Passively Q-switched laser performance of an a-cut Nd:Lu0.33Y0.36Gd0.3VO4 crystal at 1.34 mu m with V3+:YAG as the saturable absorber

Continuous-wave and passively Q-switched (PQS) laser characteristics at 1.34 mu m of a novel a-cut three matrix mixed laser crystal Nd:Lu0.33Y0.36Gd0.3VO4 with V3+:YAG as the saturable absorber were demonstrated. The maximum output power of 1.21 W was obtained at the pump power of 6.34 W, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 19.1% and a slope efficiency of 23.5%. For the PQS operation at 1.34 mu m, the minimum pulse width attained was 72.7-ns, with the pulse repetition rate of 103 kHz, with the single pulse energy and peak power estimated to be 5.18 mu J and 71.3 W, respectively.