Intra-Pulse Intensity Noise Shaping by Saturable Absorbers

In this work, we identify and characterize intra-pulse intensity noise shaping by saturable absorbers applied in mode-locked lasers and ultra-low noise nonlinear fiber amplifiers. Reshaped intra-pulse intensity noise distributions are shown to be inevitably interconnected with self-amplitude modulat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inarXiv.org
Main Authors Edelmann, Marvin, Pergament, Mikhail, Kärtner, Franz X
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 26.03.2023
Subjects
Absorbers
Amplitude modulation
Bandpass filters
Laser mode locking
Low noise
Noise intensity
Noise measurement
Noise reduction
Relative intensity noise
Short pulses
Transfer functions
Ultrafast lasers
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Summary:In this work, we identify and characterize intra-pulse intensity noise shaping by saturable absorbers applied in mode-locked lasers and ultra-low noise nonlinear fiber amplifiers. Reshaped intra-pulse intensity noise distributions are shown to be inevitably interconnected with self-amplitude modulation, the fundamental physical mechanism for initiation and stabilization of ultra-short pulses in the steady-state of a mode-locked laser. A theoretical model is used to describe the ultrafast saturation dynamics by an intra-pulse noise transfer function for widely-applied slow and fast saturable absorbers. For experimental verification of the theoretical results, spectrally-resolved relative intensity noise measurements are applied on chirped input pulses to enable the direct measurement of intra-pulse noise transfer functions using a versatile experimental platform. It is further demonstrated, how the characterized intra-pulse intensity noise distribution of ultrafast laser systems can be utilized for quantum-limited intensity noise suppression via tailored optical bandpass filtering.
ISSN:2331-8422