Generation of double-scale pulses in a LD-pumped Yb:phosphate solid-state laser

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Mode-locked solid-state lasers are crucial for generating ultrashort optical pulses.
• Yb-doped phosphate lasers offer advantages in terms of thermal properties and broad emission bandwidth.
• Achieving complex pulse shapes like double-scale pulses is an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the generation of double-scale pulses in a laser diode-pumped Yb:phosphate solid-state laser.
• To characterize the spectral and temporal properties of the generated double-scale pulses.
• To establish a new benchmark for pulse generation in solid-state laser systems.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a laser diode (LD) to pump an Yb:phosphate solid-state laser.
• Employed mode-locking techniques to generate ultrashort pulses.
• Analyzed the output using optical spectrum analyzers and autocorrelators.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated double-scale pulses with a spectrum bandwidth of 4.6 nm centered at 1030 nm.
• Achieved a maximum output power of 377 mW at an 80 MHz repetition rate.
• Autocorrelation measurements revealed a pulse structure with a 510 fs short peak and a 12.51 ps long pedestal.

Conclusions:

• This study reports the first demonstration of a double-scale pulse mode-locked solid-state laser.
• The achieved results highlight the potential of Yb:phosphate lasers for generating complex pulse formats.
• This work opens new avenues for applications requiring tailored ultrashort pulse characteristics.