Low-threshold self-starting femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser.
A low-threshold self-starting Kerr-lens mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser is demonstrated that uses a tight-focusing cavity design in conjunction with a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror (SESAM). With 3% and 12% output couplers, we achieve mode-locking thresholds as low as 390 and 600 mW, respectively. Stable femtosecond laser pulses with average power of 114 mW are generated at a pump power of 1.2 W, which corresponds to a typical duration of 17 fs and bandwidth of 47 nm. Mode-locking operation is achieved in a pump power range of 600 mW to 4.8 W at an output coupling of 12%; the advantages of using a SESAM for low-power mode-locking operation are demonstrated.
Ling
Weijun
W
Laboratory of Optical Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Jia
Yulei
Y
Sun
Jinghua
J
Wang
Zhaohua
Z
Wei
Zhiyi
Z