Hybrid Q-switched broadband laser source with low timing jitter

Abstract

We present a novel broadband laser source based on a dual cavity in which a subnanosecond passively Q-switched microchip laser is coupled with a long cavity including an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and a microstructured optical fiber working as a non linear medium. This active-passive Q-switched laser source emits pulses as short as those emitted by the free running microchip laser (~600 ps). The time pulse emission is governed by the AOM allowing tunable repetition rate from 0 to more than 4 kHz with a temporal jitter reduced to less than 50 ns, i.e. a 600-fold reduction compared to that of the free running microchip. Furthermore, thanks to spectral broadening in the microstructured fiber, this source emits a supercontinuum from 700 nm to 1700 nm.