Continuous-Wave and Passively Mode-Locked Yb:GYSO Lasers Pumped by Diode Lasers

We report both continuous-wave and passively mode-locked laser actions in a Yb
³⁺
-doped gadolinium yttrium oxyorthosilicate Yb:GdYSiO
₅
(Yb:GYSO) crystal. Continuous-wave (CW) laser operations were compared under different pump conditions with high-power diodes of different wavelengths and fiber cores. CW mode-locking was obtained with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.