Self-Modelocked Cr\u3csup\u3e3\u3c/sup\u3e Doped Colquiriite Lasers

Self-modelocked Cr3+ colquirite crystals due to the availability of high quality laser crystals as a result of the progress made in the crystal growth. We have concentrated our efforts in demonstrating the self-modelocking of three colquirite crystals Cr:LiSrAlF6, Cr:LiSr0.8Ca0.2AlF6. In our experiment, the crystals were pumped by the red lines of a cw krypton ion laser which in the future will be replaced by high power red laser diodes when these become more readily available. A 4-mirror x-fold laser resonator with two 10cm radius of curvature mirrors and two flat mirrors, that included two sf10 equilateral prisms for group velocity dispersion compensation, was employed in our setup. The crystals were each cut to a length of 15mm and the two end facets were polished at Brewster\u27s angle. The crystals were mounted on aluminium plates that were fixed to a thermoelectric cooler in order maintain the temperature of the crystals close to room temperature. Self-modelocking has been achieved in three Cr3+ doped colquirites to produce stable femtosecond pulses without using any mode locking devices either inside or outside the cavity. Owing to the absorption band of these crystals entered in the red wavelength of the spectrum, it is very likely that an-all-solid state diode pumped ultrashort laser will be realize in the near future