Title :
FM mode-locked high-pressure CW RF-excited CO2 waveguide laser
Author :
Stenersen, Knut ; Landrø, Stig ; Jensen, Per Inge ; Løvold, Stian
Author_Institution :
Norwegian Defence Res. Establ., Kjeller, Norway
fDate :
7/1/1991 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The authors report the results from a study of a FM mode-locked continuous-wave (CW) RF-excited CO2 waveguide laser operated at 0.25-2 atm gas pressures. It is shown that electrooptic FM modulations can be efficiently used to mode lock a CW CO2 laser. The combination of a high gas pressure and a high modulation frequency makes it possible to generate pulses which are substantially shorter than those previously reported for CW mode-locked CO2 lasers. A theoretical approach is used for simulation of the FM mode-locked laser. The experimental pulses of a few hundred picoseconds FWHM are considerably shorter than previously reported for CW mode-locked CO2 lasers. The experimental results are compared with the results of numerical calculations using a frequency domain simulation model
Keywords :
carbon compounds; electro-optical devices; gas lasers; laser mode locking; optical modulation; optical waveguides; CO2 laser; FM mode-locked high-pressure CW RF-excited CO2 waveguide laser; FWHM; electrooptic FM modulations; frequency domain simulation model; gas pressure; modulation frequency; numerical calculations; Electrooptic modulators; Frequency modulation; Gas lasers; Laser mode locking; Laser theory; Lasers and electrooptics; Optical pulse generation; Optical pulses; Pulse modulation; Waveguide lasers;
Journal_Title :
Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
