All-solid-state femtosecond Cr3+:LiSAF lasers pumped at 532nm and 670nm

The potential of Cr:LiSAF as a gain medium has been investigated in two distinct self-modelocked laser systems. A novel green-pumped Cr: LiSAF laser, employing a 22%-Cr3+-doped crystal, has produced up to 120 mW output power and readily generated transform-limited pulses of 90 fs. However, thermal problems present severe limitations on power scaling of such Cr:LiSAF laser systems. A red-diode-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser has also been constructed following consideration of the parameters which limit the production of ultrashort pulses at low pump powers. This laser produces sub-100 fs pulses when pumped with less than 100 mW pump power and offers the prospect of the development of ultralow-threshold self-modelocked laser configurations.