10 GHz pulse repetition rate Er:Yb:glass laser modelocked with quantum dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.

Semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) modelocked high pulse repetition rate (≥10 GHz) diode-pumped solid-state lasers are proven as an enabling technology for high data rate coherent communication systems owing to their low noise and high pulse-to-pulse optical phase-coherence. Compared to quantum well, quantum dot (QD)-based SESAMs offer potential advantages to such laser systems in terms of reduced saturation fluence, broader bandwidth, and wavelength flexibility. Here, we describe the first 10 GHz pulse repetition rate QD-SESAM modelocked laser at 1.55 µm, exhibiting 2 ps pulse width from an Er-doped glass oscillator (ERGO). The 10 GHz ERGO laser is modelocked with InAs/GaAs QD-SESAM with saturation fluence as low as 9 µJ/cm2.

Green-diode-pumped femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser with up to 450 mW average power.

We investigate power-scaling of green-diode-pumped Ti:Sapphire lasers in continuous-wave (CW) and mode-locked operation. In a first configuration with a total pump power of up to 2 W incident onto the crystal, we achieved a CW power of up to 440 mW and self-starting mode-locking with up to 200 mW average power in 68-fs pulses using semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) as saturable absorber. In a second configuration with up to 3 W of pump power incident onto the crystal, we achieved up to 650 mW in CW operation and up to 450 mW in 58-fs pulses using Kerr-lens mode-locking (KLM). The shortest pulse duration was 39 fs, which was achieved at 350 mW average power using KLM. The mode-locked laser generates a pulse train at repetition rates around 400 MHz. No complex cooling system is required: neither the SESAM nor the Ti:Sapphire crystal is actively cooled, only air cooling is applied to the pump diodes using a small fan. Because of mass production for laser displays, we expect that prices for green laser diodes will become very favorable in the near future, opening the door for low-cost Ti:Sapphire lasers. This will be highly attractive for potential mass applications such as biomedical imaging and sensing.

1.55 µm InAs/GaAs quantum dots and high repetition rate quantum dot SESAM mode-locked laser.

High pulse repetition rate (≥ 10 GHz) diode-pumped solid-state lasers, modelocked using semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) are emerging as an enabling technology for high data rate coherent communication systems owing to their low noise and pulse-to-pulse optical phase-coherence. Quantum dot (QD) based SESAMs offer potential advantages to such laser systems in terms of reduced saturation fluence, broader bandwidth, and wavelength flexibility. Here, we describe the development of an epitaxial process for the realization of high optical quality 1.55 µm In(Ga)As QDs on GaAs substrates, their incorporation into a SESAM, and the realization of the first 10 GHz repetition rate QD-SESAM modelocked laser at 1.55 µm, exhibiting ∼2 ps pulse width from an Er-doped glass oscillator (ERGO). With a high areal dot density and strong light emission, this QD structure is a very promising candidate for many other applications, such as laser diodes, optical amplifiers, non-linear and photonic crystal based devices.