Q-switched and mode-locked YVO4/Nd:YVO4/YVO4 self-Raman first-Stokes laser

Abstract

Using a YVO₄/Nd:YVO₄/YVO₄ composite crystal end pumped by laser diode, we demonstrate the simultaneously Q-switched and mode-locked self-Raman laser at the firststokes wavelength of 1176.07 nm. Its corresponding linewidth was measured to approximately be 0.14 nm. At the pump power of 38 W and the pulse repetition frequency of 50 kHz, the maximum average output power at 1176 nm was obtained to be 1.34 W with the corresponding optical conversion efficiency of 3.6%. The highest pulse energy and the highest peak power were obtained to be 35 μJ and 10.5 kW, respectively. The shortest mode-locked pulse width of the laser was obtained to be ~300 ps with the corresponding repetition rate of mode-locked laser pulse is ~ 1.11 GHz