Mode-locked semiconductor disk lasers with weakly saturated absorbers

The effect of absorber saturation on pulse shaping was studied both numerically and experimentally in a semiconductor disk laser. It was found that steady-state mode locking can be achieved even with very weak saturation of the absorber when the pulse energy is well below the saturation energy of absorption. The study discloses for the first time the direct impact of absorber modulation depth on the pulse width. Numerical analysis confirms that partial bleaching of absorption is adequate for formation of stable mode locking in SDLs. The fast gain dynamics of the semiconductor medium approach the dynamics of a slow gain medium at low pulse energies and high repetition rates with a pulse period much shorter than the gain recovery time. The presented results are of practical importance for multigigahertz repetition rate lasers, indicating that sufficient pulse shaping can occur when the saturable absorber is not fully bleached.     

Generation of 49 fs pulses in a CPM laser pumped by a small-frame Ar+ laser

A colliding pulse mode-locked ring dye laser, pumped by an all-line small frame Ar⁺ laser has been used to generate stable pulses as short as 49 fs with pulse duration and stability similar to those obtained with the usual configuration where a single line of the pump is used. The effects of cavity alignment on the absorber saturation are presented and explained in terms of an analysis of stability of the ring cavity.     

Undamped relaxation oscillations due to self-gain-switching of laser dye mixtures

Undamped relaxation oscillations were observed from a short, simple dye laser using a laser dye mixture which was pumped at 337 nm using ns pulses. The dye solution contained Rh101 as first laser dye, together with DTDCI in double function as saturable absorber and second laser dye. Two trains of intense laser pulses were generated near 619 and 685 nm, with pulse durations of ca. 4 and 2 times the resonator transit time, respectively. This method of short-pulse generation is related to double mode-locking of dye lasers. Model calculations are used to describe the pulse generation by self-gain-switching, and to estimate radiative and nonradiative contributions towards saturation of the absorber dye.     

Control of the pulse duration in one- and two-axis passively Q-switched solid-state lasers

We study theoretically and experimentally different methods to control the pulses emitted by solid-state lasers passively Q-switched by a saturable absorber. We explore one- and two-axis laser schemes allowing to control the pulse duration, which is ruled by the saturation powers of the transitions in the absorber and in the gain medium. In one-axis lasers, it is shown that the adjustment of the pump and laser beam sizes in the active medium and in the absorber provides an efficient means to control the pulse temporal shape and duration. Furthermore, a two-axis laser cavity supporting so-called forked-eigenstate operation permits to freely adjust the parts of the mode power which circulate in the gain medium and in the absorber. In this case, a lengthening of the pulse duration up to 500 ns is obtained with an increase of the average output power. The theoretical results obtained by using rate equations adapted to each cavity geometry are in close agreement with experiments performed on a diode-pumped Nd³⁺:YAG laser Q-switched by a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber. The relevance of the different techniques to control the pulse durations in the framework of potential applications is discussed. Received 3 December 2001     

Er-doped all-fiber laser mode-locked by graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets

Few-layer graphitic carbon nitride(g-C_3N_4) nanosheets were fabricated and utilized as a saturable absorber for mode-locking in an Er-doped fiber laser with net normal dispersion. The g-C_3N_4/polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) hybrid-film-based saturable absorber has a modulation depth of 4.01% and a saturation intensity of 7.5 MW/cm~2. By integrating g-C_3N_4-PVA mode-locker into the laser cavity, a mode-locked operation could be obtained. The achieved mode-locking pulse centered at 1530.3 nm has a pulse width of 530 ps. Its repetition rate is 40.8 MHz, and the corresponding signal-to-noise ratio is about 55 dB.     

20 ps pulse generation by an excimer laser pumped double self-Q-switched distributed feedback dye laser

The behaviour of an excimer-laser-pumped distributed feedback dye laser (ELP DFDL) using a mixture of saturable absorber and laser dye as an active medium was studied. In a DFDL self-Q-switching occurs because of the population inversion dependence of the feedback. If the DFDL contains absorber saturation of the absorption by the leading edge of the created laser pulse also causes Q-switching. As a result of this double self-Q-switching, mixing a saturable absorber into the laser dye, the laser pulses become shorter and more stable. This was demonstrated experimentally. Mixing Rhodamine B into the dye solution of a Coumarin 153 ELP DFDL, a six-fold reduction in the pulse duration and a more than two-fold reduction in the pulse energy instability were observed. The experimental results were in good qualitative agreement with the predictions of a simple rate equation model.     

