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2.1-W picosecond passively mode-locked external-cavity semiconductor laser
A Aschwanden1, D Lorenser, H J Unold
1Department of Physics, Institute of Quantum Electronics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), ETH Zürich Hönggerberg, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 16, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland. aschwanden@phys.ethz.ch
Optics Letters
|March 9, 2005
Summary
Researchers developed a new semiconductor laser producing ultrashort pulses with reduced chirp. This advancement in optical technology offers improved performance for various applications requiring precise laser light.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Semiconductor Lasers
- Ultrafast Optics
Background:
- Passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers are crucial for generating ultrashort optical pulses.
- External-cavity designs offer versatility but often face challenges with pulse quality, such as chirp.
- Optimizing gain and dispersion is key to enhancing laser performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate an optically pumped, passively mode-locked external-cavity semiconductor laser.
- To significantly reduce the chirp of generated optical pulses.
- To achieve high average output power and high repetition rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an optically pumped, passively mode-locked external-cavity semiconductor laser architecture.
- Incorporated an intracavity etalon to control spectral bandwidth and optimize wavelength-dependent parameters.
- Investigated the impact of the etalon on pulse characteristics, gain, and dispersion.
Main Results:
- Successfully generated optical pulses with a duration of 4.7 picoseconds (ps).
- Achieved an average output power of up to 2.1 Watts (W).
- Demonstrated a high repetition rate of 4 Gigahertz (GHz) with greatly reduced pulse chirp.
Conclusions:
- The intracavity etalon effectively reduces pulse chirp in passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers.
- The optimized laser design provides a powerful and versatile source for ultrafast optics.
- This work advances the capabilities of semiconductor lasers for demanding applications.