1.5 GHz picosecond pulse generation from a monolithic waveguide laser with a graphene-film saturable output coupler

We fabricate a saturable absorber mirror by coating a graphenefilm on an output coupler mirror. This is then used to obtain Q-switched mode-locking from a diode-pumped linear cavity channel waveguide laser inscribed in Ytterbium-doped Bismuthate Glass. The laser produces 1.06 ps pulses at ∼1039 nm, with a 1.5 GHz repetition rate, 48% slope efficiency and 202 mW average output power. This performance is due to the combination of the graphene saturable absorber and the high quality optical waveguides in the laser glass. © 2013 Optical Society of America.

Q-switched modelocking using carbon nanotubes in an ultrafast laser inscribed ytterbium doped bismuthate glass waveguide laser

Passive modelocking using carbon nanotubes is achieved in a linear cavity waveguide laser realized by ultrafast laser inscription in ytterbium doped bismuthate glass. The pulses observed under a Q-switched envelope have a repetition rate of 1.5 GHz. © 2012 OSA.

Ultrafast and widely tuneable vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser, mode-locked by a graphene-integrated distributed Bragg reflector

We report a versatile and cost-effective way of controlling the unsaturated loss, modulation depth and saturation fluence of graphene-based saturable absorbers (GSAs), by changing the thickness of a spacer between SLG and a high-reflection mirror. This allows us to modulate the electric field intensity enhancement at the GSA from 0 up to 400%, due to the interference of incident and reflected light at the mirror. The unsaturated loss of the SLG-mirror-assembly can be reduced to$\sim$0. We use this to mode-lock a VECSEL from 935 to 981nm. This approach can be applied to integrate SLG into various optical components, such as output coupler mirrors, dispersive mirrors, dielectric coatings on gain materials. Conversely, it can also be used to increase absorption (up to 10%) in various graphene based photonics and optoelectronics devices, such as photodetectors.

High-power ultrafast solid-state laser using graphene based saturable absorber

We demonstrate a graphene based saturable absorber mode-locked Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser, generating ~14nJ pulses with ~1W average output power. This shows the potential for high-power pulse generation. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

High-power ultrafast solid-state laser using graphene based saturable absorber

We demonstrate a graphene based saturable absorber mode-locked Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser, generating ~14nJ pulses with ~1W average output power. This shows the potential for high-power pulse generation. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

Nanotube-based passively mode-locked Raman laser

We demonstrate passive mode-locking of a Raman fiber laser using a nanotube-based saturable absorber. The normal dispersion cavity generates highly-chirped 500 ps pulses that are compressed down to 2 ps, with 1.4 kW peak power. © OSA/ CLEO 2011.

Effects of high-order laser distortion products in radio over free-space optical links

RoFSO links are found to be susceptible to high-order laser distortion making conventional SFDR ineffective as a performance indicator. For the first time, peak input power is demonstrated as a service-independent bound on dynamic range. © OSA/ CLEO 2011.

20 Gb/s QPSK transmission using an electro-optically modulated vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser

20 Gb/s QPSK transmission over 100 m of OM3 fibre using an EOM VCSEL under QPSK modulation is reported. Bit-error-ratio measurements are carried out to express the quality of the transmission scheme. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

Adaptive enhancement of multimode fibre bandwidth by twin-spot offset launch

A binary grating on a Spatial Light Modulator generates twin antiphase spots with adjustable positions across the core of a multimode fibre allowing adaptive excitation of antisymmetric mode-groups for improving modal dispersion or modal multiplexing. © 2011 AOS.

Bismuth-doped fiber integrated ring laser mode-locked with a nanotube-based saturable absorber

We demonstrate passive mode-locking of a bismuth-doped fiber laser using a single-wall nanotube-based saturable absorber. Stable operation in the all-normal dispersion and average soliton regime is obtained, with an all-fiber integrated format. © 2010 Optical Society of America.

High-power ultrafast solid-state laser using graphene based saturable absorber

We demonstrate a graphene based saturable absorber mode-locked Nd:YVO4 solid-state laser, generating ~14nJ pulses with ~1W average output power. This shows the potential for high-power pulse generation. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

Radio over free space optical link using a directly modulated two-electrode high power tapered laser

The analog modulation performance of a high-power two-electrode tapered laser is investigated. A 25dB dynamic range for 2.4GHz 802.11g signals is achieved with a 26dB loss budget, showing a >1km free space range is possible. © 2010 Optical Society of America.

Gigabit/s modulation of twin-electrode high-brightness tapered laser with high modulation efficiency

Simultaneous high modulation speed and high modulation efficiency operation of a two-electrode tapered laser is reported. 1Gb/s direct data modulation is achieved with 68mA applied current swing for a 0.95W output optical modulation amplitude. © 2009 Optical Society of America.