Femtosecond synchronously mode-locked vertical-external cavity surface-emitting laser
Optics Express, Vol. 14, Issue 5, pp. 1810-1821 (2006)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.14.001810
Acrobat PDF (397 KB)
Abstract
The behavior of a room temperature synchronously mode-locked vertical-external cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) operating at 980 nm is reported. The laser performance was found to be qualitatively the same for different pump pulse duration (3.6 ps and 70 fs). The pulse duration of the laser is limited by strong self-phase modulation to around 10-40 ps. By compressing the strongly chirped pulses generated directly from the laser, ultrashort pulses with duration of around 200 fs with maximum peak powers of 1.3 kW at 80 MHz were obtained. Multiple pulsing of the laser was observed and the effects of cavity length detuning on pulse width and spectral bandwidth have been investigated.
© 2006 Optical Society of America
1. Introduction
M. Kuznetsov, F. Hakimi, R. Sprague, and A. Mooradian, “Design and characteristics of high-power (>0.5-W CW) diode-pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers with circular TEM00 beams,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 9, 1063–1065 (1997). [CrossRef]
U. Keller, K. J. Weingarten, F. X. Kartner, D. Kopf, B. Braun, I. D. Jung, R. Fluck, C. Honninger, N. Matuschek, and Juerg Aus der Au, “Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAM’s) for femtosecond to nanosecond pulse generation in solid-state lasers,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 2, 435–453 (1996). [CrossRef]
S. Hoogland, A. Garnache, I. Sagnes, J. S. Roberts, and A. C. Tropper, “10 GHz train of sub-500-fs optical soliton pulses from a surface-emitting semiconductor laser,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 17, 267–269 (2005). [CrossRef]
M. A. Holm, P. Cusumano, D. Burns, A. I. Ferguson, and M. D. Dawson, “Mode-locked operation of a diode-pumped, external-cavity GaAs/AlGaAs surface emitting laser,” in Proceedings of IEEE Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1999), pp. 153–154.
W. B. Jiang, R. Mirin, and J. E. Bowers, “Mode-Locked GaAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 60, 677–679 (1992). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, M. Shimizu, R. P. Mirin, T. E. Reynolds, and J. E. Bowers, “Femtosecond periodic gain vertical-cvaity lasers,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 5, 23–25 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, R. Mirin, and J. E. Bowers, “Mode-Locked GaAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 60, 677–679 (1992). [CrossRef]
2. VECSEL structure and experimental setup
3. Experimental results
3.1 Synchronous pumping with 70 fs pulse
3.2 Extra-cavity compression of pulses for femtosecond pumping
E. B. Treacy, “Optical pulse compression with diffraction gratings,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 5, 454–458 (1969). [CrossRef]
3.3 Synchronous pumping with 3.6 ps pulse
E. B. Treacy, “Optical pulse compression with diffraction gratings,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 5, 454–458 (1969). [CrossRef]
4. Discussion
4.1 Differences between picosecond and femtosecond pumping
A. R. Zakharian, J. Hader, J. V. Moloney, S. W. Koch, P. Brick, and S. Lutgen, “Experimental and theoretical analysis of optically pumped semiconductor disk lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 1313–1315 (2003). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
4.2 Form of autocorrelation functions and drift instability
F. Minami and K. Era, “Cavity detuning effects in the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” Opt. Commun. 56, 46–50 (1985). [CrossRef]
F. Minami and K. Era, “Cavity detuning effects in the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” Opt. Commun. 56, 46–50 (1985). [CrossRef]
U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, “Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers,” Phys. Rev. E 58, 187–192 (1998). [CrossRef]
F. Minami and K. Era, “Cavity detuning effects in the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” Opt. Commun. 56, 46–50 (1985). [CrossRef]
U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, “Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers,” Phys. Rev. E 58, 187–192 (1998). [CrossRef]
U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, “Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers,” Phys. Rev. E 58, 187–192 (1998). [CrossRef]
C. P. Ausschnitt, R. K. Jain, and J. P. Heritage, “Cavity length detuning characteristics of the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 15, 912–917 (1979). [CrossRef]
4.3 Multiple pulsing
F. Minami and K. Era, “Cavity detuning effects in the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” Opt. Commun. 56, 46–50 (1985). [CrossRef]
