High power diode-pumped Nd:host lasers passively Q-switched at 1.3 /spl mu/m

Summary form only given. YAG:V crystals have been recently proposed as solid-state saturable absorbers for Q-switched neodymium lasers at 1-1.3 /spl mu/m. We report what we believe to be the first investigations on high-power passively Q-switched Nd:YAG, Nd:YAP and Nd:YVO/sub 4/ lasers operated at 1.3 /spl mu/m. These are known as the most efficient and readily available laser media at this wavelength. The pump source was a 12-W fiber-coupled diode array emitting near 810 nm.