Mode-Locked Ytterbium-Doped Fiber Lasers: New Perspectives

Abstract In this article, we discuss recent advances in ultra-short pulse generation with ytterbium-doped fiber lasers. We discuss the fundamental properties and technical challenges of mode-locked single-mode fiber lasers operating in the 1-μm range, and the methods to achieve high peak-powers. We demonstrate a high-power passively mode-locked fiber laser based on a photonic crystal fiber featuring large-mode-core and short absorption length that greatly exceed the power limitation of single-mode fiber oscillators. Multi-watts average powers in sub-picosecond pulses are obtained. This open new avenue to new performance levels of ultra-short pulse solid-state lasers.

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