Q-switching stability limits of continuous-wave passive mode locking

Hönninger, Clemens; Paschotta, Rüdiger; Morier‐Genoud, F.; Moser, M.; Keller, U.

doi:10.1364/josab.16.000046

Cited by 778 publications

(371 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(45 reference statements)

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“…These new SESAMs combined >3% modulation depth and an extraordinary fast recovery time of τ 1/e = 1.9 ps. In our case, we used small laser mode areas on the gain medium and the absorber, which resulted in a moderate average output power but allowed for a relaxed cavity configuration [29] without Q-switching instabilities [30]. Future SESAMs with multiple quantum wells and dielectric topcoatings for higher saturation fluences and damage thresholds [31] are expected to reach higher power levels.…”

Section: Modelocking Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sub-100 femtosecond pulses from a SESAM modelocked thin disk laser

et al. 2012

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We present the first passively modelocked thin disk laser (TDL) with sub-100-fs pulse duration using the broadband sesquioxide gain material Yb:LuScO 3 and an optimized SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM). In this proof-of-principle experiment, we obtained 5.1 W of average power at a repetition rate of 77.5 MHz and a pulse duration of 96 fs. We carefully explored and optimized the different parameters on the soliton pulse formation process for the generation of short pulses. In particular, SESAMs combining fast recovery time, high modulation depth and low nonsaturable losses proved crucial to achieve this result even though they are expected to only play a minor role in soliton modelocking. To our knowledge, these are the shortest pulses ever obtained with a modelocked TDL, reaching for the first time the sub-100-fs milestone. This result opens the door to sub-100-fs oscillators with substantially higher power levels in the near future.

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Section: Modelocking Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sub-100 femtosecond pulses from a SESAM modelocked thin disk laser

et al. 2012

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“…Vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) [1] passively modelocked [2] with an intra-cavity semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) [3][4][5] and Modelocked Integrated eXternal-cavity SurfaceEmitting Lasers (MIXSEL) [6,7] benefit from the advantages of diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL), such as excellent beam quality and high-average output power at high repetition rates [2] and do not suffer from Q-switching instabilities [8]. The semiconductor gain chip enables bandgap engineering to provide a high degree of flexibility in the operation wavelength [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimentally verified pulse formation model for high-power femtosecond VECSELs

et al. 2013

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Optically pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (OP-VECSELs), passively modelocked with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM), have generated the highest average output power from any sub-picosecond semiconductor laser. Many applications, including frequency comb synthesis and coherent supercontinuum generation, require pulses in the sub-300-fs regime. A quantitative understanding of the pulse formation mechanism is required in order to reach this regime while maintaining stable, high-average-power performance. We present a numerical model with which we have obtained excellent quantitative agreement with two recent experiments in the femtosecond regime, and we have been able to correctly predict both the observed pulse duration and the output power for the first time. Our numerical model not only confirms the soliton-like pulse formation in the femtosecond regime, but also allows us to develop several clear guidelines to scale the performance toward shorter pulses and higher average output power. In particular, we show that a key VECSEL design parameter is a high gain saturation fluence. By optimizing this parameter, 200-fs pulses with an average output power of more than 1 W should be possible.

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“…High repetition rate lasers enable an easier access to the individual optical comb lines and an increased power per comb mode for a given average power that leads to an improved SNR in various applications. However, SESAM-modelocked DPSSLs have to overcome some challenges when increasing the repetition rate, as the decreased pulse energy may result in Q-switching instabilities [64].…”

Section: One-micrometer Ytterbium-doped Lasersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carrier-Envelope Offset Stabilized Ultrafast Diode-Pumped Solid-State Lasers

Schilt

Südmeyer

2015

Applied Sciences

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Optical frequency combs have been revolutionizing many research areas and are finding a growing number of real-world applications. While initially dominated by Ti:Sapphire and fiber lasers, optical frequency combs from modelocked diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSLs) have become an attractive alternative with state-of-the-art performance. In this article, we review the main achievements in ultrafast DPSSLs for frequency combs. We present the current status of carrier-envelope offset (CEO) frequency-stabilized DPSSLs based on various approaches and operating in different wavelength regimes. Feedback to the pump current provides a reliable scheme for frequency comb CEO stabilization, but also other methods with faster feedback not limited by the lifetime of the gain material have been applied. Pumping DPSSLs with high power multi-transverse-mode diodes enabled a new class of high power oscillators and gigahertz repetition rate lasers, which were initially not believed to be suitable for CEO stabilization due to the pump noise. However, this challenge has been overcome, and recently both high power and gigahertz DPSSL combs have been demonstrated. Thin disk lasers have demonstrated the highest pulse energy and average power emitted from any ultrafast oscillator and present a high potential for the future generation of stabilized frequency combs with hundreds of watts average output power.

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Q-switching stability limits of continuous-wave passive mode locking

Cited by 778 publications

References 22 publications

Sub-100 femtosecond pulses from a SESAM modelocked thin disk laser

Sub-100 femtosecond pulses from a SESAM modelocked thin disk laser

Experimentally verified pulse formation model for high-power femtosecond VECSELs

Carrier-Envelope Offset Stabilized Ultrafast Diode-Pumped Solid-State Lasers

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