Yb^3+-doped YVO_4 crystal for efficient Kerr-lens mode locking in solid-state lasers

A. A. Lagatsky, A. R. Sarmani, C. T.A. Brown, W. Sibbett, V. E. Kisel, A. G. Selivanov, I. A. Denisov, A. E. Troshin, K. V. Yumashev, N. V. Kuleshov, V. N. Matrosov, T. A. Matrosova (+1 others)
2005 Optics Letters  
We report the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of soft-aperture Kerr-lens mode locking in a diodepumped femtosecond Yb 3+ : YVO 4 laser. Near-transform-limited pulses as short as 61 fs are generated around a center wavelength of 1050 nm with an output power of 54 mW and a pulse repetition frequency of 104.5 MHz. This is, to our knowledge, the shortest pulse generated directly from an Yb laser having a crystalline host material. The femtosecond operation has a mode-locking threshold at an
more » ... bsorbed pump power of 190 mW. The nonlinear refractive indexes of the Yb 3+ : YVO 4 crystal have been measured to be 19 ϫ 10 −16 cm 2 /W and 15ϫ 10 −16 cm 2 /W for the and polarizations, respectively, at 1080 nm.
doi:10.1364/ol.30.003234 pmid:16342731 fatcat:jxsey7kn2nco7fhwetfr5ulxwe