All-solid-state Cr:forsterite laser generating 14-fs pulses at 1.3 mum

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Ultrafast Optics
• Solid-State Lasers

Background:

• Cr:forsterite lasers are suitable for generating ultrashort pulses in the near-infrared region.
• Achieving sub-20-fs pulse durations requires precise control over intracavity dispersion.
• Higher-order dispersion significantly limits pulse compression in Cr:forsterite lasers near 1.3 µm.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate ultrashort laser pulses with durations of 14 femtoseconds (fs) at a 1.3 micrometer (µm) wavelength.
• To achieve high average power (80 mW) and repetition rate (100 MHz) from an all-solid-state laser system.
• To investigate and overcome the limitations imposed by higher-order dispersion in Cr:forsterite lasers.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Kerr-lens mode-locking in an all-solid-state Cr:forsterite laser.
• Employed specially designed and fabricated double-chirped mirrors for dispersion compensation.
• Incorporated high-index PBH71 prisms for fine-tuning intracavity dispersion management.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated 14-fs pulses at 1.3 µm.
• Achieved an average output power of 80 mW at a 100 MHz repetition rate.
• The laser spectrum spanned 1230-1580 nm (250 nm FWHM), with dispersion compensated over nearly 300 nm.

Conclusions:

• Demonstrated the capability of Cr:forsterite lasers to produce few-cycle pulses at 1.3 µm.
• Highlighted the effectiveness of double-chirped mirrors and PBH71 prisms in managing higher-order dispersion.
• The developed laser system offers a powerful tool for research in nonlinear optics and spectroscopy at this important wavelength.