Electrooptic Q switching of the Nd:YVO4laser without an intracavity polarizer

An explanation of the excellent
Q
-switched lasing of Nd:YVO
4
at pump levels many times threshold with no intracavity polarizer is presented. A small wedge between the laser rod's end faces, coupled with the material's high birefringence, enables the rod to act as its own intraeavity polarizer. This results in a simplification of the
Q
-switched optical resonator and can be applied to other birefringent laser materials.