Product Code: ICAL05_M105

New Ultrafast High-Energy Laser Concepts and their Applications
Authors:
Wolfgang Seitz, High Q Laser (US), Inc.; Watertown MA USA
Alexander Killi, Max-Planck-Institut fr Kernphysik; Heidelberg Germany
Heinz Huber, High Q Laser Production GmbH; Hohenems Austria
Max Lederer, High Q Laser Production GmbH; Hohenems Austria
Uwe Morgner, Max-Planck-Institut fr Kernphysik; Heidelberg Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2005

Ultrafast laser systems with pulse durations in the femto- and picosecond regime have proven their potential in several material processing applications. So far, a lot of these applications have been limited by the costly and difficult operation of the laser systems. We report on a new generation of powerful ultra-compact laser oscillators combining 'cavity - dumping' with the proven techniques of direct diode-pumping and passive semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) modelocking. Without using complex amplifier schemes these lasers generate femto- and picosecond short pulses with energies in the �J range at tunable repetition rates up to 1 MHz. We demonstrate the use of the laser in micro surgery and for fabrication of photonic devices in bulk glass. The combination of high pulse energies at high repetition rates together with a short pulse duration and good beam quality opens up new dimensions in high speed micro processing.