Title :
Ultrafast fiber pulsed lasers incorporating carbon nanotubes
Author :
Set, Sze Y. ; Yaguchi, Hiroshi ; Tanaka, Yuichi ; Jablonski, Mark
Author_Institution :
Alnair Labs Corp., Saitama, Japan
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;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JSTQE.2003.822912
