Ultrafast fibre lasers

Ultrafast fibre lasers are fundamental building blocks of many photonic systems used in industrial and medical applications as well as for scientific research. Here, we review the essential components and operation regimes of ultrafast fibre lasers and discuss how they are instrumental in a variety of applications. In regards to laser technology, we discuss the present state of the art of large-mode-area fibres and their utilization in high-power, chirped-pulse amplification systems. In terms of commercial applications, we introduce industrial micromachining and medical imaging, and describe emerging applications in the mid-infrared and extreme-ultraviolet spectral regions, as facilitated by frequency shifting induced by fibre frequency combs.