Generation of sub-100-fs pulses at up to 200 MHz repetition rate from a passively mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser

Generation of sub-100-fs pulses at repetition rates of 100-200 MHz from a passively mode-locked Yb-fiber laser via nonlinear polarization rotation is reported. The limitations to the repetition rate in terms of the pulse dynamics and the physical size of the cavity are discussed. We determine that physical size of the components dictate the maximum repetition rate and discuss the implications of a shorter cavity on the pulse shaping as a consequence of a weaker dispersion map. (C) 2005 Optical Society of America.