U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, “Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers,” Phys. Rev. E 58, 187–192 (1998). [CrossRef]
U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, “Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers,” Phys. Rev. E 58, 187–192 (1998). [CrossRef]
C. P. Ausschnitt, R. K. Jain, and J. P. Heritage, “Cavity length detuning characteristics of the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 15, 912–917 (1979). [CrossRef]
4.4 Analysis of pulse chirp
S. de Silvestri, P. Laporta, and O. Svelto, “The role of cavity dispersion in CW mode-locked lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 20, 533–539 (1984). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
G. P. Agrawal and N. A. Olsson, “Self-phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 25, 2297–2306 (1989). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
C. H. Henry, “Theory of the linewidth of semiconductor lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 18, 259–264 (1982) [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. H. Xiang, S. R. Friberg, K. Watanabe, S. Machida, W. B. Jiang, H. Iwamura, and Y. Yamamoto, “Femtosecond external-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs/InP multiple-quantum-well laser,” Opt. Lett. 16, 1394–1396 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
W. B. Jiang, S. R. Friberg, H. Iwamura, and Y. Yamamoto, “High powers and subpicosecond pulses from an external-cavity surfaceemitting InGaAs/InP multiple quantum well laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 58, 807–809 (1991). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, S. R. Friberg, H. Iwamura, and Y. Yamamoto, “High powers and subpicosecond pulses from an external-cavity surfaceemitting InGaAs/InP multiple quantum well laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 58, 807–809 (1991). [CrossRef]
W. H. Xiang, S. R. Friberg, K. Watanabe, S. Machida, W. B. Jiang, H. Iwamura, and Y. Yamamoto, “Femtosecond external-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs/InP multiple-quantum-well laser,” Opt. Lett. 16, 1394–1396 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, M. Shimizu, R. P. Mirin, T. E. Reynolds, and J. E. Bowers, “Femtosecond periodic gain vertical-cvaity lasers,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 5, 23–25 (1993). [CrossRef]
W. B. Jiang, M. Shimizu, R. P. Mirin, T. E. Reynolds, and J. E. Bowers, “Femtosecond periodic gain vertical-cvaity lasers,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 5, 23–25 (1993). [CrossRef]
5. Conclusion
M. Schmid, S. Benchabane, F. Torabi-Goudarzi, R. Abram, A. I. Ferguson, and E. Riis, “Optical in-well pumping of a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 4860–4862 (2004). [CrossRef]
Acknowledgments
References and links
M. Kuznetsov, F. Hakimi, R. Sprague, and A. Mooradian, “Design and characteristics of high-power (>0.5-W CW) diode-pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers with circular TEM00 beams,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 9, 1063–1065 (1997). [CrossRef] | |
U. Keller, K. J. Weingarten, F. X. Kartner, D. Kopf, B. Braun, I. D. Jung, R. Fluck, C. Honninger, N. Matuschek, and Juerg Aus der Au, “Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAM’s) for femtosecond to nanosecond pulse generation in solid-state lasers,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 2, 435–453 (1996). [CrossRef] | |
S. Hoogland, A. Garnache, I. Sagnes, J. S. Roberts, and A. C. Tropper, “10 GHz train of sub-500-fs optical soliton pulses from a surface-emitting semiconductor laser,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 17, 267–269 (2005). [CrossRef] | |
M. A. Holm, P. Cusumano, D. Burns, A. I. Ferguson, and M. D. Dawson, “Mode-locked operation of a diode-pumped, external-cavity GaAs/AlGaAs surface emitting laser,” in Proceedings of IEEE Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1999), pp. 153–154. | |
W. B. Jiang, R. Mirin, and J. E. Bowers, “Mode-Locked GaAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 60, 677–679 (1992). [CrossRef] | |
W. B. Jiang, S. R. Friberg, H. Iwamura, and Y. Yamamoto, “High powers and subpicosecond pulses from an external-cavity surfaceemitting InGaAs/InP multiple quantum well laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 58, 807–809 (1991). [CrossRef] | |
W. H. Xiang, S. R. Friberg, K. Watanabe, S. Machida, W. B. Jiang, H. Iwamura, and Y. Yamamoto, “Femtosecond external-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs/InP multiple-quantum-well laser,” Opt. Lett. 16, 1394–1396 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
D. B. Mcdonald, J. L. Rossel, and G. R. Fleming, “Temporal and spectral studies of a synchronously pumped dye laser: Detailed interpretation of autocorrelation measurements,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 17, 1134–1138 (1981). [CrossRef] | |
