Modification of reduced graphene oxide in a controllable manner provides a promising material platform for producing graphene based devices. Its fusion with direct laser writing methods has enabled cost-effective and scalable production for advanced applications based on tailored optical and electronic properties in the conductivity, the fluorescence and the refractive index during the reduction process. This mini-review summarizes the state-of-the-art status of the mechanisms of reduction of graphene oxides by direct laser writing techniques as well as appealing optical diffractive applications including planar lenses, information storage and holographic displays. Owing to its versatility and up-scalability, the laser reduction method holds enormous potentials for graphene based diffractive photonic devices with diverse functionalities.

This paper reviewed the development of optically pumped GaSb based semiconductor disk lasers (SDLs) emission at 2 μm wavelength region from the aspects of wavelength extending, power scaling, line-width narrowing and short-pulse generation. Most recently, the wavelength of GaSb based SDLs has been extended to 2.8 μm. The highest output power of the GaSb based SDLs has been reached to 17 W at the temperature of 20 ℃. By using active stabilization, the GaSb based SDL with line-width of 20 kHz and output power of 1 W was realized. Moreover, the shortest pulse obtained from the GaSb based SDLs was generated as short as 384 fs by incorporating semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAM) in the cavity.