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We demonstrate efficient amplification of few-optical-cycle mid-IR pulses in single-pass continuously pumped laser amplifiers based on polycrystalline Cr(2+):ZnS and Cr(2+):ZnSe. The 1.7 W output of a Kerr-lens mode-locked master oscillator at 2.4 µm central wavelength, 79 MHz repetition rate was amplified to 7.1 W and 2.7 W in Cr(2+):ZnS and Cr(2+):ZnSe, respectively. High peak power of the input pulses (0.5 MW) and high nonlinearity of the amplifiers' gain media resulted in a significant shortening of the output pulses and in spectral broadening. Transform-limited 40 fs pulses of the master oscillator were compressed to about 27-30 fs. The spectrum of the pulses was broadened from 136 nm to 450 nm (at -3 dB level); the span of the spectra exceeds 600 nm at -10 dB level.

Using a single set of optics, we demonstrate ultrabroad tuning over more than 1300 nm from 1973 to 3349 nm in Cr:ZnSe and from 1962 to 3195 nm in Cr:ZnS at

We report the first Kerr-lens mode-locked polycrystalline Cr(2+):ZnS and Cr(2+):ZnSe lasers, with pulse duration of 125 fs at a pulse repetition rate of 160 MHz, emitting around 2.3 - 2.4 µm. The mode-locked lasers were pumped by a radiation of 1550 nm Er-fiber amplifier seeded by semiconductor laser. The long-term stable Kerr-lens mode-locked laser operation with the output power of 30 mW (Cr(2+):ZnS) and 60 mW (Cr(2+):ZnSe) was obtained. We also demonstrate amplification of the fs laser pulse train in a cw pumped single-pass polycrystalline Cr(2+):ZnS laser amplifier.