Abstract
We present a high-power gigahertz SESAM modelocked Yb:CALGO laser with sub-60-fs pulses. The laser delivers an average output power of 2.95 W at a pulse repetition rate of 1.8 GHz in fundamental modelocking without additional pulse compression or amplification. Stable modelocking with a single pulse per cavity round-trip is confirmed and results in an output peak power of 24.3 kW and a pulse energy of 1.64 nJ. The laser is pumped by a commercial multimode diode laser, which improves the reliability and robustness. This high-power gigahertz laser is expected to enable numerous applications in frequency metrology.
Highlights
Progress in ultrafast solid-state laser technology has been pushing the knowledge frontier in optical science and enabled many industrial applications
The gigahertz pulse repetition rate regime is interesting for nonlinear bio-imaging and spectroscopy [1], ultra-high-speed optical communications [2, 3] and time and frequency metrology [4,5,6]
Solid-state lasers, fundamentally modelocked with semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) [7,8,9] can generate very stable optical frequency combs [10], which define the standards for precision in science and technology in the megahertz regime
Summary
Progress in ultrafast solid-state laser technology has been pushing the knowledge frontier in optical science and enabled many industrial applications. Kerr-lens modelocked (KLM) Ti:sapphire lasers produce extremely short pulse durations at very low noise levels and support stable frequency combs with up to 10-GHz [11]. Several demanding applications, such as the Astrocomb [12] and ultrastable optical clocks [13] would benefit from even higher repetition rates, but KLM becomes increasingly more difficult because of its complicated coupling between absorber and cavity stability regime [14]. Typical gigahertz fiber lasers require external pulse amplification and compression to achieve ultrashort pulses and high-power operation [17] This increases the overall complexity and leads to higher noise, deteriorating the desired performance even further
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 call
