Mode locked Nd:glass fiber laser using intensity dependent defocusing by low-temperature-grown GaAs

Summary form only given. In recent years the development of semiconductor devices like SESAMs has led to a substantial progress in the generation of ultrashort pulses in solid-state lasers. The use of semiconductor materials makes it possible to combine strong nonlinear properties with short recombination times. In this work we describe a novel mode locking device based on low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAs) combined with a double-clad silica fiber laser being doped with Nd/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (1300 ppm) emitting at 1.06 /spl mu/m. The mode locking mechanism is based on the intensity dependent defocusing in the LT-GaAs.