Kerr lens mode-locked Yb:CALGO thin-disk laser.

Area of Science:

• Laser Physics
• Materials Science
• Ultrafast Optics

Background:

• Thin-disk laser oscillators are crucial for high-power ultrashort pulse generation.
• Ytterbium-doped materials offer efficient operation in the near-infrared spectrum.
• Achieving ultrashort pulse durations in thin-disk lasers remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the first Kerr lens mode-locked Ytterbium-doped Calcium Gadolinium Aluminum Garnet (Yb:CALGO) thin-disk laser oscillator.
• To investigate the potential of Yb:CALGO for generating ultrashort laser pulses.
• To establish a new benchmark for pulse duration in thin-disk laser technology.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Kerr lens mode-locking technique.
• Employed a Yb:CaGdAlO4 (Yb:CALGO) gain medium in a thin-disk configuration.
• Characterized pulse duration, central wavelength, and repetition rate.

Main Results:

• Successfully operated the first Kerr lens mode-locked Yb:CALGO thin-disk laser.
• Generated pulses with a duration of 30 fs at 1048 nm.
• Achieved the shortest pulse duration for a thin-disk laser oscillator, matching Yb-doped bulk oscillators.
• Observed an average output power of 150 mW, limited by gain and disk quality.

Conclusions:

• Yb:CALGO is a promising material for ultrashort pulse generation in thin-disk lasers.
• The demonstrated laser sets a new standard for pulse duration in thin-disk oscillators.
• Further improvements in Yb:CALGO disk quality are expected to significantly increase output power.