Ultrashort Pulse Generation by Mode-Locked Solid-State Lasers

Abstract

Recent progress on mode-locked solid-state lasers in the femtosecond region is reviewed. Dispersiondesigned dielectric multilayer mirror is an ideal device to compensate the intra-cavity group-delay dispersion of the femtosecond mode-locked lasers. Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors improve reliability of the mode-locked lasers without any pulse-broadening. With these two types of functional mirrors, stable sub-5fs optical pulse is generated directly from a Ti: sapphire laser oscillator.