Kilohertz Cr:forsterite regenerative amplifier

Broadly tunable continuous-wave orange-red source based on intracavity-doubled Cr4+:forsterite laser

The operation of a room-temperature, continuous-wave, intracavity frequency-doubled Cr4+:forsterite laser capable of producing broadly tunable output in the orange-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum is described. Intracavity doubling was achieved in a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal that had gratings with different periods. Tunable second-harmonic output could be obtained between 613 and 655 nm. At a wavelength of 630 nm, intracavity doubling yielded as much as 45 mW of continuous-wave output. To the author's knowledge, this represents the highest second-harmonic-power generation obtained to date with a continuous-wave Cr4+:forsterite laser.

All-solid-state Cr:forsterite laser generating 14-fs pulses at 1.3 mum

We report the generation of 14-fs pulses at 1.3mum with 80-mW average power at 100-MHz repetition rate by an all-solid-state Kerr-lens mode-locked Cr:forsterite laser. The laser spectrum covers wavelengths of 1230-1580 nm, with a FWHM of 250 nm. Since 1.3-mum wavelengths are close to the zero dispersion wavelength of Cr:forsterite, higher-order dispersion is the main factor limiting pulse durations. We use specially designed and fabricated double-chirped mirrors in combination with high-index PBH71 prisms to compensate for the intracavity dispersion over almost 300 nm.