title: Acousto-optically Q-switched, resonantly pumped, Er:YVO4 laser.
abstract: We report on the performance of an acousto-optically Q-switched Er:YVO4 laser resonantly pumped in the 4I 15/2 → 4I 13/2 transition. The laser output was π-polarized at 1603 nm. It operated with a 1-40 kHz pulse repetition rate (PRR) and delivered up to 1.15 W of average output power. A slope efficiency of 45% with respect to the absorbed pump power was demonstrated at the pulse repetition rates of 10 kHz and above. The best Q-switched operation with 470 μJ, 50 ns long pulses was achieved at the PRR of 1-2 kHz and pumping with a fiber-coupled laser diode. This Q-switched pulse energy is the highest reported for Er:YVO4 single crystal laser.
authors.affiliation: US Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Rd., Adelphi, MD 20783, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fromzel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ter-Gabrielyan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubinskii