Subpicosecond pulse generation from a Nd:glass laser using a nonlinear external cavity

Abstract
An actively mode-locked, continuous-wave Nd:glass laser pumped by a krypton laser at 0.8 μm has been coupled to a nonlinear external resonator. The 20-psec pulses produced by active mode locking are shortened to less than 1 psec with the nonlinear external cavity feedback. Subpicosecond pulse generation has been achieved at a pump power as low as 500 mW.