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Atmospheric dispersion management in mid-IR mode-locked oscillators
Optics Express
|June 29, 2023
Summary
Atmospheric dispersion significantly impacts ultrashort-pulsed lasers in mid-infrared windows. Active dispersion control, demonstrated with a Cr:ZnS laser, stabilizes mid-IR few-optical cycle sources by compensating for humidity fluctuations.
Area of Science:
- Laser physics
- Optical engineering
- Atmospheric optics
Background:
- Atmospheric dispersion is a critical factor in mid-infrared (mid-IR) ultrashort-pulsed laser development.
- Dispersion effects can reach hundreds of fs² in the 2-3 µm atmospheric transparency window for typical laser path lengths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of atmospheric dispersion on ultrashort-pulsed laser performance.
- To demonstrate active dispersion control for stabilizing mid-IR laser sources.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a Cr:ZnS ultrashort-pulsed laser as a testbed.
- Investigated the impact of atmospheric dispersion on femtosecond and chirped-pulse oscillator performance.
- Implemented active dispersion control to compensate for humidity fluctuations.
Main Results:
- Quantified significant atmospheric dispersion effects in the 2-3 µm window.
- Demonstrated that active dispersion control effectively compensates for humidity-induced fluctuations.
- Achieved improved stability for mid-IR few-optical cycle laser sources.
Conclusions:
- Atmospheric dispersion is a crucial, often overlooked, parameter for mid-IR ultrashort-pulsed lasers.
- Active dispersion control offers a viable solution for enhancing the stability of these laser systems.
- The presented compensation approach is broadly applicable to ultrafast sources operating in mid-IR transparency windows.
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