Mode-locked laser pulse train repetition frequency multiplication : the optical rattler

We present a simple method for multiplying the pulse repetition frequency of a given cw mode-locked laser. We report, in particular, the doubling and tripling of the c/2L frequency of a synchronously pumped mode-locked dye laser. This technique should prove useful for a variety of ultrashort pulse applications including high repetition rate optical pulse amplification studies, electronic and optical material characterization, optical chaos experiments, and impulsively driven spectroscopy.