Nanomaterials (Sep 2024)

Sub-Nanosecond Single Mode-Locking Pulse Generation in an Idler-Resonant Intracavity KTA Optical Parametric Oscillator Driven by a Dual-Loss-Modulated Q-Switched and Mode-Locked Laser with an Acousto-Optic Modulator and MoWS<sub>2</sub>

  • Chao Han,
  • Hongwei Chu,
  • Tianli Feng,
  • Shengzhi Zhao,
  • Dechun Li,
  • Han Zhang,
  • Jia Zhao,
  • Weiping Huang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14181491
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 18
p. 1491

Abstract

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The synthesis of 2D MoWS2 nanosheets involved the liquid-phase exfoliation technique was explored in this paper. The nonlinear optical response of MoWS2 was characterized in the 1 µm wavelength range, and its suitability as a saturable absorber (SA) was confirmed. Experimental demonstrations were conducted by using MoWS2 as an SA in an idler-resonant intracavity KTA optical parametric oscillator (OPO) driven by a dual-loss-modulated Q-switched and mode-locked (QML) YVO4/Nd:YVO4 laser with an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). By appropriately tuning the pump power and the AOM repetition rate, the Q-switched envelope pulse widths for the signal and idler waves could be significantly reduced to be shorter than the cavity round-trip transit time, i.e., the interval between two neighboring mode-locking pulses. Consequently, this enabled the generation of sub-nanosecond single mode-locking pulses with a low repetition rate, high pulse energy, and remarkable stability. With a repetition rate of 1 kHz and maximal pulse energies of 318 µJ and 169 µJ, respectively, sub-nanosecond single mode-locking pulses of the signal and idler waves were generated. The theoretical model was established using coupled rate equations with a Gaussian spatial distribution approximation. The numerical simulation results for generating sub-nanosecond single mode-locking pulses for the signal and idler waves within their respective Q-switched envelopes aligned fundamentally with the experimental results, proving that MoWS2 can be a potential nanomaterial for further optoelectronic applications.

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