Laser performance of monolithic Cr,Nd:YAG self-Q-switched laser

The self-Q-switched laser performance of monolithic Cr4+.,Nd3+:YAG concave-planar resonator with 5-mm length was studied experimentally and theoretically. The slope efficiency is as high as 24% and pump threshold is as low as 64 mW. The pulse width, the single pulse energy and the pulse repetition rate of monolithic Cr,Nd:YAG self-Q-switched laser were measured as a function of absorbed pump power. With the increase of pump power, the pulse width decreases and the pulse energy and the pulse repetition rate increase. The average output power of 91 mW with pulse width of 7 ns at repletion rate of 35.5 kHz was obtained at the maximum absorbed pump power of 440 mW, the peak power is as high as 370 W. The theoretical prediction of pulse energy, pulse width and pulse repetition rate as a function of absorbed pump power based on rate equations is in a good agreement with our experimental data. This can lead to develop the diode laser-pumped monolithic self-Q-switched solid-state microchip lasers. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.