Characterization of passively Q-switched mode-locking diode-pumped Nd:GdVO4 laser with Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber

We demonstrate passively Q-switched mode-locking (QML) in a diode-pumped Nd:GdVO(4) laser with Cr(4+):YAG saturable absorber. Nearly 100% modulation depth for the mode-locked pulses inside the Q-switched envelope was obtained with a V-type cavity. The QML laser produced a maximum average output power of 1.04 W. The repetition rate of the mode-locked pulse inside the Q-switched envelope was 417 MHz. An analysis of the temporal shape of a single Q-switched envelope with mode-locked pulse trains has been presented. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results.