2.5 GHz and 5 GHz harmonic mode-locking of a diode-pumped bulk erbium-ytterbium glass laser at 1.5 microns

Third-order harmonic mode locking of a diode-laser pumped bulk Er:Yb:glass laser by frequency modulation with a lithium niobate modulator is reported. Stable pulses at a repetition rate of 2.5 and 5 GHz with a pulse duration down to 9.6 ps are obtained. The average output power is 3 mW, the pulse peak power is 120 mW at 2.5 GHz repetition rate, and the pulses are approximately 1.4 times transform limited. The pulse duration can be increased up to 30 ps by decreasing the mode-locker drive power.<
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