Femtosecond solid-state lasers using Nd^3+-doped mixed scandium garnets

Abstract

The mode-locking features of a series of Nd3+-doped solid solutions of aluminum and gallium garnets are investigated, and the influence of multiline gain spectra on mode-locking performance is discussed. With an additive-pulse nonlinear Michelson interferometer used to mode lock the laser passively, pulses as short as 260 fs are obtained. The effect of interferometer detuning on the pulse characteristics is studied.