Power scaling of the MIXSEL: an integrated picosecond semiconductor laser with >6 W average power

摘要

Semiconductor lasers have the potential to drastically reduce complexity and cost of high power ultrafast lasers. Optically-pumped VECSELs achieved >20 W cw-power in fundamental transverse mode. Passive modelocking with a SESAM enabled 2.1-W average power, sub-100 fs duration, and 50-GHz repetition rate. In 2007, the integration of both elements was demonstrated, the MIXSEL (modelocked integrated external-cavity surface-emitting laser). Here we present a novel MIXSEL design based on a low-saturation fluence quantum dot (QD) absorber layer in an antiresonant structure. Improved thermal management with a CVD-diamond enabled a >30-fold power increase to 6.4 W, higher than any other ultrafast semiconductor laser.