DUAL-WAVELENGTH ACTIVELY MODE-LOCKED LASER-DIODE ARRAY WITH AN EXTERNAL GRATING-LOADED CAVITY

Abstract

We report the generation of dual-wavelength picosecond pulses by use of a commercial laser-diode array. The laser cavity incorporated a folded dispersive delay line with a V-shaped double-stripe mirror. The spectral separation of the laser output at the two wavelengths can be tuned from 2 to 11 nm. The actively mode-locked pulse widths at the two wavelengths were both 29 ps. Cross-correlation and power-spectrum measurements indicated that the two-color pulses were synchronized with an absolute timing jitter of less than 1 ps (instrument limited).