Abstract

The pulse duration t_p of a colliding-pulse mode-locked dye laser is measured versus the intracavity third-order dispersion (TOD), where the group-velocity dispersion is optimized by a four-prism sequence. The intracavity TOD is varied by the addition of layers on quarter-wave dielectric-multilayer mirrors. The shortest pulse is observed at a nonzero TOD. The TOD dependence of t_p is explained by a new model that describes the saturation of absorption and gain dyes in the frequency domain, with the assumption of a steady sech²-shaped pulse with weak chirp and a negligible fast self-phase modulation.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Theoretical analysis of contributions of self-phase modulation and group-velocity dispersion to femtosecond pulse generation in passive mode-locked dye lasers

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