Polymer-free carbon nanotube saturable absorber for fiber laser ultrashort pulse generation
Yu. Gladush1, A. Mkrtchyan1, D. Galiakhmetova1, A. Davletkhanov1, D. Krasnikov, A. Nasibulin1,2
1 Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Nobel str. 3, Moscow, 143026, Russia
2 Aalto University, Department of Applied Physics, 00076, Aalto, Finland
Abstract
Passive mode-locking is a method to produce ultra-short (from picosecond to femtosecond) pulses in laser. For its implementation one should simply insert the material with saturable absorption on laser working wavelength inside the laser resonator. Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) has proven them-self as an effective saturable absorber with pronounced nonlinear optical response and wide-band operation capabilities. Conventional methods of its introduction to the laser cavity imply mixing of SWCNTs with polymer to produce a composite tabled that is clamped between two connectors. This method has a drawback of a small thermal damage threshold of a hosting polymer compared to SWCNTs. In our work we use polymer-free carbon nanotubes thin film as a saturable absorber for a fiber laser. We demonstrate that introduction of these film in the laser cavity can be very simple and robust and does not involve any liquid chemistry steps. We compare the nonlinear optical response and thermal stability of the SWCNT films deposited on the fiber ferule and a side-polished fiber and discuss its performance in the fiber laser systems as a passive mode-lockers.
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Speaker
Gladush Yuriy
Skoltech
Russia
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