Photonic switches for lasers and optical processors

Editorial

Photonic switches for lasers and optical processors     

Carbon-nanotube-based saturable absorbers for near infrared solid state lasers

We demonstrate the passive mode-locking of a diode-pumped Nd⁺³:YAG (central wavelength: 1.32 μm; pulse duration: 50 ps; output energy: up to 70 μJ) laser using a polymer film containing single-wall carbon nanotubes. The mode-locking regime is stable at a pump repetition rate of up to 1 kHz. We also investigate the temporal evolution of the light-induced absorption change of the polymer film containing carbon nanotubes in the spectral range of 1.3–1.5 μm by femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe measurements. The measurements reveal that light-induced transmission exhibits fast and slow components that last 280 fs and more than 10 ps, respectively. The third-order susceptibility of the polymer film containing single wall carbon nanotubes is as high as 10⁻¹¹ esu.     

Ultrashort-pulse generation by lasers with saturable absorbers

A theoretical model for the ultrashort-pulse (USP) generation by lasers with saturable absorbers is presented. The gain medium is assumed to be a two-level system whereas the absorber is described by a four-level system which is characterized by a two-stage absorption process and the pertinent relaxation times. Laser dynamical equations are developed in the rate-equation approximation and boundary conditions appropriate for an unidirectional ring cavity are established. Evolution of USP is investigated for different combinations of parameter values appropriate for solid-state laser systems by computer simulation, employing a finite difference approximation for the dynamical equations. It is shown that USP output is attainable even if the cross-section of the excited-state absorption isgreater than that of the ground-state absorption and the laser is operating just above threshold. In fact, it is found that through the participation of a strong excited-state absorption the discrimination against satellite pulses is enhanced so that single-pulse output is more achievable. Furthermore, it is proposed that single picosecond pulses may be obtainable from relatively broad initial peaks by utilizing the high pulse-selection and pulse-shortening efficiency of the absorber due to the contribution of the excited-state absorption. The applicability of the present model to singlet-triplet crossing and photoisomer formation is also discussed. Work supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada under grant No. A6005. A preliminary version of this paper was presented at the Joint Congress of CAP-APS-SMF, Université Laval, Québec, Canada, 14–17 June 1976. This author is now with Welwyn Canada Limited, London, Ontario, Canada.     

Strain compensated robust semiconductor saturable absorber mirror for fiber lasers

We demonstrate a strain compensated long lifetime semiconductor saturable absorber mirror(SESAM) with a high modulation depth for fiber lasers. The SESAM was measured to have a damage threshold of 9.5 m J/cm~2, a modulation depth of 11.5%, a saturation fluence of 39.3 μJ/cm~2, and an inversed saturable absorption coefficient of 630 m J/cm~2. The SESAM has been applied to a linear cavity mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser, which has been working for more than a year without damage of the SESAM.     

Pinacyanol as a mode-locking saturable absorber for Rhodamine dye lasers

The absorption recovery time of the ground state of pinacyanol (S₁ → S₀) can be varied through the choice of solvent from 10 ps in methanol to 300 ps in glycerol. We show that mode-locking of Rhodamine 6G and Rhodamine B dye lasers can be achieved using methanol, DMSO or glycerol solutions.     

Nickel dithiene as a mode-locking saturable absorber for neodymium lasers

The recovery times from transient bleaching of the infrared bleachable dye, bis(4-dimethulaminodithiobenzil)nickel in solvents ethyl sulfide, methyl sulfoxide, pyridine, and iodoethane have been determined.     

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.     

Nanosecond-pulsed erbium-doped fiber lasers with graphene saturable absorber

We demonstrate graphene mode-locked nanosecond erbium-doped fiber laser in an all-fiber ring cavity. The clean and robust pulse train was generated at 27 mW pump power. Resultant central wavelength, repetition rate and pulse width was 1560 nm, 388 kHz and 6 ns, respectively. With two stage fiber amplifier, the output power was 553 mW, corresponding to single pulse energy of 1.4 μJ. In addition, the pulse-width can be varied ranging from 3 ns to 20 ns at repetition rate between 200 kHz and 1.54 MHz by changing the length of the laser cavity.     

