Diode-pumped self-starting few optical cycle pulse generation at 1.5 /spl mu/m

Two ways to generate self-starting few optical cycle pulses around 1.5 /spl mu/m using a compact diode-pumped Cr:YAG laser (purely Kerr-lens mode-locking and SESAM assisted mode-locking) are reviewed. The shortest reported at 1.5 /spl mu/m transform-limited 27 fs (five optical cycles) pulses could be obtained using a novel hybrid dielectric-InGaAs/InP SESAM.