Ultrafast fiber pulsed lasers incorporating carbon nanotubes

Author

Set, Sze Y. ; Yaguchi, Hiroshi ; Tanaka, Yuichi ; Jablonski, Mark

Author_Institution

Alnair Labs Corp., Saitama, Japan

Volume

10

Issue

1

fYear

2004

Firstpage

137

Lastpage

146

Abstract

We present the first passively mode-locked fiber lasers based on a novel saturable absorber incorporating carbon nanotubes (SAINT). This device offers several key advantages such as: ultrafast recovery time (<1 ps), high-optical damage threshold, mechanical and environmental robustness, chemical stability, and the ability to operate in transmission, reflection, and bidirectional modes. Moreover, the fabrication cost and complexity of SAINT devices are potentially lower than that of conventional semiconductor saturable absorber mirror devices. Therefore, it is expected that SAINT will greatly impact future pulsed laser design and development.

Keywords

carbon nanotubes; fibre lasers; high-speed optical techniques; optical fabrication; optical saturable absorption; bidirectional modes; carbon nanotubes; chemical stability; environmental robustness; fabrication cost; high-optical damage threshold; mechanical robustness; passively mode-locked fiber lasers; pulsed laser design; reflection mode; saturable absorber; semiconductor saturable absorber mirror devices; transmission mode; ultrafast fiber pulsed lasers; ultrafast recovery time; Carbon nanotubes; Chemical lasers; Costs; Fiber lasers; Laser mode locking; Optical device fabrication; Optical fiber devices; Optical pulses; Optical reflection; Robust stability;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSTQE.2003.822912

Filename

1288083