High-power, gigahertz repetition frequency self-mode-locked Ho:GdVO4 laser resonantly pumped by a Tm-doped fiber laser

A self-mode-locked Ho:GdVO₄ laser with the GHz pulse repetition frequency oscillation near 2.06 µm was demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge. The output performances of the self-mode-locked Ho:GdVO₄ laser were investigated for a few output coupler transmittances at the pulse repetition frequency of 1.89 GHz. At the incident pump power of 8.12 W, the maximum average output power was as high as 2.28 W, corresponding to the slope efficiency and optical-to-optical efficiency of 36.3% and 28.1%, respectively. This is the maximum average output for the 2 µm self-mode-locked solid-state laser with a GHz pulse repetition frequency. This work provides a new way for generating an efficient and a high-power ultrafast pulse laser with a GHz repetition frequency in the 2 µm wave band.