Abstract

In the last few years there has been an increasing interest in the development of mode-locking (ML) techniques for CW solid-state lasers based on saturable absorber-like action of fast nonlinearities.¹ Using additive pulse ML, nonlinear Fabry–Perot interferometer ML, and Kerrlens ML, nearly bandwidth-limited pulses have been generated with Nd: YAG and Nd:YLF in CW lamp and diode-pumped lasers.² A very attractive technique for passive ML, which can provide high nonlinear loss modulations, is the so-called "nonlinear mirror" ML.^3,4 Up to now, however, this method has only been applied to pulsed systems.

© 1994 IEEE