Passively mode-locked Yb3+:Sc2SiO5 laser with reflection-type single-walled carbon nanotube absorber

A reflection-type single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber fabricated by a vertical evaporation method was to our knowledge first used in a passively mode-locked Yb(3+):Sc(2)SiO(5)(Yb:SSO) laser. The laser operated at a repetition frequency of 94 MHz with a central wavelength of 1062.6 nm. A short pulse duration of 1.8 ps was produced with an average power of 349 mW; and the highest pulse energy of 3.7 nJ, corresponding to its maximum peak power, can reach 2.1 kW.