E. B. Treacy, “Optical pulse compression with diffraction gratings,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 5, 454–458 (1969). [CrossRef] | |
A. R. Zakharian, J. Hader, J. V. Moloney, S. W. Koch, P. Brick, and S. Lutgen, “Experimental and theoretical analysis of optically pumped semiconductor disk lasers,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 83, 1313–1315 (2003). [CrossRef] | |
F. Minami and K. Era, “Cavity detuning effects in the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” Opt. Commun. 56, 46–50 (1985). [CrossRef] | |
W. Forysiak and J. V. Moloney, “Dynamics of synchronously pumped mode-locked color-center lasers,” Phys. Rev. A 45, 3275–3288 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
W. Forysiak and J. V. Moloney, “Mode-locking dynamics of synchronously pumped color-center lasers,” Phys. Rev. A 45, 8110–8120 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, “Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers,” Phys. Rev. E 58, 187–192 (1998). [CrossRef] | |
L. W. Casperson, “Coherence effects in synchronously pumped mode-locked dye lasers,” J. App. Phys. 54, 2198–2208 (1983). [CrossRef] | |
S. de Silvestri, P. Laporta, and O. Svelto, “The role of cavity dispersion in CW mode-locked lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 20, 533–539 (1984). [CrossRef] | |
P. Laporta and V. Magni, “Dispersive effects in the reflection of femtosecond optical pulses from broadband dielectric mirrors,” Appl. Opt. 24, 2014–2020 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
N. Pikhtin and A. D. Yas’kov, “Dispersion of the refractive index of semiconductors with diamond and zinc-blende structures,” Sov. Phys. Semicond. 12, 622–626 (1978). | |
G. P. Agrawal and N. A. Olsson, “Self-phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 25, 2297–2306 (1989). [CrossRef] | |
W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, “Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29, 1309–1318 (1993). [CrossRef] | |
C. H. Henry, “Theory of the linewidth of semiconductor lasers,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 18, 259–264 (1982) [CrossRef] | |
C. P. Ausschnitt, R. K. Jain, and J. P. Heritage, “Cavity length detuning characteristics of the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 15, 912–917 (1979). [CrossRef] | |
W. B. Jiang, M. Shimizu, R. P. Mirin, T. E. Reynolds, and J. E. Bowers, “Femtosecond periodic gain vertical-cvaity lasers,” IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 5, 23–25 (1993). [CrossRef] | |
M. Schmid, S. Benchabane, F. Torabi-Goudarzi, R. Abram, A. I. Ferguson, and E. Riis, “Optical in-well pumping of a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 84, 4860–4862 (2004). [CrossRef] |
OCIS Codes
(140.4050) Lasers and laser optics : Mode-locked lasers
(250.7260) Optoelectronics : Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers
(320.1590) Ultrafast optics : Chirping
(320.5520) Ultrafast optics : Pulse compression
(320.7090) Ultrafast optics : Ultrafast lasers
ToC Category:
Lasers and Laser Optics
History
Original Manuscript: November 10, 2005
Revised Manuscript: January 26, 2006
Manuscript Accepted: February 17, 2006
Published: March 6, 2006
Citation
Wei Zhang, Thorsten Ackemann, Marc Schmid, Nigel Langford, and Allister Ferguson, "Femtosecond synchronously mode-locked vertical-external cavity surface-emitting laser," Opt. Express 14, 1810-1821 (2006)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-14-5-1810
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References
- M. Kuznetsov, F. Hakimi, R. Sprague, and A. Mooradian, "Design and characteristics of high-power (>0.5-W CW) diode-pumped vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers with circular TEM00 beams," IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 9,1063-1065 (1997). [CrossRef]
- U. Keller, K. J. Weingarten, F. X. Kartner, D. Kopf, B. Braun, I. D. Jung, R. Fluck, C. Honninger, N. Matuschek and Juerg Aus der Au, "Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAM’s) for femtosecond to nanosecond pulse generation in solid-state lasers," IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 2, 435-453 (1996). [CrossRef]
- S. Hoogland, A. Garnache, I. Sagnes, J. S. Roberts and A. C. Tropper, "10 GHz train of sub-500-fs optical soliton pulses from a surface-emitting semiconductor laser," IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 17,267-269 (2005). [CrossRef]
- M. A. Holm, P. Cusumano, D. Burns, A. I. Ferguson and M. D. Dawson, "Mode-locked operation of a diode-pumped, external-cavity GaAs/AlGaAs surface emitting laser," in Proceedings of IEEE Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1999), pp. 153-154.
