Femtosecond (191 fs) NaY(WO4)(2) Tm,Ho-codoped laser at 2060 nm

We report, for the first time to our knowledge, femtosecond-pulse operation of a Tm, Ho:NaY(WO4)(2) laser at around 2060 nm. Transform-limited 191 fs pulses are produced with an average output power of 82 mW at a 144 MHz pulse repetition frequency. Maximum output power of up to 155 mW is generated with a corresponding pulse duration of 258 fs. An ion-implanted InGaAsSb quantum-well-based semiconductor saturable absorber mirror is used for passive mode-locking maintenance. (C) 2010 Optical Society of Americ