GHz pulse repetition rate in waveguide lasers at 1-2 ^m with
graphene
M. Ponarina1, A. Okhrimchuk1'2, E. Obraztsova1, T. Dolmatov1, V. Bukin1, P. Obraztsov13
1-Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia 2- D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Moscow, Russia 3- University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
Pulsed laser sources with repetition rates over 1 GHz are important for applications in telecommunications, microprocessing of materials and radiophotonics. Here we present an approach to create compact single-mode waveguide lasers with gigahertz repetition rate using graphene saturable absorber mirror as the output coupler. In particular, due to very efficient coupling of pump light into the femtosecond laser inscribed waveguide and wavelength insensitive properties of graphene this approach demonstrates the possibility to achieve single- and dual-wavelength generation in Nd :YAG and Tm :YAP active media with over 8 GHz pulse repetition rate. The proposed approach is not limited to Nd :YAG and Tm :YAP crystals, but is also applicable to other active media operating in the near-IR region.