Numerical study of the spiking instability caused by modulation frequency detuning in an actively mode-locked solid-state laser

We have studied both analytically and numerically the transient active mode locking in the case of a modulation frequency detuning. Analytical results for pulse width and position, extending previous works, are obtained within the frame of the stationary theory by assuming that a short pulse restores its shape after each round trip. Numerical evaluation leads to relaxation oscillations and change of the short-pulse shape. The results of both approaches agree with each other only for small detunings, when laser is operated in the steady state. For larger detunings the laser dynamics change dramatically, and the three operation modes observed earlier in experiments were demonstrated numerically: sequences of damped relaxation oscillations, deep periodic spiking and chaotic spiking. The periodic spiking can be used to increase the intensity of mode-locked pulses.     

Influence of hydrogen bonds and double bonds on the alkane and alkene derivatives self-assembled monolayers on HOPG surface: STM observation and computer simulation

The adsorption structure and hydrogen-bonded complexes of alkane and alkene derivatives self-assembled on HOPG were studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and Molecular Mechanics (MM) simulations. The effect of different interior -CHCH- conformations and functional groups in molecules on the structure and stability of self-assembled monolayers was considered. It was found that octadecanol and trans-oleic acid could form stable structure on HOPG and their high-resolution images could be obtained by STM. Octadecanol exhibited two kinds of packing by alkyl-alkyl and adsorbate-substrate interactions. The interior trans-CHCH- group in trans-oleic acid had a slight influence on the self-assembly configuration. However, owing to the cis-double bond in the interior of cis-oleyamine molecule, the ordered monolayer could not be easily imaged by STM at ambient conditions. The adsorption conformations of three kinds of molecules on HOPG surface were optimized by MM simulation, respectively. The analysis of hydrogen-bond interactions by computation stimulation also revealed that the stability of cis-oleyamine on HOPG was the worst. These results demonstrated that molecular self-assembly and its stability could be significantly tailored by changing the molecular structure.     

SOA-based actively mode-locked fiber ring laser by forward injecting an external pulse train

An actively mode-locked fiber ring laser based on cross-gain modulation (XGM) in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is demonstrated to operate stably with a simple configuration. By forward injecting an easily-generated external pulse train, the mode-locked fiber laser can generate an optical-pulse sequence with pulsewidth about 6 ps and average output power about 7.9 mW. The output pulses show an ultra-low RMS jitter about 70.7 fs measured by a RF spectrum analyzer. The use of the proposed forward-injection configuration can realize the repetition-rate tunability from 1 to 15 GHz for the generated optical-pulse sequences. By employing a wavelength-tunable optical band-pass filter in the laser cavity, the operation wavelength of the designed SOA-based actively mode-locked fiber laser can be tuned continuously in a wide span between 1528 and 1565 nm. The parameters of external-injection optical pulses are studied experimentally to optimize the mode-locked fiber laser.     

Synthesis, structures and some reactions of Ru(CCCCFc)(PP)Cp (PP = dppm, dppe) and related compounds

The compounds Ru(CCCCFc)(PP)Cp [PP = dppe (1), dppm (2)], have been obtained from reactions between RuCl(PP)Cp and FcCCCCSiMe₃ in the presence of KF (1) or HCCCCFc and K[PF₆] (2), both with added dbu. The dppe complex reacts with Co₂(CO)₆(L₂) [L₂ = (CO)₂, dppm] to give 3, 4 in which the Co₂(CO)₄(L₂) group is attached to the outer CC triple bond. The PPh₃ analogue of 3 (5) has also been characterised. In contrast, tetracyanoethene reacts to give two isomeric complexes 6 and 7, in which the cyano-olefin has added to either CC triple bond. The reaction of RuCl(dppe)Cp with HCCCCFc, carried out in a thf/NEt₃ mixture in the presence of Na[BPh₄], gave [Ru{CCC(NEt₃)CHFc}(dppe)Cp]BPh₄ (8), probably formed by addition of the amine to an (unobserved) intermediate butatrienylidene [Ru(CCCCHFc)(dppe)Cp]⁺. The reaction of I₂ with 8 proceeds via an unusual migration of the alkynyl group to the Cp ring to give [RuI(dppe){η-C₅H₄CCC(NEt₃)CHFc}]I₃ (9). Single-crystal X-ray structural determinations of 1, 2 and 4-9 are reported.     

Amplitude noise suppression in high-repetition-rate pulse train generation from a frequency-modulated Er-Yb laser

A detailed experimental analysis of the amplitude noise in high-repetition-rate picosecond pulse trains generated by spectral filtering of a frequency-modulated Er-Yb:glass laser is reported. Two distinct sources of noise are identified, and stabilization techniques for noise suppression are proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Intensity noise suppression of ∼20 dB, corresponding to less than 2% residual amplitude fluctuations of the pulse train, has been achieved at repetition rates of 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz with pulse durations of ∼50 ps. Received: 28 July 1999 / Revised version: 13 September 1999 / Published online: 20 October 1999     

Multiwavelength Dispersion-Tuned Actively Mode-Locked Erbium-Doped Fibre Ring Laser with Gain Competition Suppression

Multiwavelength dispersion-tuned actively mode-locked erbium-doped fibre ring laser is demonstrated by incorporating a section of highly nonlinear fibre （HNLF） in the laser cavity. The HNLF and the time gate element （modulator） in the fibre laser successfully suppress the gain competition in the erbium-doped fibre, and thus enable multiwavelength operation. Simultaneous generation of 10 GHz pulses up to eight different wavelengths is achieved. Wavelength, spacing and modes number tuning are investigated by changing fibre cavity length, dispersion, and erbium-doped fibre amplifier power, respectively.     

Q-switched and continuous-wave mode-locking of a diode-pumped Nd:Gd0.64Y0.36VO4−Cr4+:YAG laser

We report on a diode-pumped passively mode-locked Nd:Gd_0.64Y_0.36VO₄ laser with a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber. Q-switched mode locking (QML) with 90% modulation depth was obtained. The peak power of the mode-locked pulse near the maximum of the Q-switched envelope was estimated to be about 1.7 MW at the pump power of 12 W. Besides QML, continuous-wave mode locking was also experimentally realized, for the first time to our knowledge, in the laser under a strong intracavity pulse energy fluence. The mode-locked pulse width is about 2.96 ps at a repetition rate of 161.3 MHz.     

Widely Tunable cw Diode-Pumped 1.9-μm Tm:GdVO4 Laser at Room Temperature

A widely tunable cw diode-pumped room-temperature Tm：GdVO4 laser is built. Output power of 2.8 W and a slope effic/ency of 22% pumped by a 18 W Fibre-coupled diode laser at 795nm have been obtained. Continuous tunability from 1820nm to 1946nm is achieved. In addition, the factors that contribute to the efficiency of oscillation are studied.     

Surface Light Extraction Mapping from Photonic Quasicrystal on Current Two-Dimensional Array of 12-Fold Injected GaN-Based LEDs

A two-dimensional array of dodecagonal photonic quasicrystal （12PQC） is fabricated on the surface of current injected GaN-based LEDs to out-couple guided modes. The spatially-resolved surface light extraction mapping of 12PQC is observed and compared with that of triangular lattice photonic crystal （3PC） by microscopic electrical luminescence and scanning near-field microscopy. The higher enhancement factor of 12PQC is obtained to be larger than that of 3PC. It is shown that 12PQC is more favourable and efficient for light extraction of guided lights.