Abstract
We present a diode-pumped Yb:KGW laser with a repetition rate of 1 GHz and a pulse duration of 281 fs at a wavelength of 1041 nm. A high brightness distributed Bragg reflector tapered diode laser is used as a pump source. Stable soliton modelocking is achieved with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The obtained average output power is 1.1 W and corresponds to a peak power of 3.9 kW and a pulse energy of 1.1 nJ. With harmonic modelocking we could increase the pulse repetition rate up to 4 GHz with an average power of 900 mW and a pulse duration of 290 fs. This Yb:KGW laser has a high potential for stable frequency comb generation.
Highlights
Self-referenced frequency combs from femtosecond lasers offer a phase stable link between optical and microwave frequencies [1,2,3]
We present a diode-pumped Yb:KGW laser with a repetition rate of 1 GHz and a pulse duration of 281 fs at a wavelength of 1041 nm
The average output power of 1.1 W corresponds to a pulse energy of 1.1 nJ and a peak power of 3.9 kW. To our knowledge these are the highest values ever demonstrated for a diodepumped solid state lasers (DPSSLs) at gigahertz repetition rates and pulse durations in the femtosecond domain
Summary
Self-referenced frequency combs from femtosecond lasers offer a phase stable link between optical and microwave frequencies [1,2,3]. The spectrum of the laser is broadened in a highly nonlinear fiber This requires pulses with sufficiently high peak power, which is challenging at GHz repetition rates. The highest repetition rate from a self-referenced optical frequency comb is currently 10 GHz, which was achieved by a Ti:sapphire laser generating 40 fs pulses with 1.2 W average power [12]. We present a SESAM modelocked diode-pumped Yb:KGd(WO4) (Yb:KGW) laser oscillator delivering femtosecond pulses at the repetition rate of 1 GHz with sufficient peak power for octave spanning continuum generation. The average output power of 1.1 W corresponds to a pulse energy of 1.1 nJ and a peak power of 3.9 kW To our knowledge these are the highest values ever demonstrated for a DPSSL at gigahertz repetition rates and pulse durations in the femtosecond domain. Without any further pulse compression and amplifier stage this laser is very attractive for stable frequency comb generation based on our recent results with a femtosecond Er:Yb:glass laser [25]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
