LD pumped passively Q-switched ceramic Nd:YAG 946 nm laser with a high peak power output

A compact multi-kilohertz, high-peak-power laser-diode end-pumped Nd:YAG ceramic quasi-three-level 946 nm laser is demonstrated. The maximum output power of 2.3 W is obtained in continuous-wave ceramic Nd:YAG 946 nm laser under the pump power (Pin) of 14.2 W. A Cr4+:YAG with an initial transmissivity of 92 % at 946 nm is utilized as saturable absorber in passively Q-switched laser. The average power of passively Q-switched 946 nm laser reaches 0.96 W with an optical-to-optical efficiency of 6.7 %. The pulse repetition frequency increases linearly with pump power and peaks at 8.2 kHz. The pulse width does not vary obviously versus pump power and the shortest pulse width of 946 nm laser is 13.0 ns. The output peak power is estimated to be 12.4 kW, much higher than previous results in pulsed ceramic Nd:YAG 946 nm laser.