Stable polarized diode-pumped passively Q-switched [100]-cut Nd:YAG laser with Cr4+:YAG crystal

•We demonstrated a stable polarized [100]-cut Nd:YAG laser.•The experiment demonstrated that in comparison with [111]-cut Nd:YAG laser.•Highly stabled and polarized output was achieved.

A stable polarized diode end-pumped [100]-cut Nd:YAG laser, passively Q-switched by a [001]-cut Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber, has been developed. The dependences of output characteristics in different directions of Cr4+:YAG crystal were investigated. The experiment demonstrated that in comparison with conventional [111]-cut Nd:YAG rod, stable output with high polarization extinction ratio was achieved by using the [100]-cut Nd:YAG as the laser crystal. The extinction ratio was 500:1 and the stability was 96.5%.