output energy of 62 mJ is obtained when the pump energy is 24.2 J, and the corresponding electric-optical conversion efficiency is 0.26%. By use of a new saturable absorber, Co2+: LaMgAl11O19 (Co: LMA), the passive Q-switching at 1.34 mu m is realized when the second threshold condition of passive Q-switching is satisfied. With the cavity length of 245 mm and pump energy of 24.2 J, the single-pulse output energy, pulse width, and peak power are obtained to be 3.5 mJ, 45 ns, and 77.8 kW, respectively. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.