Neodymium lasers as a source of synchronized high-power optical pulses

The recent considerable progress in the development of solid-state lasers, primarily neodymium-based lasers for use as sources of short, synchronized, high-power optical pulses, is reviewed. The amplification of femtosecond optical pulses using synchronous amplification techniques with these lasers has proved particularly applicable to experimentation. The authors also presents a laser design which combines several advantageous qualities into a single laser cavity.<>