16.2-W average power from a diode-pumped femtosecond Yb : YAG thin disk laser

We demonstrate a power-scalable concept for high-power all-solid-state femt osecond lasers, based on passive mode locking of Yb:YAG thin disk lasers wi th semiconductor saturable-absorber mirrors. We obtained 16.2 W of average output power in pulses with 730-fs duration, 0.47-mu J pulse energy, and 56 0-kW peak power. This is to our knowledge the highest average power reporte d for a laser oscillator in the subpicosecond regime. Single-pass frequency doubling through a 5-mm-long lithium triborate crystal (LBO) yields 8-W av erage output power of 515-nm radiation. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America .