Cr⁴⁺:YAG as a Passive Q-Switch in a Diode-Pumped cw Nd:YVO₄ Laser

The performance of a passively Q-switched all-solid-state Nd:YVO₄ laser using Cr⁴⁺:YAG as saturable absorber is reported. Optimum coupling operation at 1064nm resulted in 70ns pulses at 40kHz repetition rates with average output power of 2.1 W. A quantitative theoretical description agrees well with the experimental results.