ANALYSIS OF SELF-FOCUSING MODE-LOCKED LASERS WITH ADDITIONAL HIGHLY NONLINEAR SELF-FOCUSING ELEMENTS

We study the use of a highly nonlinear self-focusing element in an all solid state self-mode-locking laser with a low self-starting threshold. The results of our calculations show that the relationship between cavity losses and instantaneous intracavity power in such a laser is quite different from the previously reported dependence based on saturable absorber model for SFM Ti: sapphire lasers. The position of the minimum loss power, and therefore the operating point of the laser, is adjustable by crystal and aperture positioning. Thus, a given laser can be optimized to maximize the slope of aperture loss versus power, and maximize the probability of self-starting of mode-locked operation. This would eliminate the need for saturable dyes or cavity modulation to initiate self-mode-locked operation.