Nonlinear pulse-shaping phenomena of semiconductor saturable absorber mirror

摘要

The authors report the experimental investigation of pulse-shaping effects of a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM). The induced pulse shortening and phase variation exhibit fluence dependences which follow the saturation behavior of nonlinear reflectivity. The experimental results have been compared with the prediction based on saturable population relaxation model. The study provides an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the role of SESAM in ultrafast mode-locked lasers.