Pseudo mode-locking

authored by

Gunter Steinmeyer, Esmerando Escoto, Ayhan Demircan

Abstract

During the last decade, self mode-locking and resulting comb formation have emerged from a controversially discussed anomaly to a hot topic in semiconductor laser physics. Initial experimental reports claimed mode-locking in a cavity lacking the stabilizing action of a saturable absorber [1]. These reports were heavily disputed as coherent artifacts [2] , [3] , i.e., an erroneous interpretation of autocorrelation measurements of a multimode continuous wave laser. While this incorrect interpretation may explain some peculiar reports, there are numerous indications that there really is a mode-locking effect in some other cases. In particular, some experimental reports indicated a threshold-like collapse of the intermode beat linewidth [4] , similar to what is seen in traditional laser mode-locking. Despite numerous attempts to tackle the underlying physical mechanism, it is still not understood how mode-locking can be stabilized without a saturable absorber, defying generally accepted conclusions from the Haus Master Equation [5]. In order to analyze self mode-locking, we rewrote the Master Equation formalism in the frequency domain [6] , converting a partial differential equation into a coupled system of ordinary differential equations.

Organisation(s)

PhoenixD: Photonics, Optics, and Engineering - Innovation Across Disciplines
Institute of Quantum Optics

External Organisation(s)

Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy im Forschungsbund Berlin e.V. (MBI)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY)

Type

Conference contribution

Publication date

06.2021

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1109/CLEO/Europe-EQEC52157.2021.9542233 (Access: Closed)