Diode-pumped actively Q-switched Tm, Ho:GdVO4/BaWO4 intracavity Raman laser at 2533 nm

A compact diode-end-pumped actively Q-switched intracavity Raman laser with Tm,Ho:GdVO(4) laser gain medium and BaWO(4) Raman gain crystal is demonstrated for the first time. The Raman threshold is as low as 2.0 W of diode power at 802 nm. The highest average output power of 186 mW at the first Stokes wavelength of 2533 nm is obtained at a pulse repetition rate of 1 kHz, and a pump power of 2.8 W, corresponding to a diode-to-Stokes optical conversion efficiency of 6.6%. The pulsewidth and pulse energy are 7.8 ns and 0.19 mJ, respectively.