Graphene, the versatile material made from a single layer of carbon atoms, has recently been used to create a saturable absorber to generate mode-locking in lasers. Mode-locking is a technique used to generate more powerful laser pulses, and it is used in a variety of applications, from microscopy to laser eye surgery.

In a recent study, researchers from the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences used graphene to create a saturable absorber that could be used to mode-lock a laser. The graphene was deposited onto a silicon substrate and patterned into a thin sheet. The sheet was then placed in a laser cavity, where it was able to absorb part of the laser beam. This absorption caused the laser to generate pulses, which the researchers were able to control.

The use of graphene as a saturable absorber could revolutionize the way lasers are used in various applications. The graphene-based absorber is highly efficient, allowing for more powerful laser pulses. Additionally, it can be used to generate pulses with very short pulse widths, which could be useful for applications that require ultrafast lasers.

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source: Phys.org