Generation of 2-nJ pulses from a femtosecond ytterbium fiber laser

We report a mode-locked ytterbium fiber laser that generates femtosecond pulses with energies as large as 2.2 nJ. This represents a 20-fold improvement in pulse energy compared with that of previously reported femtosecond Yb fiber lasers. The laser produces pulses as short as 52 fs, which are to our knowledge the shortest pulses to date from a Yb fiber laser. The laser is diode pumped by a wavelength-division multiplexing coupler, which leads to excellent stability. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.