Self-Q-switched diode-end-pumped Cr,Nd:YAG laser with polarized output.

Passive Q switching of solid-state lasers is usually accomplished with organic dyes or color centers as the saturable absorber. Dyes, however, have poor thermal stability and tend to degrade rapidly. To operate in cw-pumped lasers, dyes require a circulation system. Color centers, such as the color-center LiF crystal, -3 exhibit a fading phenomenon that may limit the period of reliable operation. Recently, the chromium-doped host crystals, such as yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), gadolinium scandium gallium garnet (GSGG), and forsterite, are reported to exhibit color-center-like saturable absorption at the Nd3+ laser wavelength at 1064 nm.4 7 The absorption now is believed to be associated with Cr"+. 78