Abstract

We demonstrated the generation of self-sustaining femtosecond pulses from an actively mode-locked Nd: silicate glass laser. Pulses as short as 83 fs were obtained. Kerr-lens mode locking effect provided the stabilization mechanism. It was found that for an inhomogeneously broadened laser, a large negative group velocity dispersion is needed to mitigate the resonant dispersion effect and help formation of a soliton-like pulse.

© 2001 Optical Society of America