Recent Progress in 2D Material-Based Saturable Absorbers for All Solid-State Pulsed Bulk Lasers

All solid-state pulsed lasers (ASSPLs) play a significant role in the fields of medical, military, industry, and scientific research. Passive Q-switching and mode-locking are two of the most effective techniques for generating ASSPLs, in which a saturable absorber (SA) is the key element that has great impact on laser output parameters. Recently, 2D layered materials have been widely studied due to their intriguing properties. Their advantages of ultrafast dynamic processing, excellent nonlinear optical response, broadband operation, and easy fabrication and integration with lasers, enable them to be excellent SAs. Herein, the recent progress of ASSPLs with 2D layered material-based SAs is reviewed, including a brief introduction of the fundamental characteristics, fabrication methods, characterization techniques of ultrafast dynamics, and nonlinear optical properties of 2D materials, design criteria of passively Q-switched and mode-locked bulk lasers, and their applications in ASSPLs. Finally, the potential developments and perspectives on 2D material-based ASSPLs are also highlighted.