- W. B. Jiang, R. Mirin and J. E. Bowers, "Mode-Locked GaAs vertical cavity surface emitting lasers," Appl. Phys. Lett. 60,677-679 (1992). [CrossRef]
- W. B. Jiang, S. R. Friberg. H. Iwamura and Y. Yamamoto, "High powers and subpicosecond pulses from an external-cavity surfaceemitting InGaAs/InP multiple quantum well laser," Appl. Phys. Lett. 58,807-809 (1991). [CrossRef]
- W. H. Xiang, S. R. Friberg, K. Watanabe, S. Machida, W. B. Jiang, H. Iwamura and Y. Yamamoto, "Femtosecond external-cavity surface-emitting InGaAs/InP multiple-quantum-well laser," Opt. Lett. 16,1394-1396 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- D. B. Mcdonald, J. L. Rossel and G. R. Fleming, "Temporal and spectral studies of a synchronously pumped dye laser: Detailed interpretation of autocorrelation measurements," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 17,1134-1138 (1981). [CrossRef]
- E. B. Treacy, "Optical pulse compression with diffraction gratings," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 5,454-458 (1969). [CrossRef]
- A. R. Zakharian, J. Hader, J. V. Moloney, S. W. Koch, P. Brick, S. Lutgen, "Experimental and theoretical analysis of optically pumped semiconductor disk lasers," Appl. Phys. Lett. 83,1313-1315 (2003). [CrossRef]
- F. Minami and K. Era, "Cavity detuning effects in the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser," Opt. Commun. 56,46-50 (1985). [CrossRef]
- W. Forysiak and J. V. Moloney, " Dynamics of synchronously pumped mode-locked color-center lasers," Phys. Rev. A 45,3275-3288 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- W. Forysiak and J. V. Moloney, "Mode-locking dynamics of synchronously pumped color-center lasers," Phys. Rev. A 45,8110-8120 (1992). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- U. Morgner and F. Mitschke, "Drift instabilities in the pulses from cw mode-locked lasers," Phys. Rev. E 58,187-192 (1998). [CrossRef]
- L. W. Casperson, "Coherence effects in synchronously pumped mode-locked dye lasers," J. App. Phys. 54,2198-2208 (1983). [CrossRef]
- S. de Silvestri, P. Laporta and O. Svelto, "The role of cavity dispersion in CW mode-locked lasers," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 20,533-539 (1984). [CrossRef]
- P. Laporta and V. Magni, "Dispersive effects in the reflection of femtosecond optical pulses from broadband dielectric mirrors," Appl. Opt. 24,2014-2020 (1985). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- N. Pikhtin and A. D. Yas’kov, "Dispersion of the refractive index of semiconductors with diamond and zinc-blende structures," Sov. Phys. Semicond. 12,622-626 (1978).
- G. P. Agrawal and N. A. Olsson, "Self-phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 25,2297-2306 (1989). [CrossRef]
- W. B. Jiang, D. J. Derickson, and J. E. Bowers, "Analysis of laser pulse chirping in mode-locked vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 29,1309-1318 (1993). [CrossRef]
- C. H. Henry, "Theory of the linewidth of semiconductor lasers," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 18,259-264 (1982) [CrossRef]
- C. P. Ausschnitt, R. K. Jain and J. P. Heritage, "Cavity length detuning characteristics of the synchronously mode-locked CW dye laser," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 15,912-917 (1979). [CrossRef]
- W. B. Jiang, M. Shimizu, R. P. Mirin, T. E. Reynolds, and J. E. Bowers, "Femtosecond periodic gain vertical-cvaity lasers," IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 5,23-25 (1993). [CrossRef]
- M. Schmid, S. Benchabane, F. Torabi-Goudarzi, R. Abram, A. I. Ferguson, and E. Riis, "Optical in-well pumping of a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser," Appl. Phys. Lett. 84,4860-4862 (2004). [CrossRef]
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