Passive synchronization of two independent laser oscillators with a Fabry-Perot modulator

By optical modulation of the reflectivity of an intracavity nonlinear Fabry-Perot semiconductor mirror, the pulse train from a passively mode-locked picosecond Nd:YVO4 laser oscillator is synchronized to an independent femtosecond-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. We obtain stable synchronized pulse trains at central wavelengths of 1064 and 850 run, and the Ti:sapphire laser is still independently tunable over a large wavelength range. The tolerable cavity-length difference between the two laser oscillators exceeds 20 mum. (C) 2002 Optical Society of America.