Pulsed 456 nm deep-blue light generation by acoustooptical Q-switching and intracavity frequency doubling of Nd: GdVO4

We present what is, to the best of our knowledge, the first pulsed deep-blue laser at 456 nm by acousto-optical Q-switching and intracavity frequency doubling of a diode-end-pumped Nd.GdVO4 laser on the F-4(3/2) -> I-4(9/2) transition at 912 nm. When the incident pump power is 36 W, the maximum single pulse energy of 44.1 mu J, pulse duration of 140 ns and peak power of 315 W are achieved at 10 kHz; the maximum average power of 770 mW, pulse duration of 200 ns and peak power of 193 W are obtained at 20 kHz. The fluctuation of the blue output power is less than 2.4% within the given 20 min at the maximum blue output power.