Diode-pumped Q-switched Yb:YAG laser

A cw-pumped, repetitively Q-switched, InGaAs-diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser has been demonstrated at room temperature. An output energy of as much as 72 μJ/pulse at 1.03 μm with a pulse length as short as 11 ns (FWHM) was attained. No optical damage was observed despite the high saturation fluence (~10 J/cm2) of the Yb:YAG laser and the short pulse length.