Large energy pulse generation modulated by graphene epitaxially grown on silicon carbide

Graphene grown by thermal decomposition of a two-inch 6H silicon carbide (SiC) wafers surface was used to modulate a large energy pulse laser. Because of its saturable absorbing properties, graphene was used as a passive Q-switcher, and because of its high refractive index the SiC substrate was used as an output coupler. Together they formed a setup where the passively Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) crystal laser was realized with the pulse energy of 159.2 nJ. Our results illustrate the feasibility of using graphene as an inexpensive Q-switcher for solid-state lasers and its promising applications in integrated optics.