Open AccessScaling of passively mode-locked soliton erbium waveguide lasers based on slow saturable absorbers
Author(s) -
D. Pudo,
Hyunil Byun,
Jian Chen,
Jason W. Sickler,
Franz X. Kärtner,
Erich P. Ippen
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.019221
Subject(s) - saturable absorption , optics , laser , fiber laser , soliton , materials science , mode locking , dispersion (optics) , erbium , scaling , optoelectronics , physics , nonlinear system , geometry , mathematics , quantum mechanics
We assess the scaling potential of high repetition rate, passively mode-locked erbium-doped soliton lasers. Our analysis focuses on three recently demonstrated lasers using saturable Bragg reflectors (SBR) as the mode-locking element. We use the soliton Area theorem to establish the limitations to increasing the repetition rate based on insufficient intracavity pulse energy, SBR properties, and dispersion engineering. Finally, we examine possible approaches to alleviate these limitations by changing the laser's structure and composition.