Efficient lasing in continuous wave and graphene Q-switched regimes from Nd:YAG ridge waveguides produced by combination of swift heavy ion irradiation and femtosecond laser ablation

Abstract

We report on the continuous wave and passively Q-switched lasers in Nd:YAG ridge waveguides fabricated by a combination of swift Kr ion irradiation and femtosecond laser ablation. Owing to the deep penetration length (~50 μm) of 670 MeV Kr8+ ions into the crystal, ridge waveguides with large-area cross section, supporting nearly symmetric guiding modes, were produced. Continuous wave lasers with maximum 182 mW output power at ~1064 nm have been realized at 808-nm optical pump. Using graphene as a saturable absorber, passively Q-switched waveguide laser operations were achieved. The pulsed laser produces 90 ns pulses, with a ~4.2 MHz repetition rate, 19% slope efficiency and 110 mW average output power, corresponding to single-pulse energy of 26.5 nJ.