Self-mode locking in a cw solid-state laser by means of a Kerr nonlinear polarization modulator

Using a fluctuation model for the oscillation of a cw solid-state laser with a Kerr nonlinear polarization modulator, we identify a closed region of laser-structure parameters in which efficient self-mode locking can occur. We examine ways to increase the efficiency of the mode locking by varying the angular orientation of the modulator elements. We show that it is possible to compensate for the effect of phase self-modulation on the generation of ultrashort pulses in the system by introducing a negative dispersion of the group velocity.