Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers
Single-shot measurement of ultrashort time with a dispersive temporal interferometer (DTI) paves the way for exploring intracavity dynamics in ultrafast lasers. Here, we report observations of pulse evolution dynamics after mode-locking buildup in ultrafast lasers. We observe the roundtrip time and...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Physical Review Research |
| Online Access: | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013202 |
| _version_ | 1827285527947116544 |
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| author | Tianhao Xian Wenchao Wang Li Zhan |
| author_facet | Tianhao Xian Wenchao Wang Li Zhan |
| author_sort | Tianhao Xian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Single-shot measurement of ultrashort time with a dispersive temporal interferometer (DTI) paves the way for exploring intracavity dynamics in ultrafast lasers. Here, we report observations of pulse evolution dynamics after mode-locking buildup in ultrafast lasers. We observe the roundtrip time and phase evolution of the mode-locked pulses after buildup, and we unveil that the pulse experiences three different stages before stabilization, i.e., the soliton breathing stage, the relaxation oscillation stage, and the long-term relaxation stage. We find that the gain depletion effect makes the pulse move forward but does not shift its phase, and it can be distinguished by a DTI from the refractive index change. With this, the dynamics of the three stages is analyzed. Moreover, it is unveiled that the gain relaxation dynamics can intensively affect a laser's stability. These results provide additional perspectives on the intracavity dynamics of mode-locked lasers and of complex nonlinear systems, and they can help to improve the laser stability, which may impact laser design, ultrafast diagnostics, and nonlinear optics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:16:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-757bc2aac57848418ca4bc3d29b4392e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2643-1564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T10:16:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Physical Review Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-757bc2aac57848418ca4bc3d29b4392e2024-04-12T17:18:55ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642022-03-014101320210.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013202Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasersTianhao XianWenchao WangLi ZhanSingle-shot measurement of ultrashort time with a dispersive temporal interferometer (DTI) paves the way for exploring intracavity dynamics in ultrafast lasers. Here, we report observations of pulse evolution dynamics after mode-locking buildup in ultrafast lasers. We observe the roundtrip time and phase evolution of the mode-locked pulses after buildup, and we unveil that the pulse experiences three different stages before stabilization, i.e., the soliton breathing stage, the relaxation oscillation stage, and the long-term relaxation stage. We find that the gain depletion effect makes the pulse move forward but does not shift its phase, and it can be distinguished by a DTI from the refractive index change. With this, the dynamics of the three stages is analyzed. Moreover, it is unveiled that the gain relaxation dynamics can intensively affect a laser's stability. These results provide additional perspectives on the intracavity dynamics of mode-locked lasers and of complex nonlinear systems, and they can help to improve the laser stability, which may impact laser design, ultrafast diagnostics, and nonlinear optics.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013202 |
| spellingShingle | Tianhao Xian Wenchao Wang Li Zhan Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers Physical Review Research |
| title | Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers |
| title_full | Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers |
| title_fullStr | Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers |
| title_short | Real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode-locked lasers |
| title_sort | real time revealing relaxation dynamics of ultrafast mode locked lasers |
| url | http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013202 |
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