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Optical characterization of semiconductor saturable absorbers

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Abstract

Semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) devices have become a key component of ultrafast passive mode-locked laser sources. Here we describe in more detail how the key SESAM parameters such as saturation fluence, modulation depth, and nonsaturable losses are measured with a high accuracy. These parameters need to be known and controlled to obtain stable pulse generation for a given laser. A high-precision, wide dynamic range setup is required to measure this nonlinear reflectivity of saturable absorbers. The challenge to measure a low modulation depth and key measures necessary to obtain an accurate calibration are described in detail. The model function for the nonlinear reflectivity is based on a simple two-level travelling wave system. We include spatial beam profiles, nonsaturable losses and higher-order absorption, such as two-photon absorption and other induced absorption. Guidelines to extract the key parameters from the measured data are given.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Physics Department/Institute of Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich Hoenggerberg HPT, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    M. Haiml, R. Grange & U. Keller

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  1. M. Haiml
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  2. R. Grange
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  3. U. Keller
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Correspondence to M. Haiml.

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PACS

07.60.Hv; 42.65.Re; 42.70.Nq

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Haiml, M., Grange, R. & Keller, U. Optical characterization of semiconductor saturable absorbers. Appl. Phys. B 79, 331–339 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-004-1535-1

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