Indium Tin Oxide Coated D-Shape Fiber as a Saturable Absorber for Generating a Dark Pulse Mode-Locked Laser

A dark pulse mode-locked laser is experimentally demonstrated using the indium tin oxide(ITO) coated Dshape fiber as a saturable absorber(SA).Using the polishing wheel technique,a D-shape single mode fiber was fabricated.A 60-nm-thick layer of ITO was deposited over the D-shape fiber using the electron beam deposition method.The SA has a saturation intensity of 40.32 MW/cm~2 and a modulation depth of 3.5%.A stable dark pulse mode-locked laser was observed at a central wavelength of 1559.4 nm with repetition rate 0.98 MHz,pulse width 370 ns and signal-to-noise ratio 61 dB.     

溴化亚铜激光泵浦的可调谐微微秒染料激光

本文首次报道了利用脉宽为25ns重复率为10kHz的溴化亚铜激光泵浦混有饱和吸收体DODCI的超短腔染料激光,产生出30ps光脉冲.在理论上对混入DODCI的超短腔染料激光脉冲压缩效应作了分析计算,计算结果与实验基本一致.在实验上又通过一个放大-色散系统实现对此染料激光脉冲的同步放大和调谐,并达到傅里叶变换极限.     

Theory of passive mode locking of colour-center lasers by a fast saturable absorber

A theoretical model of passive mode locking of colour-center lasers by an effective fast saturable absorber is presented where a hybrid saturation scheme is applied to consider the interaction of the mode-locked pulse with the gain medium. Intracavity group-velocity dispersion and Kerr-type nonlinearity are taken into account and their combined action can result in solition-like pulse shaping and shortening. Chirped steady-state solutions whose carrier frequency can be shifted with respect to the central frequency of the gain are found in a limited range of the parameters specifying the problem.     

High-power passively Q-switched mode-locking Nd:GdVO4 laser with LT-InGaAs saturable absorber

The generation of passively Q-switched mode-locking (QML) pulse has been obtained from a diode-pumped Nd:GdVO₄ laser with a LT-InGaAs wafer as saturable absorber as well as output coupler. Under the incident pump power of 10 W, an average output power of QML was 1.8 W with a Q-switched repetition rate of 280 kHz. The pulse duration of Q-switched pulse is about 160 ns and mode-locked pulse within the Q-switched envelope had a repetition rate of 410 MHz. It is indicated that the present LT-InGaAs is a very promising device in the field of mode locking solid-state laser, and we are sure that it will be complete pure cw mode locking with single beam output easily after further optimizing in the parameter such as saturation fluence, modulation depth, recovery time and damage threshold in semiconductors.     

Fabrication and characterization of double-wall carbon nanotube absorber for passive mode-locked Nd:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

Using the vertical evaporation technique we fabricated saturable absorbers by transferring the double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) onto a hydrophilic quartz substrate. The fast recovery time and the saturation intensity of the absorber were measured to be 228 fs and 130 μJ/cm², respectively, at 1060 nm. The modulation depth of the absorber was about 3.7%. Passive mode-locked Nd:GdVO₄ laser was demonstrated. The continuous wave mode-locked pulses pulse duration is 5.6 ps and the largest average output power is 1.2 W at the pump power of 9.5 W. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of high power continuous wave mode locking laser with DWCNT absorber.     

An analysis of pulse propagation through a saturable absorber having excited-state absorption

The theoretical study of the propagation of a bell-shaped light pulse through a saturable absorber having excited-state absorption is presented. Assuming that the pulse-width is longer than the first excited-state lifetime of the absorber, a general expression for the steady-state transmission of the absorber is obtained. It is shown that when the excited-state absorption cross-section is larger than the ground-state absorption cross-section (reverse saturable absorber) the absorber acts as a power limiter. An explicit expression for the change of temporal pulse-width in a single transit through the absorber is obtained, which shows that the pulse-width increases due to the presence of excited-state absorption. An analytical expression is presented for the optimum pulse intensity at which the maximum pulse broadening occurs.     

Theory of passive mode-locking of CW dye lasers with contacted and non-contacted absorbers

A theoretical treatment of the influence of a saturable absorber in close contact with a highly reflecting mirror on a light pulse is given. The shaping of a Gaussian pulse during a single passage through such an absorber is calculated for various absorber lengths. The influence of absorber position and length on the pulse parameters and the stability of a continuously pumped dye laser are investigated. The shortest pulses and the most favourable operation conditions of the laser are to be expected in the case of a short contacted saturable absorber.     

Laser-diode-pumped Passively Q-switched Nd:Sr5(VO4)3F Laser with Cr4+: YAG Saturable Absorber

Cr4+:YAG is a new saturable absorber for passive Q-switching. As a passive Q-switcher, it has several excellent properties, such as low saturation fluence, high damage threshold, good thermal conductivity, no degradation and so on. By using a laser-diode as pumping source and Cr4+ :YAG as passive Q switcher, the passive Q-switching run in Nd: Sr5(VO4)3F laser at 1. 065 μm is realized. The average output power, the single pulse energy, the pulse width and the repetition rate for different small-signal transmission of Cr4+:YAG and different pumping power were measured. Meanwhile, the coupling rate equations for Cr4+:YAG as passive Q-switcher were given and the experimental results agreed with the numerical solution of equations.     

