Abstract

The effects of high-order dispersion on a chirped-pulse oscillator operating in the positive dispersion regime were studied both theoretically and experimentally. It was found that odd and negative even high-order dispersions impair the oscillator stability owing to resonance with the dispersion waves, but can broaden the spectrum as in the case of continuum generation in the fibers. Positive fourth-order dispersion enhances the stability and shifts the stability range into negative dispersion. The destabilization mechanism was found to be a parametrical instability which causes noisy mode locking around zero dispersion.

Highlights

  • Generation of over-100 nJ femtosecond pulses at MHz repetition rates directly from a laser oscillator is of interest for numerous applications, including frequency conversion, gas sensing, metrology, micro-machining etc

  • In the negative dispersion regime (NDR), pulse stretching requires a fair amount of net negative group-delay dispersion (GDD) [3, 4]

  • An alternative technique providing sub-100 fs pulses with over-100 nJ energies uses an oscillator operating in the net positive dispersion regime (PDR realized in a chirped-pulse oscillator, CPO) [5]

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Generation of over-100 nJ femtosecond pulses at MHz repetition rates directly from a laser oscillator is of interest for numerous applications, including frequency conversion, gas sensing, metrology, micro-machining etc. An alternative technique providing sub-100 fs pulses with over-100 nJ energies uses an oscillator operating in the net positive dispersion regime (PDR realized in a chirped-pulse oscillator, CPO) [5]. A vague parallel to such a technique is provided by a similariton fiber oscillator operating in the PDR [10]: substantial pulse stretching prevents instabilities with energy growth and strong chirp provides pulse compressibility down to few optical-cycle duration. The situation substantially differs if FOD is negative: there is a stable radiationless soliton-like pulse [36, 38], and a certain minimum FOD provides its stabilization in the vicinity of zero GDD [39] In such a regime, FOD can provide additional spectral broadening [23]. The interconnection between the PDR and noisy mode-locking regimes is not clear, and so they both have to be further studied

Heavily-chirped pulses in the PDR
Stability of the CPO in the presence of HOD
Temporal and spectral shapes of the chirped-pulse in the presence of HOD
Chaotic mode-locking in the vicinity of zero GDD
Conclusion
Full Text
Paper version not known

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 call

Disclaimer: 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.