Diode-pumped passively mode-locked and passively stabilized Nd3+:BaY2F8 laser

Continuous-wave mode locking (CW-ML) of a diode-pumped Nd3+:BaY2F8 laser is reported for the first time to our knowledge. Pulses as short as 4.8 ps were measured with a total output power of approximate to1 W at 1049 nm, corresponding to 3.4 W of absorbed power from the pump diode at 806 nm. A novel technique for passive stabilization of CW-ML has been demonstrated.