We realized both continuous wave (CW) and Q-switched mode-locking in a diode-pumped Nd:YVO 4 laser by using a single crystal GaAs wafer as the saturable absorber as well as an output coupler. The GaAs wafer was coated to have a continuously variable reflectivity and the laser intensity within the GaAs saturable absorber can be changed by simply translating the GaAs wafer. CW mode-locked pulses of 1.5 W average power and 31 ps duration were generated at 154 MHz repetition rate. For Q-switched mode-locking, the repetition rate and pulse duration of the Q-switched pulses were 133-300 kHz and 100-350 ns, respectively.