Electro-optically Q-switching of dual-diode-pumped Ho-doped lutetium vanadate laser

• The EO Q-switched diode-pumped Ho:LuVO 4 laser was demonstrated. • The CW output power of 18.8 W at 2058.1 nm was achieved. • Peak power of 358.8 kWwas achieved. In this paper we report on a continuous-wave and electro-optically (EO) Q-switched Ho-doped lutetium vanadate (Ho:LuVO 4 ) laser dual end-pumped by two laser diodes at 1.94 µm. Under continuous-wave regime, a maximum output power of 18.8 W at 2058.1 nm was achieved with absorbed pump power of 44.7 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 54.1 % with respect to the absorbed pump power. By using a langasite (La 3 Ga 5 SiO 14 , LGS) crystal as the EO Q-switch, at a pulse repetition frequency of 3 kHz, the EO Q-switched Ho:LuVO 4 laser produced a maximum pulse energy of 3.2 mJ and a minimum pulse width of 8.9 ns, resulting in a peak power of 358.8 kW.