Non-linear mirror modelocking of a bounce amplifier laser

Author

Thomas, G.M. ; Bauerle, A. ; Farrell, D.J. ; Damzen, M.J.

Author_Institution

Blackett Lab., Imperial Coll. London, London, UK

fYear

2009

fDate

14-19 June 2009

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

1

Abstract

This paper presents the investigation of non-linear mirror (NLM) modelocking of a bounce amplifier laser. In this technique, the combination of an intracavity second harmonic generation crystal with a dichroic output coupling mirror acts as an intensity dependent cavity loss mechanism for modelocking. The bounce amplifier was a Nd:GdVO₄ slab with 1.1 atm% Nd doping, with lasing transition at 1062.9 nm, pumped with an 808 nm diode bar. The experiments employed on a type II KTP crystal and type I phase-matched BiBO crystal resulted in continuous-wave (CW) modelocking. The results thus obtained are the shortest pulse lengths and the highest average powers reported using the NLM modelocking technique.

Keywords

gadolinium compounds; laser beams; laser mirrors; laser mode locking; neodymium; optical harmonic generation; optical losses; optical pumping; potassium compounds; solid lasers; titanium compounds; BiBO; GdVO₄:Nd; KTP; bounce amplifier laser; continuous-wave modelocking; dichroic output coupling mirror; intensity dependent cavity loss mechanism; intracavity second harmonic generation crystal; lasing transition; nonlinear mirror modelocking; optical pumping; type I phase-matched BiBO crystal; type II KTP crystal; wavelength 1062.9 nm; wavelength 808 nm; Frequency conversion; Laser modes; Mirrors; Optical pulse generation; Optical pulses; Power lasers; Power system modeling; Pulse amplifiers; Semiconductor lasers; Ultrafast optics;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Lasers and Electro-Optics 2009 and the European Quantum Electronics Conference. CLEO Europe - EQEC 2009. European Conference on

Conference_Location

Munich

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-4079-5

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-4080-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/CLEOE-EQEC.2009.5194135

Filename

5194135