Passively Q-switched Yb-doped all-fiber laser based on Ag nanoplates as saturable absorber

We report on a Q-switched Yb-doped all-fiber laser based on a solution-processed Ag nanoplates saturable absorber. Optical deposition procedure is implemented to transfer the Ag nanoplates onto the fiber core area through the thermal effect. The saturable absorber is sandwiched between two fiber connectors, providing simplicity, flexibility, and easy integration into the laser oscillator. The modulation depth and saturation incident fluence are measured to be ~5.8% and ~106.36 μJ/cm2 at 1-μm region, respectively. Self-started stable Q-switched operation is achieved for a threshold pump power of 180 mW. The repetition rates of the pulse trains range from 66.6 to 184.8 kHz when the pump power scales from 210 to 600 mW. The maximum average output power is 10.77 mW, corresponding to the single-pulse energy of 58.3 nJ and minimum pulse duration of ~1.01 μs. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that the Ag nanoplates saturable absorbers are utilized in the 1-μm Yb-doped Q-switched fiber laser.