Improving the resolution in quantum and classical temporal imaging

The point-spread function of an optical system determines its optical resolution for both spatial and temporal imaging. For spatial imaging, it is given by a Fourier transform of the pupil function of the system. For temporal imaging based on nonlinear optical processes, such as sum-frequency generation or four-wave mixing, the pointspread function is related to the waveform of the pump wave by a nonlinear transformation. We compare the point-spread functions of three temporal imaging schemes: sum-frequency generation, co-propagating four-wave mixing, and counter-propagating four-wave mixing, and demonstrate that the last scheme provides the best temporal resolution. Our results are valid for both quantum and classical temporal imaging.     

Linear and Nonlinear Fiber Propagation of Partially Coherent Fields Exhibiting Temporal Correlations

Using an ultrafast photonic first-order differentiator applied on a partially coherent field, the generation of two correlated temporal waveforms is reported and their correlation properties upon linear and nonlinear propagation along the two orthogonal polarization axes of a dispersive optical fiber are studied. Temporal correlations are maintained in linear propagation whereas Kerr nonlinearity generates anticorrelated temporal intensity patterns for both partially and uncorrelated fields. Experiments are in close agreement with the theoretical analysis.     

Supercontinuum generation of ultrashort laser pulses in air at different central wavelengths

Supercontinuum generation by femtosecond filaments in air is investigated for different laser wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to infrared. Particular attention is paid on the role of third-harmonic generation and temporal steepening effects, which enlarge the blue part of the spectrum. A unidirectional pulse propagation model and nonlinear evolution equations are numerically integrated and their results are compared. Apart from the choice of the central wavelength, we emphasize the importance of the clamped intensity reached by self-guided pulses, together with their temporal duration and propagation length as key players acting on both supercontinuum generation of the pump wave and emergence of the third harmonic. Maximal broadening is observed for large wavelengths and long filamentation ranges.     

Generation of subpicosecond electrical pulses by optical rectification

We describe the generation of subpicosecond electrical pulses by optical rectification of ultrashort optical pulses. The electrical pulses are generated by the second-order nonlinear response of a LiTaO(3) crystal bonded to a coplanar transmission line. A bipolar temporal waveform with a width of 875 fs was measured after a propagation distance of 175mum . This pulse width was limited by the response time of the photoconductive sampler. We observed both broadening and amplitude reduction in the temporal waveform owing to propagation.     

Supercontinuum generation with femtosecond self-healing Airy pulses

We report experiments and numerical simulations on supercontinuum generation with femtosecond Airy pulses in a highly nonlinear optical fiber. The ability of the Airy waveform to regenerate its dominant intensity peak results in the generation of distinct spectral features. Airy pulses and other self-healing temporal waveforms may be useful for the generation of spectra with desired properties.     

Generation of Competitive and Coexisting Two Pairs of Biphotons in Single Hot Atomic Vapor Cell

The non-classical states of light serve as a potential candidate for emerging quantum information process. A processing trend to enhance its scalability is to integrate multiple nonlinear processes with the dressed-state picture into a single device, and therefore, are useful for quantum computations. Here, a novel method is proposed to experimentally achieve the generation of coexisting two pairs of narrow-band biphotons by two four-wave mixing processes in a single hot rubidium vapor cell. Based on the photon-atom nonlinear interfaces, the generated biphotons exhibits genuine entanglement in time–energy. Meanwhile, the nonlinear susceptibility with the dressed-state picture decides the temporal correlation of the biphotons wave packet as a damped periodic Rabi oscillation, suggesting the property of the high-dimensional time–energy entangled state. Such a high-dimensional entangled state also is an efficient way to enhance information carrying capacity. By alternating two nonlinear susceptibilities in a single device, respectively, there exists a competition of the generation rate between such two pairs of biphotons. Moreover, both generated two pairs of biphotons that violate the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality and show their non-classical behavior.     

Multibeam second-harmonic generation by spatiotemporal shaping of femtosecond pulses

We present a technique for efficient generation of the second-harmonic signal at several points of a nonlinear crystal simultaneously. Multispot operation is performed by using a diffractive optical element that splits the near-infrared light of a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser into an arbitrary array of beams that are transformed into an array of foci at the nonlinear crystal. We show that, for pulse temporal durations under 100 fs, spatiotemporal shaping of the pulse is mandatory to overcome chromatic dispersion effects that spread both in space and time the foci showing a reduced peak intensity that prevents nonlinear phenomena. We experimentally demonstrate arbitrary irradiance patterns for the second-harmonic signal consisting of more than 100 spots with a multipass amplifier delivering 28 fs, 0.8 mJ pulses at 1 kHz repetition rate.     

