Passively Q-switched 180-ps Nd:LaSc_3(BO_3)_4 microchip laser

Abstract
We passively Q switched a Nd:LaSc3(BO3)4 microchip laser with an antiresonant Fabry–Perot saturable absorber (A-FPSA) and achieved single-frequency, 180-ps pulses with 0.1 μJ of pulse energy at a repetition rate of 110 kHz. Because of the compactness and scaling possibilities offered by the A-FPSA, the pulse width can be varied from 180 ps to 30 ns and the repetition rate from 50 kHz to 7 MHz.