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Graphene Mode-Locked Ultrafast Laser

Graphene Mode-Locked Ultrafast Laser

ABSTRACT Graphene is at the center of a significant research effort. Near-ballistic transport at room
temperature and high mobility make it a potential material for nanoelectronics. Its electronic and mechanical
properties are also ideal for micro- and nanomechanical systems, thin-film transistors, and transparent and
conductive composites and electrodes. Here we exploit the optoelectronic properties of graphene to realize an
ultrafast laser. A graphene polymer composite is fabricated using wet-chemistry techniques. Pauli blocking
following intense illumination results in saturable absorption, independent of wavelength. This is used to
passively mode-lock an erbium-doped fiber laser working at 1559 nm, with a 5.24 nm spectral bandwidth and
460 fs pulse duration, paving the way to graphene-based photonics.