Visible continuous-wave laser transitions in Pr^3+:YLF and femtosecond pulse generation

Abstract

Fourteen new cw, visible laser transitions have been observed in Pr(3+):YLF, several of which have exhibited modest tunability. The (3)P(0) - (3)H(6) transition near 613 nm has been shown to have a tunable linewidth of ~1 nm, which, for the first time to our knowledge, has permitted the direct production of femtosecond pulses in the visible from a cw solid-state laser by Kerr-lens mode locking.