Demirbas Umit, Thesinga Jelto, Cankaya Huseyin, Kellert Martin, Kärtner Franz X, Pergament Mikhail
Opt Lett. 2020 Apr 1;45(7):2050-2053. doi: 10.1364/OL.390291.
We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first mode-locked operation of Yb:YLF gain media at cryogenic temperatures. A saturable Bragg reflector was used for initiating and sustaining mode locking. Once aligned, the system was self-starting and quite robust. Using output couplers in the 10-40% range, 3-5 ps long pulses with an average power as high as 28 W were achieved. The repetition rate was 46.45 MHz, and the corresponding pulse energy and peak power were as high as 602 nJ and 126.5 kW, respectively. The central wavelength of the mode-locked pulses could be tuned in the 1013.5-1019 nm range using an intracavity birefringent filter. The achieved output power performance is two to three orders of magnitude higher than previous room-temperature Yb:YLF systems.
据我们所知，我们首次报道了Yb:YLF增益介质在低温下的锁模运转。使用了一个可饱和布拉格反射镜来启动和维持锁模。一旦对准，该系统就能自启动且相当稳定。使用10%-40%范围内的输出耦合器，获得了脉宽为3-5 ps、平均功率高达28 W的脉冲。重复频率为46.45 MHz，相应的脉冲能量和峰值功率分别高达602 nJ和126.5 kW。通过腔内双折射滤光片，锁模脉冲的中心波长可在1013.5-1019 nm范围内调谐。所实现的输出功率性能比之前的室温Yb:YLF系统高出两到三个数量级。
