Abstract

For fast optical switching and signal processing elements to be attractive for systems applications, it is necessary for there to be available a simple, compact, and efficient source of picosecond optical pulses. The well-developed short-pulse dye lasers are attractive sources for laboratory use but are large, inefficient, and use flowing dye solution technology. We have been investigating the use of passive mode-locking techniques to produce picosecond pulses from a semiconductor diode laser. Such a compact picosecond source would be well adapted for use in high-speed digital optical systems.

© 1985 Optical Society of America