Diode-end-pumped passively mode-locked Nd:LuVO4 laser with a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror

A diode pumped passively mode-locked Nd:LuVO4 laser with a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror (SESAM) is demonstrated. The mode-locked pulses have a pulse duration of about 8.8 ps and a repetition rate of 157 MHz. Under an absorbed pump power of 12 W a maximum output power of 3.71 W is obtained, which gives an optical conversion efficiency of 31%. Our results show that Nd:LuVO4 is a promising gain medium for the high power mode-locked solid-state lasers.