Kerr-Lens Mode-Locked Femtosecond Yb:GdYSiO5 Laser Directly Pumped by a Laser Diode

We demonstrate the first Kerr-lens mode-locked operation in a diode-pumped Yb:GdYSiO5 oscillator. Under a diode pump power of 5 W, 141 fs pulses with an average power of 237 mW were obtained at a repetition rate of 118 MHz. The central wavelength was at 1094 nm with a bandwidth of 10.1 nm. Shorter pulses were obtained by adjusting the cavity to operate at a shorter wavelength, resulting in 55 fs pulse duration at the central wavelength of 1054 nm with a bandwidth of 23.5 nm.