Diode-pumped 100-fs passively mode-locked Cr:LiSAF laser with an antiresonant Fabry-Perot saturable absorber

We demonstrate a self-starting passively mode-locked diode-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser, achieving pulses as short as 98 fs with an average power as high as 50 mW. In continuous-wave operation, we demonstrate 140 mW of output power with a tunability of 100 nm FWHM. These results were achieved by use of lower Cr(3+) doping (1.5%), high-brightness diode lasers pumping from both sides of the crystal, and a low-loss antiresonant Fabry-Perot saturable absorber to start and sustain mode-locked operation.