High average power 1314 nm Nd:YLF laser, passively Q-switched with V:YAG

Abstract

A 1314 nm Nd:YLF laser was designed and operated both CW and passively Q-switched. Maximum CW output of 10.4 W resulted from 45.2 W of incident pump power. Passive Q-switching was obtained by inserting a V:YAG saturable absorber in the cavity. The oscillator delivered a maximum of 825 μJ energy per pulse, with a pulse duration of 135 ns at a pulse repetition frequency of 6.3 kHz, effectively delivering 5.2 W of average power.