Geometrical analysis of Kerr-lens mode-locking for high-peak-power ultrafast oscillators

Abstract

Ultrashort pulses from Kerr-lens mode-locked oscillators have inspired a variety of applications. The design and alignment of these laser resonators have thus far been theoretically supported by the conventional analysis of beam propagation. However, the well-established theoretical framework is sometimes beyond the scope of high-peak-power oscillators. In this paper, we analyze the geometry of ring resonators by extending the ABCD-matrix method to a high-peak-power regime. The guidelines to achieving stable Kerr-lens mode-locking is provided for high-peak-power pulses.