Passive Q-switching of 1.44 μm and 1.34 μm diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers with a V:YAG saturable absorber

Abstract.Spectroscopic data of a V3+:YAG passive Q-switch crystal were measured. The absorption recovery time was determined to be of 37±7 ns and the ground state absorption cross section was estimated to be 0.7×10-18 cm2 at 1.44 μm and 3.5×10-18 cm2 at 1.34 μm. Passively Q-switched operation of diode pumped 1.44 μm and 1.3 μm Nd:YAG lasers was demonstrated using this crystal as saturable absorber. Average output powers of 1.42 W (1.44 μm) and 1.56 W (1.34 μm) and pulse energies of 24 μJ (1.44 μm) and 25 μJ (1.34 μm) were observed, respectively.