Cross-phase and self-phase modulation are used for self-sustained mode locking of a high-power neodymium glass fiber laser. Stable pulses with a FWHM as short as 70 fs and pulse energies of as much as 1 nJ are generated at a wavelength of 1.064 microm.

The emergence of new ultrafast optical modulation techniques has opened the way towards a new femtosecond laser technology based on solid-state gain media. This paper addresses the requirements for stable ultrashort pulse generation in these novel femtosecond sources. The theoretical considerations are backed up by experimental results obtained with a number of different laser systems. The conclusions drawn from the presented theoretical and experimental investigations provide general guidelines for the design and optimization of a wide range of femtosecond solid-state laser oscillators.

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Passive mode locking initiated with a moving mirror is demonstrated in a neodymium fiber laser for what is to our knowledge the first time. Near-bandwidth-limited pulses with a width of 42 fs and energies as high as 1 nJ are generated.

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