Efficient 1521-nm Nd:GdVO4 Raman laser

An efficient compact diode-pumped actively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 laser at 1521 nm is demonstrated by use of the nonlinear optical process of stimulated Raman scattering. With a 13.6-W diode pump power, greater than 1.18 W of 1521-nm average power at a repetition rate of 20 kHz is generated. At a repetition rate of 5 kHz, the pulse width is shorter than 5 ns and the peak power is higher than 20 kW. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.