Thursday, March 5, 2015, 16:00
WHGA/Auditorium
Thomas Südmeyer, University of Neuchâtel
Abstract:
Although ultrafast lasers have already enabled numerous important industrial and scientific breakthroughs, there is still a strong need for further improvements in terms of achievable performance, compactness, and reliability. In this presentation, we will review latest developments in the area of ultrafast laser oscillators and frequency comb generation. The highest average power levels and pulse energy levels of ultrafast oscillators are achieved in the thin disk laser geometry. We review the latest milestones in terms of duration, power and pulse energy and discuss carrier-envelope-offset (CEO) stabilized SESAM-modelocked thin disk lasers. Moreover, we discuss frequency comb stabilization by optical feedback to a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). This new method for opto-optical modulation overcomes bandwidth limitations of the standard pump current control and enables a CEO-locked 1.5-µm diode-pumped solid-state laser with ten times lower residual phase noise. Finally, we will discuss diode-laser pumped ultrafast Ti:Sapphire lasers, which have a high potential for cost-efficient frequency combs.