We propose a model that is valid for ultrafast pulse propagation in a mode-locked laser cavity in the few-femtosecond pulse regime, thus deriving the equivalent of the master mode-locking equation for ultrashort pulses that has dominated mode-locking theory for two decades. The short-pulse equation with dissipative gain and loss terms allows for the generation of stable ultrashort optical pulses from initial white noise, thus providing the first theoretical framework for quantifying the pulse dynamics and stability as pulses widths approach the attosecond regime.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.