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Ultrashort Pulse Production In Synchronously Pumped Mode-Locked Dye Laser Systems, Duncan Leo Macfarlane

Dissertations and Theses

The concern of this dissertation is the understanding and improvement of a class of lasers that is responsible for some of the shortest optical pulses available today. In particular, we seek ways to produce from synchronously pumped mode-locked dye laser systems, shorter pulses of higher intensity with improved pulse-to-pulse consistency. Specific topics.that are discussed herein include the study of the role of the pump pulse in synchronously pumped mode-locked lasers, the study of the pulse shaping and shortening due to an intracavity saturable absorber, and the study of a fundamental pulse train instability associated with these lasers.