Generation of sub-100 fs vortices from a Kerr-lens mode-locked Hermite–Gaussian Yb:CALGO oscillator

Fan Wu, Heyan Liu, Lisong Yan, Hongyu Liu, Qingzhe Cui, Kunjian Dai, Hengyang Li, Yingxiong Qin, Qing Wang, Jinwei Zhang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Mode-locked oscillators with high-order transverse modes are excellent platforms for generating femtosecond optical vortices with high average power and good propagation stability. These have important applications in diverse fields such as optical communication, strong-field physics, and laser processing. So far, generating vortex pulses with ultrashort pulse duration remains a challenge. In this Letter, we report a Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb:CALGO laser oscillator delivering Hermite–Gaussian (HG) pulses with a pulse duration of 86 fs using a non-collinear pumping technique. 91 fs optical vortex pulses were generated by using a cylindrical-lens mode converter. To the best of our knowledge, this is the shortest pulse duration ever obtained from a diode pumped solid-state mode-locked oscillator with a pure high-order Hermite–Gaussian mode. The phase structures of the generated femtosecond vortices are characterized.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5747-5750
Number of pages4
JournalOptics Letters
Volume49
Issue number20
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Oct 2024

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