Active mode locking of quantum cascade lasers operating in external ring cavity
Abstract
Stable ultrashort light pulses and frequency combs generated by mode-locked lasers have many important applications including high-resolution spectroscopy, fast chemical detection and identification, studies of ultrafast processes, and laser metrology. While compact mode-locked lasers emitting in the visible and near infrared range have revolutionized photonic technologies, the systems operating in the mid-infrared range where most gases have their strong absorption lines, are bulky and expensive and rely on nonlinear frequency down-conversion. Quantum cascade lasers are the most powerful and versatile compact light sources in the mid-infrared range, yet achieving their mode locked operation remains a challenge despite dedicated effort. Here we report the first demonstration of active mode locking of an external-cavity quantum cascade laser. The laser operates in the mode-locked regime at room temperature and over the full dynamic range of injection currents of a standard commercial laser chip.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1510.08910,
title = {Active mode locking of quantum cascade lasers operating in external ring cavity},
author = {D. G. Revin and M. Hemingway and Y. Wang and J. W. Cockburn and A. Belyanin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1510.08910},
year = {2016}
}