Comparison between shared and coupled resonators for passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO4 intracavity optical parametric oscillators

Comparison between the shared and coupled resonators for the intracavity optical parametric oscillators pumped by passively Q-switched Nd:GdVO₄ lasers is experimentally made. The shared and coupled resonators are found to be complementary in the performances of the pulse repetition rate, pulse duration and pulse energy. It is also found that the output signal pulses of the shared cavity explicitly display the mode-locking phenomenon. On the whole, the amplitude stability of the shared cavity configuration is substantially superior to that of the coupled cavity configuration. PACS 42.60.Gd; 42.65.Yj; 42.55.Xi