Quasi-Continuously Pumped Passively Mode-Locked Operation of a Nd:GdVO_4 and Nd:YVO_4 Laser in a Bounce Geometry

摘要

The comparative study of pulsed diode pumped Nd:GdVO_4 and Nd:YVO_4 slab lasers in a bounce geometry in a free running and a passively mode-locked regime was performed. The better efficiency of Nd:GdVO_4 in both regimes was obtained. In the free running regime the efficiency of 39% was achieved from Nd:GdVO_4 comparing with 28% from Nd:YVO_4. Passive mode-locking of both lasers using a semiconductor saturable absorber in the transmission mode was demonstrated. Trains containing 6 pulses were generated in both cases but the pump energy for Nd:GdVO_4 was 50% lower. The single pulse extraction using cavity dump_ing was demonstrated with contrast better than 10~(-3).