In this paper, we report a high peak power passively Q-switched laser-diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO4/Cr^(4+):YAG laser polarized along the C axis, generating 4.23-W average power and 18-kW peak power (144-μJ pulse power) with 8.0-ns time duration (29.4-kHz repetition rate) at 1064 nm while the pump power