Numerical Study of Dynamical Regimes in a Monolithic Passively Mode-Locked Semiconductor Laser

Bifurcation mechanisms of the development and break up of different operation regimes in a passively mode-locked monolithic semiconductor laser are studied by solving numerically partial differential equations for amplitudes of two counterpropagating waves and carrier densities in gain and absorber sections. It is shown that mode-locking regimes with different repetition rates can be multistable for a wide range of laser parameters and that the harmonic mode-locking regime with two counterpropagating pulses in the cavity can exhibit a period-doubling bifurcation leading to different amplitudes and separations of the pulses. The effect of linewidth enhancement factors in gain and absorber sections on the laser dynamics is discussed.     

Theory of mode-locked lasers containing a reverse saturable absorber

An analytic solution is presented for mode-locking a laser using a saturable absorber and reverse saturable absorber with long relaxation times compared to the temporal pulse widths. A reverse saturable absorber is a material with an excited-state absorption cross section larger than the ground-state absorption cross section, where increasing the incident light intensity increases the absorption. The reverse saturable absorber plays an important role in mode-locking laser materials where individual pulses cannot saturate the gain. A numerical example of mode-locking a CW alexandrite laser with a reverse saturable absorber and a saturable absorber is presented.     

Mode-locking at very high repetition rates more than terahertz inpassively mode-locked distributed-Bragg-reflector laser diodes

We propose a technique for achieving mode-locking at very high repetition rates more than terahertz with high output power using a distributed-Bragg-reflector (DBR) laser, including an intracavity saturable absorber. This method is based on harmonic passive mode-locking at high gain levels and the selectivity of harmonic numbers related to the spectrum-filtering property of the intracavity Bragg reflector. Transform-limited pulses at repetition rates from 500 GHz to 1.54 THz were generated with an output power exceeding 15 mW. We studied stability of harmonic pulses by using conventional self-consistent mode-locking equations. We also discuss the effect of the spectrum-filtering properties of the intracavity Bragg reflector to the characteristics of mode-locked pulses     

石墨烯锁模的全保偏光纤激光器

报道了一种基于反射式石墨烯可饱和吸收镜锁模的全保偏掺铒光纤激光器。分别使用单层和十层石墨烯作为可饱和吸收器件,通过全保偏结构,避免了外界环境对腔内偏振态的影响,获得了高稳定性、高偏振度、易自启动的锁模脉冲输出,脉冲宽度分别为697 fs和502 fs。实验表明,十层石墨烯相比于单层石墨烯能够获得更窄的脉冲宽度,更高的峰值功率,具有好的锁模效果。研究同时发现,经十层石墨烯锁模,进一步提高泵浦功率,可在全保偏光纤腔中获得重复频率62.94 MHz的二阶谐波锁模脉冲输出。并通过非线性薛定谔方程对谐波锁模产生的机理进行了分析。这种基于反射式可饱和吸收镜的全保偏锁模光纤激光器有望成为实现基频锁模与谐波锁模可切换的单偏振激光源。     

端面抽运全固态皮秒被动锁模激光器

利用国产半导体可饱和吸收镜(SESAM),设计了不同的腔型结构,实现了平均功率5W单路输出,5W双路输出,输出透过率可调节的半导体可饱和吸收镜线型腔连续锁模(CWML)激光器,双向输出六镜环行腔连续锁模激光器等。将半导体可饱和吸收镜放在腔内的特殊位置,利用一种新的技术方法实现了锁模激光器的频率翻倍。利用由非线性晶体KTP和双色镜构成的非线性镜(NLM),实现了端面抽运Nd∶YVO4激光器的4W锁模输出。     

全负色散的单根全固型掺镱光子带隙光纤飞秒孤子激光器

设计了一种采用半导体可饱和吸收镜(SESAM)实现被动锁模的激光器,该激光器中只有单根的全固型掺镱光子带隙光纤(AS-Yb-PBGF).在1μm波段,该光纤具有负的群速度色散(GVD),因此腔内激光增益和负的GVD同时由该光纤提供.激光腔内非线性效应与仅由AS-Yb-PBGF提供的负GVD平衡作用可使激光器实现孤子运转.用分步傅里叶方法数值模拟了其孤子运转的动力学过程,该系统中初始的噪声信号经过数百次循环就可以得到稳定的孤子运转.输出脉冲能量为135 pJ,脉冲宽度为125 fs,时间带宽乘积为0.33,接近傅里叶变换极限的脉冲,脉冲重复频率可达500 MHz.系统地研究了整个激光器中孤子脉冲演变的动力学过程.     

