We show that intensity and phase noise are highly correlated in a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. This allows electro-optic sampling noise, degraded by the combination of −184 dBc/Hz laser phase noise and birefringent system components, to be reduced 12 dB to the shot noise floor. Two multiorder waveplates can be combined to achieve shot-limited noise while preserving maximum detection efficiency.

1.
K. J.
Vahala
and
M. A.
Newkirk
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
57
,
974
(
1990
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
2.
T.
Chang
,
J.-P.
Poizat
, and
P.
Grangier
,
Opt. Commun.
148
,
180
(
1998
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
3.
A.
Poppe
,
L.
Xu
,
F.
Krausz
, and
C.
Spielmann
,
IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.
4
,
179
(
1998
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
4.
H. A.
Haus
,
IEEE J. Quantum Electron.
29
,
983
(
1993
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
5.
J. A. Valdmanis, in Measurement of High-Speed Signals in Solid State Devices, edited by R. B. Marcus (Academic, San Diego, 1990), p. 136.
6.
A.
Zeng
,
M. K.
Jackson
,
M.
Van Hove
, and
W.
De Raedt
,
Appl. Phys. Lett.
67
,
262
(
1995
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
7.
T.
Nagatsuma
,
T.
Shibata
,
E.
Sano
, and
A.
Iwata
,
Proc. IEEE
,
152
(
1990
).
8.
J. M.
Chwalek
and
D. R.
Dykaar
,
Rev. Sci. Instrum.
61
,
1273
(
1989
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
 
9.
B. R.
Hemenway
,
H. K.
Heinrich
,
J. H.
Goll
,
Z.
Xu
, and
D. M.
Bloom
,
IEEE Electron Device Lett.
EDL-8
,
344
(
1987
).
Google Scholar
 
10.
A. Yariv and P. Yeh, Optical Waves in Crystals (Wiley, New York, 1984).
11.
J.
Son
,
J. V.
Rudd
, and
J. F.
Whitaker
,
Opt. Lett.
17
,
733
(
1992
).
Google Scholar
Crossref
Search ADS
PubMed
 
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1999 American Institute of Physics.
1999
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.