Abstract

An ideal saturable absorber for passively pulsed laser systems has instantaneous response time, is perfectly broadband, has no residual loss, and has a variable saturation fluence. Kerr-lens modelocking (KLM) is an artificial saturable absorber with some of these ideal properties. Semiconductor saturable absorber also offer a distinct range of saturable absorber parameters not available with other approaches. We use semiconductor materials in a monolithic antiresonant Fabry-Perot structure to achieve many of the desired properties. One result of these devices has been the demonstration of "real-world" modelocked solid-state lasers with pulse widths to below 100 femtoseconds. By "real world", we mean diode-pumped, self-starting lasers requiring no critical cavity alignment.

© 1996 Optical Society of America