Extreme timing jitter reduction of a passively mode-locked laserdiode by optical pulse injection

Reduction of the timing jitter to less than that of the master laser pulses was achieved for a passively mode-locked laser diode stabilized by subharmonic-frequency optical pulse injection. Detailed investigation revealed that this phenomenon originates from the short-term stability of the mode locking frequency under passively mode-locking operation with suitable bias conditions of the saturable absorber and the gain sections     

Chirp and stability of mode-locked semiconductor lasers

A numerical study of mode-locked semiconductor lasers is presented with special attention to the chirp characteristics and to dispersion-related criteria for stable pulse-train emission. The dependence of the pulse chirp upon the refractive-index change, both with carrier density and carrier temperature changes, is discussed. The experimental observation of blue-chirped pulses for passive mode-locking in contrast to red-chirped pulses for active mode-locking is found to be due to the different contributions of gain and absorber media to the refractive-index change. In addition, it is revealed that the boundary of the stable operation regime is critically influenced by the spectral characteristics of laser and external cavity. Design considerations toward the achievement of high pulse energy, narrow spectral bandwidth, and linear chirp are given     

被动调Q锁模掺镱光纤激光器

报道了基于偏振旋转技术等效快可饱和吸收体的被动调Q锁模光纤激光器,采用976 nm半导体激光器作为抽运源,高掺杂浓度的Yb3 光纤作为增益介质构成环形腔,通过调节抽运光功率和偏振控制器的角度得到了调Q,调Q锁模与锁模三种稳定的输出脉冲。获得的锁模脉冲中心波长为1.05μm,重复频率为20 MHz,脉冲光谱宽度为13.8 nm,抽运功率为270 mW时,锁模平均输出功率为15.82 mW;调Q频率为17.54 kHz,调Q脉冲宽度为8μs,光谱宽度为4.7 nm;调Q锁模中调Q重复频率为300 kHz。     

全光纤掺镱激光器实现锁模和多波长输出

利用半导体可饱和吸收镜(SESAM)和光纤环形镜(FLM)分别作为腔镜,实现了线形腔结构的全光纤掺镱激光器.通过调节偏振控制器(PC)和抽运功率得到了调Q、调Q锁模、连续锁模、二次谐波、三次谐波、多波长等多种输出状态.其中连续锁模状态可实现开机自启动,脉冲宽度31 ps,单脉冲能量40 pJ,重复频率19.3 MHz,...     

Environmentally Stable, High Pulse Energy Yb-Doped Large-Mode-Area Photonic Crystal Fiber Laser Operating in the Soliton-Like Regime

A high pulse energy passively mode-locking fiber laser operating in the soliton-like regime is demonstrated. The laser is based on a linear cavity design. A segment of Yb-doped single-polarization large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber serves as the gain medium, and the self-starting mode-locking is achieved by a high contrast semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. The laser directly generates 600-fs pulses with 900 mW of average power at a repetition rate of 47.3 MHz, corresponding to a single pulse energy of 19 nJ. Furthermore, this fiber laser is directly used for pumping ZnTe to generate broadband terahertz radiation, resulting in a compact terahertz source.     

1300-nm pulsed fiber lasers mode-locked by purified carbon nanotubes

For the first time, we demonstrate a novel passively mode-locked fiber laser operating at 1300 nm using purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a saturable absorber. The saturable absorber incorporates diameter-controlled CNTs with peak absorption /spl sim/1300 nm, guaranteeing mode-locking over the same wavelength region. The ring laser uses praseodymium-doped fiber as a gain medium. The pulse repetition rate is 3.18 MHz, and the spectral half-width is 0.15 nm. Dual-wavelength mode-locking is also demonstrated with a channel spacing of 1.1 nm.     

A physical model for mode-locking process of colliding pulsemode-locked multiquantum-well semiconductor laser

In this paper, we first present a physical model for mode-locking process of the colliding pulse mode-locked multiquantum-well laser diode (CPM-MQW-LD). The absorption of saturable absorber on pulse leading edge and the scattering of the transient grating generated in absorption and gain regions on pulse trailing edge are considered. As an example, the mode-locking process of a multiquantum-well structure laser and the effect of transient grating on pulse width and peak power are studied     

Theory for passive mode-locking in semiconductor laser structuresincluding the effects of self-phase modulation, dispersion, and pulsecollisions

We present a theory for passive mode-locking in semiconductor laser structures using a semiconductor laser amplifier and absorber. The mode-locking system is described in terms of the different elements in the semiconductor laser structure. We derive mode-locking conditions and show how other mode-locking parameters, like pulse width and pulse energy, are determined by the mode-locking system. System parameters, like bandwidth, dispersion, and self-phase modulation are shown to play an important role in mode-locking conditions and results. We also discuss the effects of pulse collisions and positions of the mode-locking elements inside the cavity on mode-locking stability and show that these effects can be easily included in the presented model. Finally, we give a number of design rules and recommendations for fabricating passively mode-locked lasers     

The role of cavity dispersion in CW mode-locked dye lasers

The contribution to dispersion of a few components of a mode-locked dye laser cavity has been evaluated. The chirp produced by the self-phase modulation within the saturable absorber has also been evaluated and compared with that resulting from the dispersive components. Cavity mirrors and blocks of transparent materials (glass or quartz) of a length exceeding 1 mm give the largest dispersion. The effect of self-phase modulation, at least for high saturation of the absorber, seems to play a comparable role. The dispersive contributions should influence the mode-locking behavior for pulses of about 100 fs or shorter.     

