Passively mode-locked Er/sup 3+/ fiber laser using a semiconductor nonlinear mirror

Abstract
A nonlinear mirror consisting of an InGaAs/InP multiple-quantum-well saturable absorber integrated with a Bragg reflector stack has been used to passively mode-lock a fiber laser in an extremely simple and advantageous linear-cavity configuration. To date, pulses as short as 7.6 ps have been observed.