Nonlinear optical properties and Q-switched laser application of a novel Mo0.5Re0.5S2 ternary alloy material at 2 μm

Abstract

In this study, a novel ternary alloy using Mo0.5Re0.5S2 as a saturable absorber (SA) is prepared by liquid phase exfoliation method and successfully applied to a passively Q-switched Tm:YAlO3 (Tm:YAP) bulk laser for the first time. The nonlinear SA effect of the prepared Mo0.5Re0.5S2 SA at 2 μm is characterized using the open-aperture Z-scan technique and results in a saturable intensity of 5.62 μJ cm−2 and modulation depth of 7.92%. Using Mo0.5Re0.5S2 as an SA, a 2 μm Q-switched Tm:YAP laser is realized, generating a maximum output power of 0.957 W with a shortest pulse width of 857.5 ns and a maximum repetition rate of 95 kHz. The corresponding single pulse energy and peak power are 10.1 μJ and 11.5 W, respectively. These achievements indicate that Mo0.5Re0.5S2 could be an excellent and reliable SA for mid-infrared laser applications, and ternary transition metal disulfide alloys will bring new application opportunities to optoelectronic devices in the future.