Sub-100-attosecond residual timing jitter from turn-key diode-pumped solid-state mode-locked ytterbium lasers

Residual timing noise from two synchronized diode pumped solid-state ytterbium-doped ultrafast laser oscillators is investigated. The lasers are passively mode-locked with a SESAM, which allows self-starting and stable laser operation coupled to a robust and cost-efficient design. A balanced optical cross-correlator is used to synchronize the laser repetition rates and to characterize their residual timing noise. The timing jitter measurement resolution is 8as and is limited by the cross-correlator photocurrent shot-noise. The integrated residual timing jitter is estimated to 73 as from 10 kHz to 31 MHz offset frequency. The timing jitter performance is limited by intracavity amplitude-noise-to-timing-noise conversion, mostly attributed to the SESAM. The timing jitter amounts to 4.5 fs when integrated from 10 Hz to 31 MHz because of excess technical noise contribution. This performance already makes the tested laser oscillator suitable for challenging time-resolved experiments setups.