Passively modelocked diode-pumped erbium-ytterbium glass laser using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror

Abstract
A diode-pumped bulk Er3+:Yb3+:glass laser has been passively CW modelocked for the first time. Reliable, self-starting passive modelocking using semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) is demonstrated, with pulses as short as 2.5 ps being obtained with an average output power of 68 mW at the telecommunications wavelength of ~1.5 µm.