J ul 2 00 1 Spectral characteristics of ultrashort pulses in Kerr - lens mode - locked lasers

A number of factors that influence spectral position of the femtosecond pulse in a Kerr-lens modelocked Cr:LiSGaF laser have been identified: high-order dispersion, gain saturation, reabsorption from the ground state, and stimulated Raman scattering. Using the one-dimensional numerical model for the simulation of the laser cavity, the relative contributions of different factors have been compared. The Raman effect provides the largest self-frequency shift from the gain peak (up to 60 nm), followed by the gain saturation (∼ 25 nm), while the high-order dispersion contribution is insignificant (∼ 5 nm). Comparison with the experimental data confirm that the stimulated Raman scattering is a main cause of the ultrashort pulse self-frequency shift observed in Cr:LiSGaF and Cr:LiSAF lasers.