Passively mode-locked Yb/sup 3+/-doped ceramic lasers

Femtosecond Yb/sup 3+/-doped disordered Y/sub 3/Al/sub 5/O/sub 12//Y/sub 3/Sc/sub 2/Al/sub 3/O/sub 12/ (Yb:Y/sub 3/ScAl/sub 4/O/sub 12/) ceramic laser is reported. Up to 72% slope efficiency for input power was obtained under cw operation. We achieved pulses as short as 580 fs with 25 mW output power.