Passive Q-switched operation of Tm:YAP laser with a TaTe2 saturable absorber

In this paper, a Tm:YAP all-solid-state continuous wave (CW) and passive Q-switched (PQS) laser were experimentally proved by using a TaTe2-based saturable absorber (SA) for the first time. Under the CW mode, the maximum output power was 4.99 W and the slope efficiency was 29.8%. Based on TaTe2 SA, the shortest pulse width of 585 ns at the central wavelength of 1987.9 nm was obtained with the pump power of 17.73 W, corresponding to single-pulse energy of 9.7 mu J and an average output power of 1.86 W. Also, a pulse repetition frequency of 202.4 kHz was achieved in the PQS Tm:YAP laser when the pump power was 13.51 W.