Diode-pumped 100-fs lasers based on a new apatite-structure crystal: Yb 3+ :SrY 4 (SiO 4 ) 3 O

We demonstrated, for the first time, sub-100-fs lasers based on an Yb-doped apatite crystal: Yb3+:SrY4(SiO4)3O, also called Yb:SYS. Pulses as short as 94-fs have been obtained at 1070 nm with an average power of 110 mW. We also developed a regenerative amplifier based on this crystal, and obtained 100μJ, 420-fs pulses following compression.