The lasing characteristics of a neodymium-doped silica fiber laser mode-locked with a linear external cavity with vibrating mirror are measured. The investigation of the dependence of the duration of the laser pulses on the mismatch between the lengths of laser resonator and external cavity shows that mode-locking is impossible if both cavities are exactly matched. The shortest pulses have a duration less than 32 ps. A simple analytical and numerical study gives insight in the physical mechanism underlying this interesting mode-locking technique.

Date Published: 1 February 1992
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 1581, Fiber Laser Sources and Amplifiers III, (1 February 1992); doi: 10.1117/12.134971

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1581:
Fiber Laser Sources and Amplifiers III
Michel J. F. Digonnet; Elias Snitzer, Editor(s)