Low-cost cavity-dumped femtosecond Cr:LiSAF laser producing >100 $\text{nJ}$ pulses

Abstract

We report a low-cost cavity-dumped Cr:colquiriite laser for generating enhanced pulse energies. Four single-mode laser diodes were used to pump a Cr:LiSAF laser, which was mode locked with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror. Cavity dumping at 10 kHz repetition rate, the laser generated $\sim 120\text{\hspace{0.17em} fs}$ pulses at $\sim 825\text{\hspace{0.17em} nm}$, with 112 nJ pulse energies and $\sim 0.93\text{\hspace{0.17em} MW}$ of peak power, using only $\sim 600\text{\hspace{0.17em} mW}$ of incident pump power. At higher dumping rates of up to 1 MHz, reduced pulse energies of 62 nJ could be generated. Two-photon absorption in the saturable absorber mirror limits pulse durations, while Q-switching instabilities limit pulse energy extraction.

© 2010 Optical Society of America

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