Submonolayer Quantum-Dot Based Saturable Absorber for Femtosecond Pulse Generation

Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) enable passive modelocking of several ultrafast solid-state lasers. Conventionally, SESAMs in the 1-µm wavelength range have employed InGaAs quantum wells (QWs) as absorbers. We demonstrate here a SESAM based on InAs/GaAs submonolayer quantum dots (S...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of electronic materials 2021-05, Vol.50 (5), p.2710-2715
Main Authors: Addamane, S. J., Laurain, A., Baker, C. W., Rotter, T. J., Watt, J., Reno, J. L., Balakrishnan, G., Moloney, J. V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorbers
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry and Materials Science
Electronics and Microelectronics
femtosecond pulse
Femtosecond pulses
Indium gallium arsenides
Instrumentation
Material Science
MATERIALS SCIENCE
modelocked laser
Optical and Electronic Materials
Original Research Article
Quantum dots
Quantum wells
saturable absorber
Solid state lasers
Solid State Physics
submonolayer quantum dot
Surface emitting lasers
ultrafast laser
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Summary:Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) enable passive modelocking of several ultrafast solid-state lasers. Conventionally, SESAMs in the 1-µm wavelength range have employed InGaAs quantum wells (QWs) as absorbers. We demonstrate here a SESAM based on InAs/GaAs submonolayer quantum dots (SML QDs) capable of generating femtosecond pulses by passively modelocking a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL). Structural measurements are carried out to verify the quality and composition of the QDs. Modelocking experiments with a VECSEL and the QD SESAM in a ring cavity configuration yield pulses as short as 185 fs at 1025 nm. Compared to a traditional QW absorber, SML QD SESAMs exhibit ~ 25% faster recovery times. This also translates to slower power degradation rates or higher damage thresholds in SML QD SESAMs.
ISSN:0361-5235
1543-186X
DOI:10.1007/s11664-021-08795-x