1.1-W femtosecond diode-pumped Yb:KGd(WO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ laser

Summary form only given. We present to our knowledge the first passively mode-locked Yb:KGd(WO/sub 4/)/sub 2/ (Yb:KGW) laser. This diode-pumpable gain material is vary suitable for high-power femtosecond lasers because it combines a broad amplification bandwidth (similar to Yb-doped glasses) with relatively large emission cross sections and good thermal properties. Using a setup based on two high-brightness diode lasers at 980 nm and conductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) as a mode locker, we obtain as much as 1.1 W average power transform-limited soliton pulses with 176 fs duration at a center wavelength of 1037 nm.