Abstract
We experimentally demonstrate a femtosecond mode-locked, allfiberized laser that operates in the 2 μm region and that incorporates a saturable absorber based on a bulk-structured bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) topological insulator (TI). Our fiberized saturable absorber was prepared by depositing a mechanically exfoliated, ∼30 μm-thick Bi2Te 3 TI layer on a side-polished optical fiber platform. The bulk crystalline structure of the prepared Bi2Te3 layer was confirmed by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The modulation depth of the prepared saturable absorber was measured to be ∼20.6%. Using the saturable absorber, it is shown that stable, ultrafast pulses with a temporal width of ∼795 fs could readily be generated at a wavelength of 1935 nm from a thulium/holmium co-doped fiber ring cavity. This experimental demonstration confirms that bulk structured, TI-based saturable absorbers can readily be used as an ultra-fast mode-locker for 2 μm lasers.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 7865-7874 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Optics Express |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2014 |