Two-dimensional solitons in B-class lasers with saturable absorption

Localized radiation structures under conditions of a semiconductor laser with saturable absorption and a vertical cavity with a large Fresnel number are analyzed numerically and analytically. The boundaries of the region of existence and stability of transversely two-dimensional solitions, the boundary of transition to a moving state, and the boundary of the Andronov-Hopf bifurcation are found. Stable fundamental and vortical (topologically charged) solitons are obtained in a range of relaxation times of the nonlinearities of the media up to 400 lifetimes of a photon in the cavity. These solitons were obtained under the condition that the chosen medium with saturable absorption has a slower response than the active medium of the laser. Otherwise, a rapidly moving solition is formed, which is similar in its properties to a combustion wave. Properties of such a rapid motion along the aperture can be useful for optical data processing.     

Bistable operation of multimode lasers containing saturable absorbers

Continous-wave operation of many longtudinal modes in a unidirectional ring cavity containing a laser medium and a saturable absorber is investigated. The phases of the modes are assumed to be randomly distributed. The system is described by a set of rate equations including noise terms from both media. The steady-state total intensity (as an average value) and the linewidth of the laser output are calculated for the region where bistable operation and hysteresis can occur. Moreover, the hysteresis cycles of individual modes are studied.     

New regime of inverse saturable absorption for self-stabilizing passively mode-locked lasers

The reflectivity of a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) is generally expected to increase with increasing pulse energy. However, for higher pulse energies the reflectivity can decrease again; we call this a roll-over of the nonlinear reflectivity curve caused by inverse saturable absorption. We show for several SESAMs that the measured roll-over is consistent with two-photon absorption only for short (femtosecond) pulses, while a stronger (yet unidentified) kind of nonlinear absorption is dominant for longer (picosecond) pulses. These inverse saturable absorption effects have important technological consequences, e.g. for the Q-switching dynamics of passively mode-locked lasers. A simple equation using only measurable SESAM parameters and including inverse saturable absorption is derived for the Q-switched mode-locking threshold. We present various data and discuss the sometimes detrimental effects of this roll-over for femtosecond high repetition rate lasers, as well as the potentially very useful consequences for passively mode-locked multi-GHz lasers. We also discuss strategies to enhance or reduce this induced absorption by using different SESAM designs or semiconductor materials. PACS 42.60.Fc; 42.70.Nq; 78.20.Ci     

Recent development of saturable absorbers for ultrafast lasers [Invited]

As one of the greatest inventions in the 20 th century, ultrafast lasers have offered new opportunities in the areas of basic scientific research and industrial manufacturing. Optical modulators are of great importance in ultrafast lasers, which directly affect the output laser performances. Over the past decades, significant efforts have been made in the development of compact, controllable, repeatable, as well as integratable optical modulators(i.e., saturable absorbers). In this paper, we review the fundamentals of the most widely studied saturable absorbers, including semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors and low-dimensional nanomaterials. Then, different fabrication technologies for saturable absorbers and their ultrafast laser applications in a wide wavelength range are illustrated. Furthermore, challenges and perspectives for the future development of saturable absorbers are discussed and presented. The development of ultrafast lasers together with the continuous exploration of reliable saturable absorbers will open up new directions for the mass production of the nextgeneration optoelectronic devices.     

Pseudospark switches for the power supply circuits of pulsed lasers

A family of sealed-off low-pressure spark gap switches developed at the Institute of High Current Electronics (Tomsk) and at the Plasma Scientific Research Institute (Ryazan) with participation of researchers from the Physical Institute of the University of Erlangen (Germany) is described. The devices are of cermet construction, are capable of switching pulsed currents over wide ranges of amplitudes and durations, and have a number of unique characteristics. The principle of operation of the spark gap switches is described and their designs are given. The triggering circuits of the switches are considered. Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Plazma Scientific Research Institute of Gas-Discharge Devices. Physical Institute of the University of Erlangen. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 97–105, April, 2000.     

