Generation of 84-fs pulses from a mode-locked Tm:CNNGG disordered garnet crystal laser

Abstract

A mode-locked laser based on a Tm:CNNGG disordered crystal as an active medium and a single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber is demonstrated, operating at a central wavelength of 2018 nm. Transform-limited 84 fs pulses are generated with an average output power of 22 mW at a repetition rate of ∼90  MHz. A maximum output power of 98 mW is obtained at a slightly longer pulse duration of 114 fs.