Carbon nanohorn modulated nanosecond mid-infrared laser

Abstract

Carbon nanohorn dahlia aggregates with a lateral size of hundreds of nanometers and a height of a few nanometers were prepared utilizing commercial carbon nanohorn powder. In the mid-infrared spectral region (@ 2845 nm), the saturable absorption property of the carbon nanohorn was experimentally investigated. It was employed as a saturable absorber in a Er:Lu2O3 laser. Laser pulses with a shortest pulse duration of 255 ns were yielded at a repetition rate of 149 kHz under the maximum pump power of 6.5 W. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the saturable absorption property of carbon nanohorn was investigated and pulsed lasers were generated with YAG-based CNH in the mid-infrared. Our investigation indicates that carbon nanohorn exhibits a comparable nonlinear optical performance to carbon nanotube in the mid-infrared region. Further investigation of mid-infrared mode-locking lasers can be realized with carbon nanohorn by decreasing the thickness of the carbon nanohorn.