Picosecond Nd:YAG slab laser passively Q-switched and mode-locked using multiple quantum well saturable absorbers

Operation of Nd:YAG triangle slab laser side pumped by 600 W quasiicontinuous laser diode passively mode locked using semiconductor saturable absorber is reported. Pulse trains with energy up to 2 mJ and pulse duration of 65 ps were generated and pulse shortening by passive negative feedback introduced due to the beam defocusing in GaAs saturable absorber substrate was measured.