Q-switched mode-locked laser generation by Au nanoparticles embedded in LiTaO3 crystals

Abstract Au nanoparticles (NPs) in lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) crystal were prepared by ion implantation technique. The microstructure of the formed Au NPs was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The linear and non-linear optical response of the samples was investigated and Z-scan measured that the Au NPs embedded LiTaO3 has saturable absorption properties. Based on this, the sample was used as a saturable absorber (SA) embedded in a waveguide laser system to achieve a 1 μm Q-switched mode-locked laser with a pulse width of 90 ps and a repetition frequency of 6.54 GHz.