Ultra-short pulsed fiber-based lasers around 2.1 um and their applications

This paper reviews our latest achievements in the field of 2.1 um ultrafast Ho:fiber-based laser sources, including tunable all-fiber oscillators, diode-pumped optical preamplifier (booster), and high power fiber-based amplifiers. Pulse energy up to 1 mJ at the wavelength around 2.1 um was demonstrated out of picosecond ultrashort-pulse oscillator-amplifier system. On the application side, we report the volume modification of silicon using picosecond 2.1 μm laser system. We present both modelling and experimental results for the 2.1 μm ultrashort laser pulse interaction with silicon.