Abstract

In this paper we present a diode-pumped mode-locked Nd:glass laser with only one prism inside the cavity, generating pulses as short as 120 fs (Figs. 1 and 2). This concept can be extended to other similar dispersive cavities with only one refractive element, such as a configuration in which the prism is replaced by a prismatic output coupler [Fig. 3(b)]. Another even simpler design uses the Brewster plane of the gain-at-the-end (GE) laser medium as the only refractive element inside the cavity, without the requirement of any additional dispersion compensation [Fig. 3(b)].

© 1995 Optical Society of America