Two synchronized modes of ultrashort optical pulses in a two-beam pumped Ti:sapphire laser

A two-beam-pumped dual-cavity Ti:sapphire laser in which femtosecond and picosecond laser pulses can be produced has been constructed. Two synchronized modes, femtosecond-femtosecond pulse synchronization and femtosecond-picosecond pulse synchronization, have been achieved. In the mode of femtosecond-femtosecond pulse synchronization, laser pulses of 26 and 23 fs were generated in the two laser cavities, with a timing jitter of 7 fs. In the mode of femtosecond-picosecond pulse synchronization, laser pulses of 29 fs and 1.49 ps were generated in the femtosecond and picosecond cavities, respectively, with a timing jitter of 30 fs. Several factors affecting the tunability and stability of the laser were analyzed. The results show that the operating stability and pulse synchronization are primarily governed by cross-phase modulation, which is closely related to the power ratio of the two pump beams in the two laser cavities.