Patent ID: 7881348

Claim:
A mode-locked laser device comprising: a Fabry-Perot resonator; a mode-locking element disposed within the resonator; a solid-state laser medium disposed within the resonator; and an exciting means for applying excitation light to the solid-state laser medium, wherein opposite ends of the resonator, the mode-locking element and the solid-state laser medium are disposed to provide an average beam diameter of lasing light of not more than 150 μm on the mode-locking element and an average beam diameter of the lasing light of not more than 200 μm within the solid-state laser medium, wherein the exciting means applies the excitation light to the resonator from a direction crossing the optical axis of the resonator, wherein the exciting means directs the excitation light directly to the solid-state laser medium; and wherein the exciting means is equipped with a focusing lens, the focusing lens focuses the excitation light and causes the excitation light beam to enter the facet of the solid laser medium at an angle.