Efficient Continuous-Wave Tem(00) And Femtosecond Kerr-Lens Mode-Locked Cr:Lisrgaf Laser

Efficient high-power (900-mW) TEM(00) cw operation of a Cr:LiSrGaF laser pumped by a Kr+ laser is demonstrated. The results of laser and spectroscopic analysis, including upconversion and excited-state absorption, are presented and used for the optimization of this laser. Kr+-laser-pumped mode-locked femtosecond operation (64 fs) was performed. Use of a modified resonator, which can decrease the threshold pump and intracavity power for Kerr-lens mode locking and increase the mode-locked output power (300 mW), is suggested. The influence of crystal axis misalignment on the tuning and mode-locking characteristics of the laser is studied. (C) 1996 Optical Society of Americ