title: Interferential mode locking: Gaussian pulse analysis.
abstract: A simple analysis of the interference between two Gaussian pulses is presented. It is shown that the resulting pulse may be shorter than the initial ones if the interference phase is properly adjusted. The compression effect results from the difference of the durations of the interfering pulses and from their phase modulation. This mechanism may be implemented in mode-locked lasers, eitherby adjunction of a coupled cavity or use of a pulse-shaping Michelson interferometer as the outputcoupler. Gain-bandwidth-limited pulses may then be obtained. The model provides analytical expressions for pulse duration.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piché