First-Stokes Wavelengths at 1175.8 and 1177.1 nm Generated in a Diode End-Pumped Nd:YVO4/LuVO4 Raman Laser

Abstract

A diode end-pumped acousto-optic Q-switched Nd:YVO4/LuVO4 Raman laser is demonstrated. Both YVO4 and LuVO4 can work as Raman gain, and slightly different active vibration modes of both crystals can result in different first-Stokes wavelengths. The output characteristic as the Raman competition between YVO4 and LuVO4 crystals for the laser systems with both shared cavity and coupled cavity is experimentally investigated. For the shared cavity, simultaneous Raman conversion in both YVO4 and LuVO4 crystals is achieved with dualwavelength emission at 1175.8 and 1177.1 nm. The maximum output power of 1.03Wand the conversion efficiency of 10.3% are obtained. The 0.84W single first Stokes wavelength at 1177.1nm with LuVO4 Raman conversion is achieved with the coupled cavity. The results show that the coupled cavity with short Raman cavity can obtain a narrow pulse width. The separated laser crystal and Raman gain media with different vanadates in shared cavity have advantages in achieving dual-wavelength lasers with small frequency intervals.