High power modelocking of a stigmatic bounce geometry laser using a nonlinear mirror

We report the highest average power modelocking of a novel bounce geometry laser using the nonlinear mirror (NLM) technique. A diode-side pumped Nd:YVO₄ slab lasing at 1064 nm in a spatially stigmatic bounce-oscillator configuration was modelocked using a type-I phase-matched BiBO nonlinear crystal (NLC) in a NLM arrangement, producing 12 W of self-starting, continuous-wave (CW) modelocking. The system produced a pulse duration of 14 ps at a repetition rate of 110 MHz with high long-term stability and excellent beam quality, with an M ²<1.2 and highly circular beam profile. An investigation was made of the sensitivity of modelocking as a function of air dispersion, by varying the distance between the NLC and output coupler. No optical damage was observed throughout the investigation, even when the system was operated in Q-switched modelocking regime. The system exploits the advantages of NLM modelocking for sustaining high average and peak powers without the onset of optical damage.