Tzu-Lin Huang

Nd:YLF laser at cryogenic temperature with orthogonally polarized simultaneous emission at 1047 nm and 1053 nm.

A Nd:YLF laser at cryogenic temperature is demonstrated for the first time with orthogonally polarized simultaneous emission at 1047 nm and 1053 nm. By exploring the temperature dependence of the fluorescence and the absorption spectra from the Nd:YLF crystal, the feasibility of simultaneous emission at low temperature is achieved. Due to the local heating from the pump absorption, the optimal temperature with respect to the pump power for balancing output powers of simultaneous emission is thoroughly explored. At the optimal temperature of 138 K, the total output power of the simultaneous emission can reach 3.1 W at an incident pump power of 7.9 W, corresponding to the optical to optical slope efficiency up to 43%.

Analysis of the optimal temperature for the cryogenic monolithic Nd:YAG laser at 946-nm.

The optimal temperature for the cryogenic monolithic Nd:YAG laser at 946-nm is theoretically and experimentally analyzed. It is clear that decreasing temperature can considerably eliminate the thermal population at the lower laser level to enhance the quantum efficiency. However, the narrowing of the absorption bandwidth for the gain medium leads to a reduction of the effective absorption efficiency as the temperature is decreased. Consequently, an optimal temperature for the maximum output power is found to be in the range of approximately 120 K to 140 K. It is experimentally verified that employing a pump source with a narrower emission spectrum linewidth contributes a more efficient output for the cryogenic laser.

Synchronized self-mode-locked 1061-nm and 1064-nm monolithic Nd:YAG laser at cryogenic temperatures with two orthogonally polarized emissions: generation of 670 GHz beating

A dual-wavelength self-mode-locked monolithic Nd:YAG laser at 1061 and 1064 nm is realized at cryogenic temperatures. At an incident pump power of 5.5 W, the total output power can reach 2.5 W and the mode-locked pulse width is 29 ps at a pulse repetition rate of 7.75 GHz. The synchronization of the dual-wavelength emissions leads to a beat frequency of 670 GHz in the individual mode-locked pulse. It is further discovered that the laser output consists of two orthogonally polarized components with a central frequency difference of 127 MHz. The central frequency difference between two orthogonal polarizations mainly arises from the external mechanical stress introduced by the copper holder for the laser crystal.

Monolithic dual-polarization self-mode-locked Nd:YAG 946-nm lasers: controlling beat frequency and observation of temporal chaos

The self-mode-locked (SML) operation at 946 nm can be achieved with a monolithic Nd:YAG crystal when the pump power is above the threshold of the multiple-longitudinal-mode generation. The SML output is further found to include two orthogonal polarization components with a beat frequency coming from the birefringence effect in the laser crystal. The beat frequency can be widely adjusted in the range of 5-220 MHz by controlling the cooling temperature. The present experiment also confirms the theoretical prediction that the two-mode operation generally exhibits the chaotic dynamics when the frequency difference is sufficiently close to the relaxation frequency.

Orthogonally Polarized Self-Mode-Locked Lasers With Repetition Rate Multiplication up to Hundreds of Gigahertz: Observation of Temporal Carpets

Mode-locked laser sources with high repetition rates in the range of 10–1000xa0GHz are of considerable interest in modern communications, optical metrology, and photonic applications. Currently, developed laser systems generally suffer from the hardware complexity and energy loss. Here, we demonstrate a compact robust scheme based on a self-mode-locked monolithic Yb:KGW laser with external feedback coupling to achieve numerous repetition rate multiplications in the range of 25–330xa0GHz. The output pulse train consists of two orthogonally polarized components to form a vector state that is beneficial to practical applications. More intriguing, the pulse train measured as a function of the distance of the coupling feedback reveals a feature of the fractional recurrence that is like the Talbot carpet. An analytic formula is derived to manifest the formation of the temporal carpets. The developed experiment and formula not only pave a useful way for generating ultrahigh-repetition-rate femtosecond lasers but also provide new perspectives in the fractional recurrences of coherent waves.

Flexibly Controlling the Power Ratio of Dual-Wavelength SESAM-Based Mode-Locked Lasers With Wedged-Bonded Nd:YVO4/Nd:GdVO4 Crystals

A new diffusion-bonded Nd:YVO4/Nd:GdVO4 hetero-structure crystal with oblique interface between two vanadate materials is exploited to achieve dual-wavelength passively mode-locked laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. Experimental results show that the power ratio of the two emission wavelengths can be flexibly adjusted by controlling the vertical position of pump beam. In the optimally balanced dual-wavelength operation, the maximum total output power of 2.5 W is obtained at an incident pump power of 11 W and the pulse width is measured to be 24.7 ps with pulse repetition rate of 296.6 MHz. The mode-locked output pulse is further found to exhibit an optically beating with pulse duration of 1.8 ps at a repetition rate of 0.318 THz.

Broad expansion of optical frequency combs by self-Raman scattering in coupled-cavity self-mode-locked monolithic lasers

Broad expansion of optical frequency comb (OFC) by the self-Raman scattering is numerically analyzed and experimentally accomplished in a coupled-cavity self-mode-locked (SML) monolithic Yb:KGW laser. The gain medium is coated to achieve the monolithic SML operation and a partially reflective mirror is further exploited to form the coupled cavity and to multiply the repetition rate up to 128.9 GHz. With a coupled reflectivity of 95%, it is experimentally found that not only the first-order but also second-order stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) can be efficiently generated. The mode-locked OFC can be consequently expanded to reach approximately 8.4 THz, leading the pulse width to be as narrow as 53 fs. At the pump power of 8.7 W, the total output power for the fundamental and the first- and second-Stokes waves can be maintained at 1.6 W. The present exploration provides a promising way to generate the ultrahigh-repetition-rate broadband OFC via the simultaneous SML and SRS processes.