Semiconductor quantum-dot saturable absorber mode-locked fiber laser

We demonstrate self-starting passive mode-locking of an ytterbium fiber laser by using a multilayer quantum-dot saturable absorber mirror. A high modulation depth of the absorber ensures robust pulse operation of the fiber laser with a threshold pump power of 30 mW. The 2.8-ps pulses with an average power of 5 mW have been generated at 1042 nm.