Direct Kerr-lens mode-locked Tm:LuYO₃ ceramic laser

A direct Kerr-lens mode-locked Tm:LuYO₃ ceramic laser without the aid of any mode-locked starting element is reported for the first time. A pulse duration as short as 259 fs and a maximum average output power of 326 mW are obtained at a repetition rate of 97.1 MHz. The corresponding optical spectrum centered at 2053 nm exhibits a bandwidth of 19.8 nm, which indicates the presence of nearly Fourier transform-limited pulses. Such a Kerr-lens mode-locked Tm:LuYO₃ ceramic laser is a promising ultrashort pulse source, with both the excellent laser characteristics of Tm:LuYO₃ and the high-power 790 nm laser diode pumping scheme.