Diode-pumped passively mode-locked 13- μm Nd:YVO4 and Nd:YLF lasers by use of semiconductor saturable absorbers

Abstract

We report on self-starting passively mode-locked diode-pumped 1.3-microm lasers obtained by use of semiconductor saturable absorbers. We achieved pulses as short as 4.6 ps in Nd:YVO(4) and 5.7 ps in Nd:YLF with average output powers of 50 and 130 mW, respectively.