60-FS PULSES FROM A DIODE-PUMPED ND-GLASS LASER

We demonstrate 60-fs pulses with an average output power of 84 mW from a diode-pumped Nd:glass laser mode locked by a low-finesse antiresona nt Fabry-Perot saturable absorber (A-FPSA). The mode-locked spectrum s preads over most of the available Nd:glass fluorescence bandwidth. At increased pulse energy fluence or decreased negative group-velocity di spersion, multiple pulsing was observed. We experimentally characteriz e this behavior, which can be explained by the saturation behavior of the A-FPSA and the limited available gain These considerations are sig nificant for the design of saturable absorbers to achieve stable passi ve mode locking. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.