Q-switched mode-locked diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser with a saturable Bragg reflector

We demonstrated a diode-pumped passively Q-switched mode-locked Nd:YVO4 laser by using a relaxed saturable Bragg reflector (SBR). Stable mode-locked pulse train with the repetition rate of ~230 MHz was achieved and the pulse train was modulated by the Q-switched envelope with the repetition rate of ~150 kHz. The maximum output of 4 W was obtained under the pump power of 13.5 W. The optical-to-optical efficiency was 30%. We also discussed the transition of each process having emerged.