Graphene oxide-COOH as a new saturable absorber for both Q-switching and mode-locking fiber lasers

Graphene oxide carboxylic acid(COOH), a novel two-dimensional(2D) layered material with its unique optical and electronic properties, is discovered to exhibit the saturation of optical absorption under laser illumination.Applying the liquid-phase exfoliation method, we prepare graphene oxide-COOH dispersions with deionized water and fabricate graphene oxide-COOH polyvinyl alcohol polymer composite film. We further obtain stable Q-switching pulse and mode-locked laser operation with a 22.7 MHz repetition rate and a 1.5 ps pulse duration by incorporating the graphene oxide-COOH-based saturable absorbers into the all-fiber erbium-doped fiber laser cavity. The experimental results show that the proposed graphene oxide-COOH material can act as an effective absorber for pulsed fiber lasers, which demonstrate potential applications in the area of ultrafast optics.     

Laser-diode-pumped Passively Q-switched Nd:Sr5(VO4)3F Laser with Cr4+:YAG Saturable Absorber

Cr4+:YAG is a new saturable absorber for passive Q-switching. As a passive Q-switcher, it has several excellent properties, such as low saturation fluence, high damage threshold, good thermal conductivity, no degradation and so on. By using a laser-diode as pumping source and Cr4+ :YAG as passive Q switcher, the passive Q-switching run in Nd: Sr5(VO4)3F laser at 1. 065 μm is realized. The average output power, the single pulse energy, the pulse width and the repetition rate for different small-signal transmission of Cr4+:YAG and different pumping power were measured. Meanwhile, the coupling rate equations for Cr4+:YAG as passive Q-switcher were given and the experimental results agreed with the numerical solution of equations.     

Femtosecond pulse generation in a linear passive mode-locked dye laser

The femtosecond pulse generation in a c.w. pumped linear passive mode-locked rhodamine 6G-DODCI (3,3-diethyloxadicarbo cyanine iodide) dye laser is studied experimentally. Colliding pulse mode-locking (CPM) is achieved by placing the saturable absorber jet in the centre of the linear ring resonator. The laser performance is studied as a function of the saturable absorber concentration and of the absorber jet detuning from the central position (CPM position). Without a prism pair in the resonator pulse durations down to 140 fs were obtained. Detuning the absorber jet from the CPM position resulted in a trailing pulse tail ofcirca 900 fs duration. The dependence of the laser performance on the prism pair positioning is investigated experimentally and analysed theoretically. At the prism pair balanced position, stable pulses of about 50 fs duration were generated independent of the lateral detuning of the absorber jet out of the resonator centre. The dependence of the laser wavelength on the absorber concentration is compared with theoretical predictions. In an appendix the ray-tracing inside the linear resonator is simulated by an ABCD matrix calculation for Gaussian beams.     

Theory of high-power mode-locked lasers with a slow absorber

We develop an analytical theory of high-power passively mode-locked lasers with a slow absorber; the theory is valid at pulse energies well exceeding the saturation energy. We analyze the Haus modelocking master equation in the pulse-energy-domain representation, approximating the intensity profile function by a series in the vicinity of its peak value. We consider the high-power operation regime of subpicosecond blue–violet GaN mode-locked diode lasers, using the approach developed.     

Passively mode-locked 2-μm Tm：YAP laser with a double-wall carbon nanotube absorber

We report on a diode-pumped passively continuous wave(cw) mode-locked Tm:YAP laser with a double-wall carbon nanotube(DWCNT) absorber operating at a wavelength of 2023 nm for the first time,to the best our knowledge.The DWCNT absorber is fabricated on a hydrophilic quartz substrate by using the vertical evaporation technique.The output power is as high as 375 mW.A stable pulse train with a repetition rate of 72.26 MHz is generated with a highest single pulse energy of 5.2 μJ.     

Optimization of GaAs semiconductor saturable absorber Q-switched lasers

The expressions of pulse characteristics such as output energy, peak power, and pulse width are obtained by solving the coupled rate equations describing the operation of GaAs semiconductor saturable absorber Q-switched lasers. The key parameters of an optimally coupled GaAs saturable absorber Q-switched laser are determined and several design curves are generated from these expressions for the first time. These key parameters include the optimal normalized coupling parameters and the optimal normalized saturable absorber parameters that maximize the output energy or maximize the peak power, and the corresponding normalized energy, normalized peak power, and normalized pulse width. Using the expressions and design curves, one can predict the pulse characteristics and perform the design of an optimally coupled GaAs saturable absorber Q-switched laser.