Continuous tuning of a continuous-wave periodically poled lithium niobate optical parametric oscillator by use of a fan-out grating design

We report on a new periodically poled lithium niobate grating design with a continuous grating-period change (fan-out). We observed 350cm(-1) (80 nm at 1.5microm) of complete spectral coverage at a constant temperature in a cw optical parametric oscillator. Complete spectral coverage is demonstrated by measurement of an absorption band of CO(2) .     

Continuous-wave operation of a broadly tunable thermoelectrically cooled external cavity quantum-cascade laser

Continuous-wave operation of an external cavity quantum-cascade laser on a thermoelectric cooler is reported. The active region of the gain element was based on a bound-to-continuum design emitting near 5.15 microm. The external cavity setup was arranged in a Littrow configuration. The front facet of the gain chip was antireflection coated. The laser could be tuned over more than 170 cm(-1) from 4.94 to 5.4 microm and was single mode over more than 140 cm(-1). The output power was in excess of 10 mW over approximately 100 cm(-1) and in excess of 5 mW over approximately 130 cm(-1) at -30 degrees C.     

Room-temperature continuous-wave operation of an external-cavity quantum cascade laser

Room-temperature, continuous-wave operation of an external-cavity quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL) is reported. Single-mode tuning range of 120 cm(-1) was achieved, from 7.96 to 8.84 microm. The gain chips utilized are based on the bound to continuum design and were fabricated as buried heterostructure lasers. Gap-free tuning (mode hops only on the external-cavity modes) is demonstrated for an antireflection-coated laser, just by grating rotation. The EC-QCL was implemented in a Littrow setup and an average power of 1.5 mW was obtained at 20 degrees C, while a peak power of 20 mW was obtained for a modified Littrow setup with the back extraction of light.     

Narrow-linewidth bandpass filters with diffractive thin-film layers

Bandpass filters based on guided-mode resonance effects in waveguide-grating structures are obtained by use of a genetic algorithm search-and-optimization routine. Calculated examples show that narrow linewidths, high peaks, and low sideband transmittances can be achieved in thin-film diffractive devices with few layers. A filter with a linewidth of 0.2 nm at a central wavelength of 0.55 microm is demonstrated in a two-layer-two-grating structure. At 10.6-microm wavelength, a filter consisting of a single binary grating is obtained that has a linewidth of 12.7 nm and extended, low sideband transmittance. A three-layer device with a surface relief Si grating and two underlying homogeneous layers of SiO(2) and Si yields a high-efficiency filter centered at 1.55 microm with a linewidth of 0.1 nm.     

High efficiency grating coupler between silicon-on-insulator waveguides and perfectly vertical optical fibers

A high-efficiency waveguide-to-fiber grating coupler for silicon-on-insulator waveguides was designed. Perfectly vertical fiber coupling is achieved by using an asymmetric grating structure to suppress the second-order Bragg reflection from the grating. The ability to use a perfectly vertical positioned optical fiber simplifies the packaging of the photonic integrated circuit. A coupling efficiency of 80% at a wavelength of 1.55 microm is obtained.     

Fabrication of a pure polarization grating in a cross-linked azopolymer by polarization-modulated holography

A cross-linked azopolymer with high optical and thermal stability was prepared. A pure polarization grating without surface topology was fabricated from cross-linked azopolymer by polarization holography by use of orthogonal linearly polarized beams from a He-Cd laser with a power density of 60 mW/cm(-2). The surface relief structure was investigated by atomic-force microscopy, and the polarization grating was observed by polarization optical microscopy. The grating spacing is 1.5 microm. The grating is stable at room temperature and can endure repeated writing-erasing.     

Milliwatt-peak-power pulse characterization at 1.55 microm by wavelength-conversion frequency-resolved optical gating

A novel wavelength-conversion configuration based on four-wave mixing in an optical fiber has been used to generate a frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) trace identical to that obtained from second-harmonic generation (SHG). The use of an optical fiber waveguide permits enhanced measurement sensitivity compared with that of conventional SHG-FROG and has been used for complete characterization of 1-mW peak-power picosecond pulses at 1.55 microm from an unamplified semiconductor laser diode gain switched at 10 GHz.     

