title: Practical low-noise stretched-pulse Yb(3+)-doped fiber laser.
abstract: We report on the development of what we consider to be a practical and highly stable stretched-pulse laser based on Yb(3+) -doped silica fiber. The Fabry-Perot cavity uses nonlinear polarization rotation as the mode-locking mechanism, and a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror to ensure robust self-starting and incorporates a diffraction grating pair to compensate for the normal dispersion of the fiber. Use of a single-mode grating-stabilized telecommunications-qualified pump laser diode ensures reliable, low-noise operation (~0.05% amplitude fluctuations at 10-Hz measurement bandwidth). The laser generates high-quality, 60-pJ pulses of <110-fs duration at a repetition rate of ~54 MHz (3-mW average power).
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lefort
authors.forename: J H V
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Spüler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paschotta
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fry
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weston