title: Exploring ultrafast negative Kerr effect for mode-locking vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers.
abstract: We present analytical considerations of "self-mode-locked" operation in a typical vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) cavity geometry by means of Kerr lens action in the semiconductor gain chip. We predict Kerr-lens mode-locked operation for both soft- and hard-apertures placed at the optimal intra-cavity positions. These predictions are experimentally verified in a Kerr-lens mode-locked VECSEL capable of producing pulse durations of below 500 fs at 1 GHz repetition rate.
authors: Alexander R
authors: AR
authors: Albrecht
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Mohammadreza
authors: M
authors: Ghasemkhani
authors: Denis V
authors: DV
authors: Seletskiy
authors: Jeffrey G
authors: JG
authors: Cederberg
authors: Mansoor
authors: M
authors: Sheik-Bahae