title: Highly efficient, low-cost femtosecond Cr3+ :LiCAF laser pumped by single-mode diodes.
abstract: We describe efficient continuous-wave (cw) and cw mode-locked operations of a Cr3+ :LiCAF laser, pumped by inexpensive single spatial mode laser diodes. Up to 280 mW of cw output power was obtained with 570 mW of absorbed pump power, with a corresponding slope efficiency of 54%. Continuous tuning between 765 and 865 nm was demonstrated using a fused silica prism. A semiconductor saturable absorber mirror was used to initiate and sustain stable, self-starting, mode-locked operation. In cw mode locking, the laser produced 72 fs (FWHM) duration pulses, and 1.4 nJ pulse energy, at an average output power of 178 mW. Electrical to optical conversion efficiencies of 7.8% in mode-locked operation and 12.2% in cw operation were demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Demirbas
authors.forename: Alphan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sennaroglu
authors.forename: Franz X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Kärtner
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Fujimoto