Amplitude degradation of time-reversed pulses in nonlinear absorbing thermoviscous fluids

The linear wave equation in a lossless medium is time reversible, i.e., every solution p(x, t) has a temporal mirror solution p(x, -t). Analysis shows that time reversal also holds for the lossless nonlinear wave equation. In both cases, time-reversal invariance is violated when losses are present. For nonlinear propagation loses cannot normally be ignored; they are necessary to prevent the occurrence of multivalued waveforms. Further analysis of the nonlinear wave equation shows that amplification of a time-reversed pulse at the array elements also leads to a violation of time reversal even for lossless nonlinear acoustics. Numerical simulations are used to illustrate the effect of nonlinearity on the ability of a time-reversal system to effectively focus on a target in an absorbing fluid medium. We consider both the amplitude and arrival time of retrodirected pulses. The numerical results confirm that both shock generation (with the accompanying absorption) and amplification at the array, adversely affect the ability of a time-reversal system to form strong retrodirective sound fields.     

分步傅里叶法求解广义非线性薛定谔方程的改进及精度分析

利用分步傅里叶算法求解广义非线性薛定谔方程时对非线性项的处理往往采取了较多的数值近似,而且需要特别小心选择空间和时间的步长以及窗口尺寸,以保证精度要求.以描述光子晶体光纤中超连续谱产生的广义非线性薛定谔方程为例,利用分步傅里叶方法求解时对非线性项直接采用积分处理,而不采取任何数学近似,数值计算时又将积分变成卷积利用傅里叶变换求解,从而方便而又精确地完成了非线性项的计算.整个过程没有任何人为的近似,从而保证了计算模型的精确度.同时,还对因步长选择引起的计算精度进行了分析,提出了从频谱图上判断空间、时间步长选 关键词： 非线性光学 广义非线性薛定谔方程 分步傅里叶方法 超连续谱产生     

Multiple pulses with broadband spectrum generation in passively mode-locked fiber ring laser incorporating a highly nonlinear fiber

Multiple pulses with broadband spectrum generation are experimentally obtained in passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring lasers based on nonlinear polarization rotation, which is achieved by incorporating a length of highly nonlinear dispersion-shifted fiber in the laser cavity. The temporal and spectral dynamic behaviors of multipulse bunching states are demonstrated. The maximum spectral width and flatness are attained when the continuous-wave component is suppressed under appropriate polarization states and pump powers.     

Highly efficient nonlinear filter for femtosecond pulse contrast enhancement and pulse shortening

We propose a highly efficient scheme for temporal filters devoted to femtosecond pulse contrast enhancement. The filter is based on cross-polarized wave generation with a spatially suger-Gaussian-shaped beam. In a single nonlinear crystal scheme the energy conversion to the cross-polarized pulse can reach 28%. We demonstrate that the process enables a significant spectral broadening. For an efficiency of 23% the pulse shortening is estimated to 2.2, leading to an intensity transmission of the nonlinear filter of 50%.     

Measurements of dynamics of nondegenerate optical nonlinearity in ZnS with pulses from optical parameter generation

We expand the degenerate PO pump-probe technique to nondegenerate field and use it to investigate optical nonlinear dynamics in ZnS single crystal. Excited by 532-nm laser pulses with 21-ps duration, the temporal response of nondegenerate nonlinear absorption and nondegenerate nonlinear refraction are probed by laser pulses from optical parameter generation (OPG) at 600 and 680 nm with pulse width of 10 ps. Based on the theory of free-carrier optical nonlinearity, we study the pure free-carrier refraction in ZnS. By numerically fitting based on the nondegenerate pump-probe theory, the nondegenerate two-photon absorption coefficient, the free-carrier lifetime, the free-carrier absorptive cross section and refractive coefficient at both probe wavelengths are determined respectively. The dispersion of the free-carrier refractive coefficients is discussed.     