Quasi-soliton generation in solid-state lasers with semiconductor saturable absorber

Recent advances in ultrafast, ultra-short solid-state lasers have resulted in sub-6 fs pulses generated directly from the cavity of Ti:sapphire lasers. The generation of extremely short pulses is possible due to the formation of a quasi-Schrodinger soliton. Our investigation is directed to the peculiarities of the transition between femtosecond to picosecond generation. We found that the above transition is accompanied by the threshold and hysteresis phenomena. On the basis of soliton perturbation theory, the numerical simulation studying two different experimental situations has been performed, the first situation corresponds to the study of the lasers field's parameters under variation of control parameters (dispersion or pump power), the second one is for continuous variation of control parameter within a single generation session. Physically it corresponds to not repeated laser session but the variation of control parameter when the pulse has formed already.     

Low-loss 1.3-microm GaInNAs saturable Bragg reflector for high-power picosecond neodymium lasers

A novel low-loss, single-step-growth 1.3-microm GaInNAs saturable Bragg reflector mode-locking element has been developed. Combined radial thickness and postgrowth annealing control have permitted a tuning range of 46 nm for passive mode locking to be demonstrated from one wafer. With this structure, stabilized mode locking was obtained from quasi-cw diode-pumped Nd:YLF and Nd:YALO lasers operating at 1314 and 1342 nm, respectively, with average on-time output powers of as much as 20 W and pulse durations as low as 22 ps.     

Repetitive passive Q-switching and bistability in lasers with saturable absorbers

We report detailed experimental data on the passive Q-switching operation in a CO₂ laser with CH₃I saturable absorber, and on the transient behaviour in the near-Q-switching situation. Under suitable operating conditions, we found bistability in the output power. In some cases, we observed the simultaneous presence of bistability and passive Q-switching. The theoretical part of the paper starts from the four-level model of laser with saturable absorber, as formulated by other authors. By adiabatically eliminating the variables of the resonant levels, we reduce the problem to a set of three differential equations, from which we derive explicit analytical conditions for the rise of passive Q-switching. These conditions turn out to be in good qualitative and partially quantitative agreement with our experimental findings as well as with other experimental data previously obtained by other authors. Finally we classify the possible combinations of passive Q-switching and bistability that one can find in this type of experiments.     

Passive synchronization of all-fiber lasers through a common saturable absorber

We present the synchronization of two all-fiber mode-locked lasers, operating at 1.0?μm and 1.54?μm, coupled through the use of a shared single-wall carbon nanotube absorber. Both lasers operate in the soliton-regime, achieving a synchronized repetition rate of 13.08?MHz. The broadband absorption range of the single-wall carbon nanotubes allows the stable mode-locking behavior at 1?μm and 1.5?μm. The nonlinear coupling effects between two energy states of the carbon nanotube absorber result in stable synchronized pulses for hours of operation, with a large cavity mismatch of 1400?μm.     

Optical bistable behavior of single-mode fabry-perot lasers with saturable absorber

The present paper is devoted to the optical bistable behavior of Gaussian inhomogeneously broadened single-mode Fabry-Perot lasers with saturable absorber (LSA) in both resonance and nonresonance. The system is described by rate equations based on the dual two-level model with allowance for spontaneous emission and spatial hole-burning. The conditions under which optical bistability (OB) occurs are clearly displayed in phase diagrams. The OB characteristics and stability behavior are investigated in connection with their dependence on the detuning and LSA parameters. Paper submitted by authors in English April 20, 1999.     

InGaAsP quantum-wells saturable absorber for diode-pumped passively Q-switched 1.3-μm lasers

We demonstrate the first use of InGaAsP quantum wells as a saturable absorber in the Q-switching of a diode-pumped Nd-doped 1.3 μm laser. The barrier layers of the InGaAsP quantum-well device are designed to be a strong absorber for the suppression of the transition channel at 1.06 μm. With an incident pump power of 1.8 W, an average output power of 160 mW with a Q-switched pulse width of 19 ns at a pulse repetition rate of 38 kHz was obtained. PACS 42.60.Gd; 42.55.Xi; 42.65.Re     

Mode-locking of He - Ne lasers with saturable organic dyes

The organic dyes cresyl violet, cresyl violet acetate and nile blue A were found to act as saturable absorbers for mode-locking of 6328 Å He-Ne lasers. The width of the obtained optical pulses is proportional to the inverse of the pulse energy. The minimum pulse width obtained is 220 psec.