Passive stabilization of a passively mode-locked Nd : GdVO4 laser by inverse saturable absorption

A diode-pumped Nd:GdVO4 laser mode-locked by a semiconductor saturable absorber and output coupler (SESAOC) is passively stabilized to suppress Q-switched mode-locking. A phase mismatched 131130 second-harmonic generation (SHG) crystal is used for passive stabilization. The continuous wave mode-locking (CWML) threshold is reduced and the pulse width is compressed. The pulse width is 6.5 ps as measured at the repetition rate of 128 MHz. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-Temperature Continuous-Wave Single-Mode Operation of 1.3 mu m p-Doped InAs-GaAs Quantum-Dot VCSELs

In this letter, we have demonstrated continuous-wave single-mode operation of 1.3-mu m InAs-GaAs quantum-dot (QD) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with p-type modulation-doped QD active region from 20 degrees C to 60 degrees C. The highest output power of 0.435mW and lowest threshold current of 1.2 mA under single-mode operation are achieved. The temperature-dependent output characteristics of QD-VCSELs are investigated. Single-mode operation with a sidemode suppression ratio of 34 dB is observed at room temperature. The critical size of oxide aperture for single-mode operation is discussed.

High Polarization Single Mode Photonic Crystal Microlaser

Generally, dipole mode is a doubly degenerate mode. Theoretical calculations have indicated that the single dipole mode of two-dimensional photonic crystal single point defect cavity shows high polarization property. We present a structure with elongated lattice, which only supports a single y-dipole mode. With this structure we can eliminate the degeneracy, control the lasing action of the cavity and demonstrate the high polarization property of the single dipole mode. In our experiment, the polarization extinction ratio of the y-dipole mode is as high as 51 1.

High efficiency passively Q-switched mode-locking Nd:GdVO4 laser with LT-In0.25Ga0.75As saturable absorber

The generation of passively Q-switched mode-locking operation with 100% modulation depth has been observed from a diode-pumped Nd GdVO4 laser with a low temperature In0.25Ga0.75As saturable absorber, which was grown by the metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition technique and acted as saturable absorber as well as output coupler. The repetition rate and pulse duration of the mode-locked pulses concentrated in the Q-switch envelop were 455 MHz and 12 ps, respectively. The average output power was 1.8 W and the slope efficiency was 36%. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of high polarization and single-mode photonic crystal laser

The dipole mode in triangular photonic crystal single defect cavity is degenerate. By deforming the lattice in photonic crystal we can obtain non-degenerate dipole modes. Lattice deforming in the whole photonic crystal destroys the characteristic of symmetry, so the distribution of the electromagnetic field is affected and the polarization of the electromagnetic field is also changed. Lattice deforming divides the degenerate dipole mode into the x-dipole mode and the y-dipole mode. It is found that the non-degenerate modes have better properties of polarization. So the high polarization and single dipole mode photonic crystal laser can be achieved by deforming the lattice of photonic crystal. In this paper, we simulated the cavity in photonic crystal slab and mainly calculated the quality factor of x-dipole mode under different deforming conditions and with different filling factors. The properties of polarization of x-dipole and y-dipole modes are also calculated. It is found that the ratio of intensities of E-x to E-y in x-dipole mode and that of E-y to E-x in y-dipole mode are 44 and 27, respectively.

A Diode-Side-Pumped Dynamic Fundamental Mode Nd:YAG Laser

A fundamental mode Nd YAG laser is experimentally demonstrated with a stagger pumped laser module and a special resonator. The rod is pumped symmetrically by staggered bar modules. A dynamic fundamental mode is achieved with the special resonator under different pump levels. A maximal continuous wave output of 61 W (M-2 = 1.4) is achieved with a single rod. An average output of 47 W, pulse width of 54 ns, pulse energy of 4.7 mJ and peak power of 87 kW are obtained under the Q-switched operation of 10 kHz.

Thermal effects investigation and cavity design in passively mode-locked Nd:YVO4 laser with a SESAM

A diode-pumped passively mode-locked Nd YVO4 laser with a five-mirror folded cavity is presented by using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The temperature distribution and thermal lensing in laser medium are numerically analyzed to design a special cavity which can keep the power density on SESAM under its damage threshold. Both the Q-switched and continuous-wave mode-locked operation are experimentally realized. The maximum average output power of 8.94 W with a 9.3 ps pulse width at a repetition rate of 111 MHz is obtained under a pump power of 24 W, correspondingly the optical slope efficiency is 39.2%. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

532 nm continuous wave mode-locked Nd:GdVO4 laser with SESAM

We obtained continuous wave mode-locked Nd-GdVO4-KTP laser with a SESAM. This is the first report of CW mode-locked Nd GdVO4-KTP laser with a SESAM to our knowledge. 396mw CW mode-locked pulse is achieved at the incident power of 7.653 W, with the repetition about 95 MHz. The pulse duration is assumed to be 5.5 ps, this is the shortest green pulse of 532 nm with SESAM. (c) 2009 by Astro Ltd. Published exclusively by WLLEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA

Passively mode-locked YVO4/Nd:YVO4 composite crystal green laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror

A diode-pumped passively mode-locked YVO4/Nd YVO4 composite crystal green laser with a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) and a intracavity frequency-doubling KTP crystal was realized. The maximum average output power of 2.06 W at 532 nm with a repetition rate of 100 MHz was obtained at a pump power of 15 W, corresponding to optical slop efficiency 17.2%. The 532 nm mode-locked pulse width was estimated to be approximately 18-ps.

