Dual-cavity digital laser for intra-cavity mode shaping and polarization control.

Abstract

In this paper, we present a digital laser for on-demand modes with polarization control based on a single intra-cavity spatial light modulator (SLM). We employ a phase-only SLM as the back reflector in a dual-cavity resonator. We prove that we can digitally control and switch lasing modes with desired linear polarization at video rates. Moreover, we experimentally generate vector beams based on the selection and coherent summation of two orthogonally polarized Hermite-Gaussian (HG) beams inside the resonator.