Passive Q switching of a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser with a saturable absorber

A diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser is passively Q switched by using F(2)(-) color centers in lithium fluoride as a saturable absorber. When cw pumped with a laser diode, the laser produces pulses of 20-30-nsec duration at 1064 nm, with an energy of as much as 20 microJ and a peak power of more than 1 kW. Data are presented on pulse width, energy, and repetition rate as a function of pump power. When the laser is operated at high pulse energy levels, a gradual bleaching of the saturable absorber is observed.