Diode-pumped ultra-short-pulse solid-state lasers

Many materials are good candidates for diode-pumped ultra-short-pulse lasers: several transition-metal-ion-doped crystals can or could support extremely short fs pulses. This goal, so far, has only been reached by Cr³⁺:LiSAF, but there are good chances for other crystals like Cr⁴⁺:YAG having its bandwidth within the third communication window, and the high-yield Cr²⁺:ZnSe with its impressive bandwidth in the near IR. Rare-earth-ion-doped media deliver only sub-ps pulses but allow unprecedented and scalable high average powers, like a SESAM mode-locked Yb:YAG thin-disk laser described recently. In all ranges of pulse durations there are fascinating applications ready for widespread employment as soon as compact, reliable and moderately priced ultra-short-pulse systems will be available for the non-laser-skilled user. The highest impact in the near future is attributed to microstructuring of materials and processing of biological samples, including dental enamel, by ps and sub-ps pulses, and optical coherence tomography needing pulses in the 10-fs regime at very modest average powers. Received: 29 June 2000 / Published online: 6 December 2000