title: Quantum-dot-based saturable absorber for femtosecond mode-locked operation of a solid-state laser.
abstract: A quantum-dot-based saturable absorber has been demonstrated to initiate the generation of femtosecond pulses from a passively mode-locked solid-state laser. Control and tuning of the pulse duration from 58 ps to 158 fs was achieved. The 158 fs transform-limited pulses at 1280 nm are the shortest pulses that were produced from the Cr:forsterite laser passively mode locked by an InAs/InGaAs quantum-dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.
authors.affiliation: J.F. Allen Physics Research Laboratories, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McWilliam
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Lagatsky
authors.forename: C T A
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sibbett
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Zhukov
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Ustinov
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Vasil'ev
authors.forename: E U
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Rafailov