Nonequilibrium and thermal effects in mode-locked VECSELs

Opt Express. 2014 Mar 24;22(6):6422-7. doi: 10.1364/OE.22.006422.

Abstract

Ultrafast femtosecond timescale dynamics in Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VECSELs) have recently been employed to achieve record average power and duration mode-locked pulses by employing different types of saturable absorbers and Kerr Lens elements. Microscopic many-body dynamics are expected to dominate when attempting to push pulse durations below 100 fs. We present a preliminary microscopic simulation of ultrafast mode-locking in order to expose the role of hot carrier distributions in establishing ultrafast mode-locking.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.