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Low-cost Custom Fabrication and Mode-locked Operation of an All-normal-dispersion Femtosecond Fiber Laser for Multiphoton Microscopy
Published on: November 22, 2019
Mode-locked fiber laser frequency-controlled with an intracavity electro-optic modulator
Darren D Hudson1, Kevin W Holman, R Jason Jones
1JILA, National Institute of Standards and Technology Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA. hudsond@jilau1.colorado.edu
Optics Letters
|November 11, 2005
Summary
We synchronized two fiber lasers using an intracavity electro-optic modulator (EOM), achieving 10 fs timing jitter. This novel EOM application in mode-locked lasers sets a new record for low timing jitter in fiber laser synchronization.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
- Fiber Lasers
Background:
- Mode-locked fiber lasers are crucial for precise timing applications.
- Synchronizing multiple lasers is essential for advanced experiments.
- Existing synchronization methods often lack sufficient speed or stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a novel method for synchronizing mode-locked fiber lasers.
- To achieve ultra-low timing jitter in laser repetition frequency stabilization.
- To introduce an electro-optic modulator (EOM) for fast intra-cavity servo control.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an erbium-doped fiber laser.
- Implemented an intracavity electro-optic modulator (EOM) for fast servo control (230 kHz bandwidth).
- Employed a secondary intracavity piezoelectric transducer for slower stabilization (20 kHz resonance).
- Synchronized the repetition frequency of one laser to another.
Main Results:
- Achieved stabilization of the repetition frequency with an in-loop root-mean-square (rms) timing jitter of 10 fs.
- Integrated jitter over a bandwidth from 1 Hz to 100 kHz.
- Demonstrated the first use of an EOM inside a mode-locked laser cavity for fast servo action.
Conclusions:
- The developed synchronization technique significantly reduces timing jitter in mode-locked fiber lasers.
- This method represents a breakthrough in achieving highly stable and synchronized laser outputs.
- The findings pave the way for enhanced precision in optical timing and metrology.
