Sub-100-ps amplitude-modulation mode-locked Tm–Ho:BaY_2F_8 laser at 206 μm

Abstract

We report the generation of sub-100-ps pulse trains near the 2.06-microm wavelength in an actively mode-locked diode-pumped Tm-Ho:BaYF laser operating at room temperature. Transform-limited, 97-ps Gaussian pulses at a 100-MHz repetition rate with an average power in excess of 20 mW and with a carrier wavelength tunable by approximately 50 nm near 2.066 microm are demonstrated.

Passive mode locking of a Tm,Ho:KY(WO_4)_2 laser around 2 μm

“…We report the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of passive mode locking in a Tm 3+ , Ho 3+ -codoped KY͑WO 4 ͒ 2 laser operating in the 2000-2060 nm spectral region. An InGaAsSb-based quantum well semiconductor saturable absorber mirror is used for the initiation and stabilization of the ultrashort pulse generation.…”

“…To date different laser sources have been realized for generation of ultrashort pulses that are tunable around 2 m. Amongst the options available, Tmand Tm:Ho-doped fiber [1,2] and crystalline laser sources [3,4] operating in the ϳ1800-2100 nm range and Cr 2+ -doped chalcogenide lasers [5,6] at around 2400 nm have gained precedence. Pulses as short as 500 and 190 fs have been produced from Tm-fiber lasers by implementing either additive-pulse mode locking [1] or by using an InGaAs semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) [2].…”

“…By comparison, Cr 2+ -doped chalcogenide laser systems require more expensive pump lasers that operate around 1.6 m. Although a number of high-power and broadly tunable 2 m Tm-and Tm:Ho-doped crystalline lasers have been reported, only a few have been employed for ultrashort pulse generation, and for these an active mode locking technique was deployed. Pulses as short as 35 and 100 ps from Tm:YAG [3] and Tm-Ho: BaY 2 F 8 [4] lasers with average powers of 20 and 70 mW, respectively, have been obtained.…”

A Resonantly Pumped Single-Longitudinal Mode Ho:Sc2SiO5 Laser with Two Fabry–Perot Etalons

“…However, Tm, Ho co-doped lasers need additional cryogenic cooling devices to keep the laser efficient, especially for high-power laser operation [14]. The cooperative up-conversion losses in Tm, Ho co-doped systems are significant, which make it unsuitable for room temperature operation [15]. One attractive way to avoid the losses associated with co-doped systems is to separate Tm and Ho ions into different crystals [16].…”

High repetition rate, tunable, Q-switched diode pumped Tm:YLF laser

“…The high peak power in this range can be accomplished by lamp pumped Cr,Tm,Ho:YAG lasers [1][2][3], optical para− metric oscillators (OPOs) pumped by high peak power Nd lasers [4][5][6][7], and developed in the last 2 decades diode pumped on Tm [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] or (Tm & Ho) doped crystals [16][17][18][19][20][21], Tm: fiber [22][23][24][25][26][27][28] and hybrid lasers [29][30][31][32][33]. The best result for thulium crystalline laser was 150 W [13].…”