Investigating the temporal dynamics of continuously pumped Nd:YVO4 self-Raman lasers: observation of self-mode-locking

We experimentally investigate the temporal dynamics of continuously pumped Nd:YVO4 self-Raman lasers. In the single-transverse-mode operation, it is found that the temporal behavior of the self-Raman laser exhibits a regular pulse train similar to the phenomenon of self-mode-locking. In the multi-transverse-mode operation, the average output power can be scaled up to 1.1 W and the temporal feature displays a complex dynamics that is numerically reconstructed with simultaneous longitudinal and transverse mode-locking. (paper)