An investigation of the mode characteristics of SOI submicron rib waveguides using the film mode matching method

The mode characteristics of SOI (silicon-on-insulator) submicron rib waveguides are very different from those of micrometer-sized ones. Using the full-vector film mode matching method, we propose a simple criterion to determine whether a waveguide mode is guided or not. The single-mode condition for deep-etched waveguides is obtained using this criterion. We also obtain the inherent TM mode leakage and sharp cancelation effects due to TE-TM mode coupling in shallow-etched rib waveguides from numerical simulations, which agree well with the analytical results based on total internal reflection and interference theories.

Investigation of mode coupling in a microdisk resonator for realizing directional emission

Mode coupling between the whispering-gallery modes (WGMs) is numerically investigated for a two-dimensional microdisk resonator with an output waveguide. The equilateral-polygonal shaped mode patterns can be constructed by mode coupling in the microdisk, and the coupled modes can still keep high quality factors (Q factors). For a microdisk with a diameter of 4.5 mu m and a refractive index of 3.2 connected to a 0.6-mu m-wide output waveguide, the coupled mode at the wavelength of 1490 nm has a Q factor in the order of 10(4), which is ten times larger than those of the uncoupled WGMs, and the output efficiency defined as the ratio of the energy flux confined in the output waveguide to the total radiation energy flux is about 0.65. The mode coupling can be used to realize high efficiency directional-emission microdisk lasers. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Analysis of mode characteristics for equilateral-polygonal resonators with a center hole

Mode characteristics for equilateral triangles, squares, and hexagonal resonators with a center hole are numerically simulated by the finite-different time domain (FDTD) technique. The center hole does not break the symmetry behavior of the original resonators and can result in modification of the mode field patterns and mode Q factors. In an equilateral triangle resonator the center hole can suppress the symmetry state of degenerate states with the merit of single mode operation. In a square resonator, the Q factor can be enhanced for some modes with a suitable size of the hole. For a hexagonal resonator with a side length of 1 mu m and a refractive index of 3.2, the mode Q factors first gradually decrease with the increase of the hole diameter for modes at a wavelength of about 1500 nm, then the modes transform to that of a microdisk with a jump of the mode wavelength as the hole diameter approaches 0.7 mu m. Finally, the mode Q factors greatly enhance as the hole diameter reaches about 1 mu m. The results indicate that the center hole can greatly modify mode characteristics, especially that of the mode Q factor. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America

Mode Analysis for Equilateral-Triangle-Resonator Microlasers with Metal Confinement Layers

Mode characteristics are analyzed for electrically injected equilateral-triangle-resonator (ETR) semiconductor microlasers, which are laterally confined by insulating barrier SiO2 and electrode metals Ti-Au. For the ETR without metal layers, the totally confined mode field patterns are derived based on the reflection phase shifts, and the Q-factors are calculated from the far-field emission of the analytical near field distribution, which are agreement very well with the numerical results of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. The polarization dependence reflections for light rays incident on semiconductor-SiO2 -Ti-Au multi-layer structures are accounted in considering the confinement of TE and TM modes in the ETR with the metal layers. The reflectivity will greatly reduce with a Ti layer between SiO2 and Au for light rays with incident angle less than 30 especially for the TE mode, even the thickness of the Ti layer is only 10 nm. If the ETR is laterally confined by SiO2-Au layers without the Ti layer, the Fabry-Perot type modes with an incident angle of zero on one side of the ETR can also have high Q-factor. The FDTD simulation for the ETR confined by metal layers verifies the above analysis based on multi-layer reflections. The output spectra with mode intervals of whispering-gallery modes and Fabry-Perot type modes are observed from different ETR lasers with side length of 10 m, respectively.

Single mode vertical-cavity surface emitting laser with surface plasmon nanostructure

The vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser(VCSEL) has proved to be a low cost light source with attractive properties such as surface emission, circular and low divergence output beam, and simple integration in two-dimensional array. Many new applications such as in spectroscopy, optical storage, short distance fiber optic interconnects, and in longer distance communication, are continuously arising. Many of these applications require stable and single-mode high output power. Several methods that affect the transverse guiding and/or introduce mode selective loss or gain have been developed. In this study, a method for improving the single mode output power by using metal surface plasmons nanostructure is proposed. Theoretical calculation shows that the outpout power is improved about 50% compared to the result of standard VCSELs.

4-ps passively mode-locked Nd : Gd0.5Y0.5VO4 laser with a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror

We have demonstrated a passively mode-locked diode end-pumped all-solid-state laser, which is composed of a Nd:Gd0.5Y0.5VO4 crystal and a folded cavity with a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror grown by metal-organic chemical-vapor deposition. Stable cw mode locking with a 3.8-ps pulse duration at a repetition rate of 112 MHz was obtained. At 13.6 W of the incident pump power, a clean mode-locked fundamental-mode average output power of 3.9 W was achieved with an overall optical-to-optical efficiency of 29.0%, and the slope efficiency was 38.1%. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.