Abstract

We demonstrate a Kerr lens mode-locked folded cavity using a planar (non-Brewster) Ti:sapphire crystal as a gain and Kerr medium, thus cancelling the nonlinear astigmatism caused by a Brewster cut Kerr medium. Our method uses a novel cavity folding in which the intracavity laser beam propagates in two perpendicular planes, such that the astigmatism of one mirror is compensated by the other mirror, enabling the introduction of an astigmatic free, planar-cut gain medium. We demonstrate that this configuration is inherently free of nonlinear astigmatism, which in standard cavity folding needs a special power-specific compensation.

© 2013 Optical Society of America

Astigmatism in Gaussian-beam self-focusing and in resonators for Kerr-lens mode locking

V. Magni, G. Cerullo, S. De Silvestri, and A. Monguzzi
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 12(3) 476-485 (1995)

Simple analytical method of cavity design for astigmatism-compensated Kerr-lens mode-locked ring lasers and its applications

Kuei-Huei Lin, Yinchieh Lai, and Wen-Feng Hsieh
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 12(3) 468-475 (1995)

Hard-aperture Kerr-lens mode locking

T. Brabec, P. F. Curley, Ch. Spielmann, E. Wintner, and A. J. Schmidt
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 10(6) 1029-1034 (1993)

Cavity-configuration-dependent nonlinear dynamics in Kerr-lens mode-locked lasers

Ming-Dar Wei and Wen-Feng Hsieh
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 17(8) 1335-1342 (2000)

Differential gain and buildup dynamics of self-starting Kerr lens mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser without an internal aperture

D.-G. Juang, Y.-C. Chen, S.-H. Hsu, K.-H. Lin, and W.-F. Hsieh
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 14(8) 2116-2121 (1997)