Compact, magneto-optic Q-switched, neodymium-doped bismuth germinate crystal (Nd:BGO) laser pumped by a laser diode.

The magneto-optic Q-switched operation of a neodymium-doped bismuth germinate crystal (Nd:BGO) laser that is end pumped by a cw 500-mW laser diode is reported. The crystal is a new host for Nd lasers. Here it acts as a magneto-optic modulator as well as a laser medium. A pulse energy of 2 µJ with a FWHM of 100 ns has been obtained. The device operates at a repetition rate of 1 kHz, and the fluctuation of the shot-to-shot intensity is less than ±1%.