Effects of carrier cooling and carrier heating in saturationdynamics and pulse propagation through bulk semiconductor absorbers

Numerical modeling has shown that carrier cooling and carrier heating strongly influence saturation dynamics and pulse shaping in bulk semiconductor absorbers. With no electric field in the absorbing region, carrier cooling leads to strong additional fast saturation of absorption. The saturation causes a substantial decrease in the saturation energies for subpicosecond pulses in comparison with picosecond pulses. Comparison of bulk and quantum-well absorbers shows that fast saturation can be stronger in a bulk absorber, so bulk saturable absorbers may be interesting for usage in mode-locked solid-state lasers. Applying a nonzero electric field to a bulk absorber leads to strong carrier heating, which in turn suppresses absorption saturation. In this ease, transition to absorption saturation involves new mechanisms such as screening of the electric field by photogenerated carriers, as well as carrier cooling due to carrier-phonon interaction and by generated cold carriers. Carrier heating by the electric field causes the saturation energy of the absorber to increase with the applied electric field. The increased saturation energy allows one to shorten high-energy picosecond and subpicosecond pulses without increasing the length of the saturable absorber, which could be useful for the generation of high energy pulses with mode-locked and Q-switched semiconductor lasers     

Passive harmonic mode-locking in all-fibre soliton laser: energystates and stability aspects

The behaviour of a passively mode-locked soliton laser, under different energy states, is studied by using a numerical simulation. The shorter pulse obtainable is determined, pointing out the soliton properties of the output pulses. In the case of harmonic mode-locking, power quantisation related to the number of existing pulses in the cavity, is obtained and repetition rate instability is detected. It is found that by introducing a narrow band optical filter in the cavity and by optimising the filter bandwidth, this instability is substantially reduced     

利用半导体可饱和吸收镜实现的全光纤被动锁模激光器

设计了包含半导体可饱和吸收镜(SESAM)、单包层高掺Yb增益光纤和光纤布拉格光栅(FBG)的全光纤激光器,实现了皮秒级,中心波长约为1064 nm,3 dB线宽约为0.4 nm,重复频率约为17.3 MHz的稳定的连续(CW)被动锁模脉冲输出。观察并分析了输出激光随抽运功率升高和降低的变化过程,升高过程中连续锁模启动时抽运功率阈值为50 mW,降低过程中能够实现稳定锁模的最小抽运功率为37 mW。随着抽运功率的加大,首先出现调Q现象。然后出现连续锁模,并伴有很小幅度的调Q现象。继续加大功率,脉冲会出现分裂;抽运功率越大,单脉冲分裂成的多脉冲越多,多脉冲调制越强。在较少脉冲演变为较多脉冲的过程中,会出现调制的不稳定性。当抽运功率足够大时.会出现多脉冲个数及峰值的不稳定现象。半导体可饱和吸收镜被动锁模会使输出激光谱线加宽,随着抽运功率的加大和锁模的加强,输出激光谱线逐渐加宽。随着脉冲分裂个数增多,单个脉冲脉宽变窄。在多脉冲调制阶段,外界微扰会对系统产生一定影响。     

Dynamics of monolithic passively mode-locked semiconductor lasers

Monolithic colliding pulse mode-locking (CPM) in semiconductor lasers is compared with self colliding pulse mode-locking (SCPM) through a large signal dynamic computer model which incorporates most of the significant features of semiconductor lasers. These include gain saturation, spontaneous emission, the gain-frequency relation, and the line-width enhancement factor. This new model replicates many of the published experimental results and also gives additional insight into the internal operation of the device. In particular, gain saturation combined with the standing waves created by colliding pulses within the saturable absorber produce a transient gain grating. This is found to have significant effects in locking either the even or the odd modes together in CPM. A performance comparison between CPM and SCPM is completed and some key design parameters of both configurations are explored     

调Q及连续掺Yb光纤激光器中的自锁模研究

在用半导体激光器抽运的单包层掺Yb调Q光纤激光器中观察到了清晰稳定的自锁模脉冲序列。脉冲包络形状为调Q脉冲。每个锁模脉冲的幅值由其在调Q脉冲中的相应位置决定。经过分析，认为自相位调制是调Q光纤激光器中产生锁模的主要原因。自相位调制的存在使得光脉冲的频谱被展宽，当这种展宽和腔的模式间隔相差不多时，腔内的模式便能相互作用，直到它们之间产生一个固定的相位关系。也即形成锁模。在此基础上。去掉声光晶体，并用两个光栅作为腔镜，实现了全光纤法布里-珀罗(F-P)腔锁模光纤激光器。改变腔结构，分别采用光栅和光纤反射圈作为前后腔镜，同样观察到了锁模脉冲。经过观察发现，锁模脉冲的产生和掺Yb光纤的浓度、长度、抽运功率的大小有着密切的关系。这为锁模脉冲的产生提供了一种新的方法。