100 W peak-power 1 GHz repetition picoseconds optical pulse generation using blue-violet GaInN diode laser mode-locked oscillator and optical amplifier

We have generated single-transverse-mode optical pulses with 100 W peak power and 3 ps duration at 1 GHz repetition from a blue-violet GaInN mode-locked laser diode (MLLD) and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) without the use of any pulse compression. The generation of clean optical pulses without subpulse components from the MLLD and the reduction in amplified spontaneous emission in the SOA by incorporating a flare waveguide structure resulted in effective amplification of optical pulses to produce over 100 W peak power. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3462942]