Abstract

Besides self-focusing the radial varying gain due to the transverse pump profile plays an essential role in the operation of Kerrlens modelocking (KLM). Using a generalization of the complex ABCD matrix formalism for resonators with radial varying gain and self-focusing in a non-parabolic approximation¹ the operation of KLM without aperture can be described by the transverse mode eigenvalue λ = M⁻¹ exp(G + iϕ) where M = 1/2 (A + B ±((A + D)² – 4)^1/2) is the power depending magnification, G the power-depending averaged gain, φ the nonlinear phase shift and A, D the two-way complex power-depending matrix elements of the cavity.

© 1994 Optical Society of America