Very efficient diode-pumped Yb/sup 3+/:Y/sub 2/SiO/sub 5/ and Yb/sup 3+/: Lu/sub 2/SiO/sub 5/ femtosecond laser

We report the mode-locked operation of the two Yb-doped oxyorthosilicates Y/sub 2/SiO/sub 5/ (YSO) and Lu/sub 2/SiO/sub 5/ (LSO). YSO provided 122 fs pulses at 1040 nm, with an average power of 410 mW. LSO provided up to 2.6 W at 1058 nm, with 260 fs pulses, corresponding to an optical-to-optical efficiency greater than 17%.