Q-switching stability limits of Kerr-lens mode locking

Shota Kimura, Shuntaro Tani, and Yohei Kobayashi
Phys. Rev. A 102, 043505 – Published 9 October 2020

Abstract

Q-switching instability restricts pulse shortening in Kerr-lens mode-locked lasers (KLMLs). However, Q-switching suppression in KLMLs has not been discussed to date because of the difficulty of treating the Kerr-lens effect theoretically. We investigated parameter ranges for stable Kerr-lens mode locking (KLM) against Q switching theoretically and experimentally. We found the parameters and ranges required to suppress Q switching in hard- and soft-aperture KLMLs. In soft-aperture KLMLs, both intracavity power and spatial mode matching between a pump beam and a cavity mode were found to be critical. These findings were verified experimentally using an Yb:Y2O3 KLML. Our results provide cavity design criteria for stable KLMLs against Q switching.

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  • Received 9 June 2020
  • Accepted 18 September 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.102.043505

©2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & OpticalNonlinear Dynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Shota Kimura, Shuntaro Tani, and Yohei Kobayashi*

  • The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan

  • *yohei@issp.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 4 — October 2020

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