Diode-pumped passively Q-switched Nd:GGG laser with a Bi-doped GaAs semiconductor saturable absorber

Passive Q-switching of a diode-pumped Nd:GGG laser is demonstrated using Bi-doped GaAs as saturable absorber. The Bi-doped GaAs wafer is fabricated by ion implantation and subsequent annealing. Compared with the Q-switched laser by undoped GaAs semiconductor saturable absorber, the laser with Bi-doped GaAs as saturable absorber can produce higher output power, shorter pulses, higher single pulse energies and higher peak powers. These results suggest that Bi-doped GaAs can be a promising new candidate of semiconductor saturable absorber in Q-switched laser.