title: High-power, passively mode-locked Nd:GdVO₄ laser using single-walled carbon nanotubes as saturable absorber.
abstract: We use a new (to our knowledge) fabrication method of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) absorber without polymer to sustain high-power illumination. Using a series of saturable absorbers (SAs) incorporating different amounts of SWCNTs, we demonstrate mode-locking for a Nd:GdVO₄ laser in the 1 μm spectral range. Continuous-wave mode-locking (CWML) pulses with a maximum output power of 3.6 W at 1063 nm and high noise extinction of 61 dB has been achieved to give the highest pulse peak power of 3.6 kW and pulse energy of 30 nJ under 15 W pumping. To our knowledge, this is the highest CWML output power with SWCNT-SAs reported. The measured nonlinear absorption of the SWCNT-SAs shows a modulation depth of ~3% with subpicosecond recovery time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics & Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hou-Ren
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yong-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chih-Ya
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Kuei-Huei
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Teng-Yao
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jau
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Wen-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Hsieh