Self-adaptive amplified spontaneous emission suppression with a photorefractive two-beam coupling filter

Optical bandpass filters can be utilized to suppress parasitic broadband spectral power prior to laser amplification but are typically designed around specific frequencies or require manual adjustment, thus limiting their compatibility with highly tunable or integrated laser systems. In this Letter, we introduce a self-adaptive volume holographic filter using the dynamic two-beam coupling interaction in photorefractive BaTiO3, demonstrating −10 dB suppression of amplified spontaneous emission noise surrounding a tunable 780 nm diode laser peak, with <2 nm filter bandwidth and 50% power throughput. The spectral filtering is automatically centered on the lasing mode, with an estimated auto-tuning rate of 100 GHz/s under typical conditions. Furthermore, the filter suppression and bandwidth can be optimized via the two-beam coupling intensity ratio and angle, respectively, for versatile control over the self-adaptive filter characteristics.