Passively Q-switched Nd:LuVO4 laser using Cr4+:YAG as saturable absorber

A passively Q-switched all solid-state Nd:LuVO4 1.06 μm laser was demonstrated by using Cr4+:YAG as saturable absorber. The characteristics of average output power, pulse width, repetition rate, pulse energy, and peak power were studied with different output couplings and initial transmission of saturable absorbers. When output coupling with the transmission of 20% was used, the shortest pulse width of 16 ns at the repetition rate of 12.5 kHz was obtained, which results in the pulse energy of 71 μJ and peak power of 4.43 kW with the initial transmission of 70% of Cr4+:YAG crystal.