High-brightness laser-diode pumped passively Q-switched Nd:S-VAP lasers

We demonstrate, for the first time as far as we know, a passively Q-switched operation of a Nd:Sr/sub 5/(VO/sub 4/)/sub 3/F laser in which a Cr/sup 3+/:YAG crystal and a l-W high-brightness laser-diode were used as the saturable absorber and the pump source, respectively. Stable laser pulses as short as 4.3 ns can be generated with this laser, which has the advantages of simplicity, high efficiency and good long-term stability.