SWCNT@BNNT with 1D van der Waals Heterostructure with a High Optical Damage Threshold for Laser Mode-locking

TL;DR

This paper introduces SWCNT@BNNT, a novel 1D van der Waals heterostructure nanomaterial with high optical damage threshold, demonstrating enhanced optical power tolerance and enabling high-repetition-rate laser mode-locking.

Contribution

It presents the fabrication and characterization of SWCNT@BNNT, showing improved optical durability and application in ultrafast laser systems, which is a novel approach in nanomaterial engineering.

Findings

SWCNT@BNNT has 2,270 times longer lifetime than SWCNT at 13kW/cm2.

SWCNT@BNNT exhibits optical saturable absorption properties.

A 1 GHz repetition rate mode-locked laser was achieved using SWCNT@BNNT.

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotube encapsulated in boron nitrite nanotube (SWCNT@BNNT) is a novel nanomaterial with a one-dimensional van der Waals (1D-vdW) heterostructure. In this paper, we demonstrated that the SWCNT@BNNT has an enhanced optical power tolerance compared to that of the pristine SWCNT while exhibiting an optical saturable absorption properties. Under optical power intensity of 13kW/cm2, the lifetime of the SWCNT@BNNT is found to be 2,270 times longer than SWCNT for 1% degradation in absorbance. A short-cavity mode-locked laser with a high repetition rate of 1 GHz has been realized using the SWCNT@BNNT as the saturable absorber. We have shown that the technique of fabricating nanomaterial with a 1D-vdW heterostructure can modify and enhance the optical properties of the encapsulated nanomaterials.