Abstract

We discuss a new approach for the generation of two independently tunable femtosecond optical pulses at high repetition rate (77 MHz). A self-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser is used to synchronously pump a HITCI dye laser with 100 fs pulses. The Ti:sapphire laser can be tuned throughout the dye absorption region (740-800 nm), and the dye laser produces 140 fs pulses tunable from 840 to 900 nm. Cross-correlation measurements indicate that the dye laser pulses are synchronized to the Ti:sapphire laser pulses with <100 fs jitter, which is a new regime for synchronous pumping. This source adds greatly to the versatility of Ti:sapphire laser systems, and several experimental applications will be discussed.

© 1992 Optical Society of America