Abstract

Recent SESAM modelocked thin disk lasers have achieved average powers > 140 W [1] and pulse energies > 25 J [2], which is higher than for any other ultrafast oscillator technology. Many experiments in areas such as high field laser science require pulse durations in the sub-100-fs regime, which has not been demonstrated with thin disk lasers so far. The standard thin-disk material Yb:YAG is limited to pulse durations above 700 fs in efficient high power operation. Using Yb:KYW, 22 W of average power were demonstrated in 240-fs pulses [3]. Recently, sesquioxide materials have attracted great attention as a promising candidate for high-power short pulse generation in the thin-disk geometry [4]. For example with Yb:Lu₂O₃ pulses as short as 329 fs at 40 W [5] and with Yb:LuScO₃ pulse durations of 227 fs at 7.2 W [6] have been achieved from a SESAM modelocked thin-disk laser oscillator.

© 2011 Optical Society of America