Continuous-wave mode-locked Nd:YAG-pumped subpicosecond dye lasers.

The second harmonic of a cw mode-locked Nd:YAG laser using KTiOPO(4) has resulted in 0.532-microm optical pulses of 39-psec duration with a conversion efficiency of 18%. Stable, reproducible optical pulses of 0.24-psec duration have been obtained in a synchronously pumped linear cavity, containing both gain and saturable-absorber dye jets. Optical pulses of duration 0.15 psec have been achieved in a synchronously pumped ring cavity, but not without instabilities.