Ultrashort pulse generation from diode pumped mode-locked Yb3+:sesquioxide single crystal lasers

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Materials Science
• Optics

Background:

• Diode-pumped solid-state lasers are crucial for various applications.
• Mode-locked lasers generate ultrashort pulses, enabling high-speed measurements and nonlinear optics.
• Ytterbium-doped materials offer advantages for near-infrared laser operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate diode-pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked laser operation using Yb3+:Sc2O3 and Yb3+:Lu2O3 single crystals.
• To characterize the performance of these novel laser systems in terms of pulse duration and output power.
• To assess the stability of the mode-locked operation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a diode-pumped laser setup.
• Employed a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) for mode-locking.
• Implemented Kerr-lens mode-locking (KLM) technique.
• Investigated Yb3+:Sc2O3 and Yb3+:Lu2O3 single crystals as gain media.

Main Results:

• Achieved stable Kerr-lens mode-locked laser operation for over 2 hours.
• Obtained pulses as short as 71 femtoseconds (fs) with an average power of 1.09 Watts (W) from the Yb3+:Lu2O3 crystal.
• Generated pulses as short as 81 fs with an average power of 840 milliwatts (mW) from the Yb3+:Sc2O3 crystal.

Conclusions:

• Yb3+:Sc2O3 and Yb3+:Lu2O3 single crystals are suitable gain media for diode-pumped SESAM-supported Kerr-lens mode-locked lasers.
• These laser systems demonstrate excellent performance in terms of ultrashort pulse generation and stability.
• The results highlight the potential of these materials for advanced laser applications requiring high power and short pulses.