Passive Mode Locking of Lasers by Crossed-Polarization Gain Modulation

Julien Javaloyes, Josep Mulet, and Salvador Balle
Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 163902 – Published 16 October 2006

Abstract

We report on a novel approach for inducing passive mode locking of lasers without using any saturable absorber but exploiting the polarization degree of freedom of light. In our scheme, passive mode locking is achieved by crossed-polarization gain modulation caused by the reinjection of a polarization-rotated replica of the laser output after a time delay. The reinjection time delay defines resonance tongues that correspond to mode-locking operation. Numerical continuation reveals that the cw solution is destabilized through a Hopf bifurcation that defines the onset of multimode operation which evolves sharply into a mode-locked solution. Our approach can be applied to a large variety of laser systems. For vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, we demonstrate stable mode-locked pulses at repetition rates in the GHz range and pulse widths of few tens of picoseconds.

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  • Received 9 May 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.163902

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Julien Javaloyes, Josep Mulet, and Salvador Balle

  • Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA), CSIC-UIB, Campus Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain

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Issue

Vol. 97, Iss. 16 — 20 October 2006

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