Generation of sub-100-fs pulses from a diode-pumped Yb:Y3ScAl4O12 ceramic laser

We experimentally demonstrate the generation of sub-100-fs pulses from a diode-pumped passively mode-locked Yb:Y3ScAl4O12 (Yb:YSAG) ceramic laser. Stable mode-locked pulses as short as 96 fs at the central wavelength of 1052 nm with a repetition rate of ∼102  MHz are obtained. The laser has a maximum average output power of 51 mW. To the best of our knowledge, these are so far the shortest pulses and the first demonstration of sub-100-fs pulses obtained from the mode-locked Yb:YSAG ceramic lasers.