钕玻璃的热致断裂及泵浦极限

以激光介质的第一主应力为评判标准,依据Griffith微裂纹理论作为断裂临界应力,基于已报道的断裂实验数据和3维、瞬态的有限元计算,建立了预测一定泵浦参数下钕玻璃断裂可能性的Weibull统计模型,同时分析了影响介质泵浦极限的其它因素。结果表明:材料的抛光工艺决定了介质的断裂应力;对于短脉冲大能量方式工作的钕玻璃介质,基于美国20世纪90年代的抛光水平,1 Hz以下低重频时应优先考虑18 kWcm-2的泵浦饱和极限,10 Hz以上高重频时应优先考虑介质的断裂极限。     

Spatio-temporal resonance in generation of subharmonics,sum and difference frequencies in photorefractive crystals

Illumination of a photorefractive crystal by light containing two interference patterns (generally running) is considered. As well as linear terms in the response, the nonlinear ones are calculated, corresponding to sum and difference spatial frequencies. Efficient recording of those nonlinear gratings due to temporal phase-matching, i.e. phaselocked detection, is predicted under the application of spatially homogeneous field with DC and/or with sinusoidal time dependence. Thresholds for parametric instabilities of the types of subharmonic generation are calculated for different cases.     

Nonlinear optical generation and detection of ultrashort electrical pulses in transmission lines

The nonlinear optical generation and detection of subpicosecond electrical pulses on coplanar transmission lines is demonstrated. The electrical pulses are generated by optical rectification of ultrashort optical pulses and detected by electro-optic sampling. Both processes are the result of a second-order nonlinear optical response that occurs in the same poled polymer medium. A bipolar temporal waveform with a FWHM duration of 180 fs for the positive lobe that was measured after a propagation distance of 125 mum was observed. Pulse broadening was minimized by careful attention to the device structure.     

Time domain bidirectional beam propagation method for second harmonic generation in multilayers

We propose a time domain bidirectional beam propagation method based on scattering operators for wide band pulse propagation in nonlinear multilayers. The reported numerical examples demonstrate the applicability of the algorithm for the analysis of temporal effects related to the process of second harmonic generation.     

TEMPORAL OPTICAL SOLITONS VIA MULTISTEP χ(2) CASCADING

We consider a multistep χ⁽²⁾ cascading for light pulses with the dispersion of the system taken into account. Using the method of multiple scales we derive a set of coupled envelope equations governing the nonlinear evolution of the fundamental, second and third harmonic waves involved simultaneously in two nonlinear optical processes, i.e. second harmonic generation and sum frequency mixing. We show that three-wave temporal optical solitons are possible in three-and four-step cascading in the presence of a group-velocity mismatch between different pulses.     

Experimental observation of tunable wavelength down- and up-conversions of ultra-short pulses in a periodically poled LiNbO3 waveguide

All-optical tunable wavelength conversion of ps-pulses is proposed and experimentally demonstrated by use of cascaded sum- and difference frequency generation (cSFG/DFG) in a periodically poled LiNbO₃ (PPLN) waveguide. The amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise is effectively suppressed by employing two tunable filters. As a result, tunable wavelength down- and up-conversions are simultaneously observed. The temporal evolutions of the signal, pump, control and idler waves propagating along the PPLN waveguide are simulated. From the temporal waveforms and optical spectra in the simulations, it is interesting to find that continuous wave (CW) pump and control are evolved into optical pulses during the cSFG/DFG nonlinear interactions. Moreover, some new sidebands in the output pump spectrum are observed both in the simulations and experiments.     

Direct phase and amplitude characterization of femtosecond laser pulses undergoing filamentation in air

Measurement of the temporal (spectral) phase and amplitude of a 50 fs laser pulse approaching and exceeding the critical power for self-focusing (P(crit)) in air reveals the formation of an isolated 17 fs pulse at 3P(crit). The dynamics of self-shortening are measured directly in the filament using transient-grating cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating with a noble gas serving as the nonlinear medium. Our results support recent filamentary propagation simulations, suggesting that a Kerr-dominated temporal reshaping process toward the end of the filament is largely responsible for the generation of short pulses.     

多晶体级联钛宝石激光宽带三倍频

用多块ＢＢＯ晶体对钛宝石激光进行宽带三倍频,比通常的两块晶体的方法效率上有所提高,实验研究了三倍频光的时间和空间特性,并从理论上分析了这种方法在激光带宽和效率等方面的优点,为ＩＣＦ提高一种新的三倍频技术。