Highly compact and efficient femtosecond Cr:LiSAF lasers

Author

Hopkins, John-Mark ; Valentine, Gareth J. ; Agate, B. ; Kemp, Alan J. ; Keller, Ursula ; Sibbett, Wilson

Author_Institution

Inst. of Photonics, Strathclyde Univ., Glasgow, UK

Volume

38

Issue

4

fYear

2002

fDate

4/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

360

Lastpage

368

Abstract

Methods for developing more compact femtosecond Cr:LiSAF laser sources are examined. By careful modeling of the low threshold performance and intracavity dispersion characteristics of these cavities, a highly asymmetric z-cavity design with a single prism for dispersion compensation is developed. Transform-limited pulses as short as 113 fs and modelocked output powers up to 20 mW are demonstrated for less than 110 mW of laser-diode pump power. The complete laser system (including the laser diode pump system and drivers) has a footprint of 21.5 × 28 cm², about the size of a sheet of US letter or A4 paper

Keywords

chromium; laser cavity resonators; laser mode locking; lithium compounds; optical dispersion; optical prisms; optical pulse generation; optical pumping; solid lasers; strontium compounds; 110 mW; 113 fs; 20 mW; 21.5 cm; 28 cm; Cr:LiSrAlF₆; LiSrAlF₆:Cr; dispersion compensation; drivers; footprint; highly asymmetric z-cavity design; highly compact efficient femtosecond Cr:LiSAF lasers; intracavity dispersion characteristics; laser-diode pump power; low threshold performance; modeling; modelocked output powers; single prism; transform-limited pulses; Costs; Diode lasers; Laser excitation; Laser modes; Laser stability; Power lasers; Power system modeling; Pump lasers; Robustness; Semiconductor diodes;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.992549

Filename

992549