Ultrafast lasers mode-locked by nanotubes and graphene

• Published in: Physica. E, Low-dimensional systems & nanostructures Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 1082 - 1091
• Main Authors: Sun, Z., Hasan, T., Ferrari, A.C.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-03-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Laser materials; Materials science; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes; Optical materials; Optics; Physics; Specific materials; Saturable absorbers; Reviews; Laser pulse; Graphene; Nanotubes; Laser materials; Laser modes; Ultrafast optics; Carbon; Nanostructured materials
• ISSN: 1386-9477; 1873-1759
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physe.2012.01.012

Ultrafast lasers play an increasingly important role in many applications. Nanotubes and graphene have emerged as promising novel saturable absorbers for passive mode-locking. Here, we review recent progress on the exploitation of these two carbon nanomaterials in ultrafast photonics.
► Various ultrafast lasers mode-locked by nanotube based saturable absorbers have been reviewed in detail. ► Recent results on graphene enabled ultrafast lasers also have been reviewed. ► We present our outlook on this field (i.e. ultrafast lasers mode-locked nanotubes and graphene).