Passively mode-locking Nd:Gd_0.5 Y_0.5 VO4 laser with an In_0.25 Ga_0.75 As absorber grown at low temperature

We have demonstrated stable self-starting passive mode locking in a diode-end-pumped Nd:Gd_0.5- Y_0.5 VO4 laser by using an In_0.25 Ga_0.75 As absorber grown at low temperature (LT In_0.25 Ga_0.75 As absorber). An In_0.25 Ga_0.75 As single-quantum-well absorber, which was grown directly on the GaAs buffer by use of the metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition technique, acts simultaneously as a passive mode-locking device and as an output coupler. Continuous-wave mode-locked pulses were obtained at 1063.5 nm. We achieved a pulse duration of 2.6 ps and an average output power of 2.15 W at a repetition rate of 96.4 MHz.