Broadly tunable mode-locked Ho:YAG ceramic laser around 2.1 μm

A passively mode-locked Ho:YAG ceramic laser around 2.1 mu m is demonstrated using GaSb-based near-surface SESAM as saturable absorber. Stable and self-starting mode-locked operation is realized in the entire tuning range from 2059 to 2121 nm. The oscillator operated at 82 MHz with a maximum output power of 230 mW at 2121 nm. The shortest pulses with duration of 2.1 ps were achieved at 2064 nm. We also present spectroscopic properties of Ho:YAG ceramics at room temperature. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America