Diode-pumped passively mode-locked Er, Yb : YAl3(BO3)(4) laser at 1.5-1.6 mu m

We report the first demonstration to our knowledge of passive mode locking in a diode-pumped Er3+ and Yb3+ codoped YAl3(BO3)4 laser operating in the 1.5–1.6 휇m spectral region. Low-loss GaInNAs quantum-well semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors are used for the initiation and stabilization of the ultrashort-pulse generation. Pulses as short as 4.8 ps were generated at 1530 nm with an average output power up to 280 mW for 2 W of absorbed pump power produced by a high-brightness tapered 980 nm laser diode. Passive mode locking has also been demonstrated around 1555 nm with typical average powers of around 100 mW and pulse durations of 5.1 ps.