title: Kerr-lens mode locking with minimum nonlinearity using gain-matched output couplers.
abstract: Broadband Kerr-lens mode locking is demonstrated at greatly reduced mode-locking strength with a gain-matched output coupler that compensates for gain filtering. Already at very low pump powers, slightly above the cw lasing threshold, we are able to initiate robust mode locking and generate <8 fs output pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser with good beam quality. Because dielectric coatings offer flexible design capabilities, this approach is applicable to various lasers with different gain media to extract pulses covering the full gain spectrum with minimum saturable absorber action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. lijinc@mit.edu
authors.forename: Li-Jin
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Michelle Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Franz X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Kärtner