Near-infrared demonstration of computer-generated holograms implemented by using subwavelength gratings with space-variant orientation

We provide an experimental demonstration of novel form-birefringent computer-generated holograms at wavelengths of 1.55 and 10.6 microm. These novel devices utilize a 2-D array of cells that can be fabricated with a single lithographic step. Each cell contains a subwavelength binary grating whose orientation controls the desired continuous phase profile within the cell.     

High photorefractive sensitivity at 860 nm in reduced rhodium-doped KNbO(3)

We show that high-temperature reduction in a CO-CO(2) atmosphere increases the photorefractive sensitivity of KNbO(3):Rh at 860nm by 4 orders of magnitude compared with that of the as-grown crystal. The effective trap density is increased by a factor of 3, and the photoconductivity by a factor of 30, and the photorefractive response at a grating spacing of 0.15 mu;m is accelerated by a factor of 400. The grating buildup time at a grating spacing of 0.7 microm and an intensity of 1Wcm(-2) is 0.5 s, a value comparable with that of as-grown KNbO(3):Fe at visible wavelengths. The optical and photorefractive parameters of Rh-doped KNbO(3) subjected to reduction treatment are characterized for wavelengths of 0.48-1.064 microm .     

Time-resolved Fourier transform intracavity spectroscopy with a Cr2+:ZnSe laser

Intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy (ICLAS) with an evacuated Cr2+:ZnSe laser is performed with a high-resolution time-resolved Fourier transform interferometer with a minimum detectable absorption coefficient equal to 4 x 10(-9) cm(-1) Hz(-1/2) in the 2.5 microm region. This represents the extreme limit currently reached in the infrared by ICLAS with Doppler-limited resolution. The broad gain band of the crystal allows a spectral coverage at most equal to 125 nm, wide enough to see entire vibration bands. Weak CO2 bands observed up to now only in the Venusian atmosphere are recorded for the first time, to our knowledge, in a laboratory. An H2O detection limit down to 0.9 parts per billion by volume is also demonstrated.     

Stable 10 ns, kilowatt peak-power pulse generation from a gain-switched Tm-doped fiber laser

We report what we believe to be the first demonstration of stable short pulse (10 ns) generation from a gain-switched Tm-doped fiber laser in the 2 microm spectral region. A modulated 1.55 microm pump laser was used for fast gain switching to regulate the conventionally chaotic spiking in the gain-switched fiber laser. From a 6.3 microm core all-fiber oscillator, over a kilowatt of peak power was obtained at the slope efficiency of 50% and freely varying repetition rate up to 500 kHz.     

BaTiO3 thin-film waveguide modulator with a low voltage-length product at near-infrared wavelengths of 0.98 and 1.55 microm

A BaTiO3 thin-film electro-optic waveguide modulator with a low half-wave voltage-length product has been demonstrated at near-infrared wavelengths of 1-1.6 microm. Half-wave voltage-length products as small as 0.25 and 0.5 V cm were measured for a 5-mm-long device at wavelengths of 973 and 1561 nm, respectively. The effective electro-optic coefficients were calculated as 420 pm/V at 973 nm and 360 pm/V at 1561 nm. Further improvements in device performance by optimizing the ferroelectric domain structure are anticipated.     

Dispersion management with microstructured optical fibers: ultraflattened chromatic dispersion with low losses

We numerically demonstrate ultraflattened chromatic dispersion with low losses in microstructured optical fibers (MOFs). We propose using two different MOF structures to get this result. Both structures are based on a subset of a triangular array of cylindrical air holes; the cross sections of these inclusions are circular, and a missing hole in the fiber's middle forms the core. In this MOF structure the diameters of the inclusions increase with distance from the fiber axis until the diameters reach a maximum. With this new design and with three different hole diameters, it requires only seven rings to reach the 0.2-dB/km level at lambda = 1.55 microm with a variation amplitude of dispersion below 3.0 x 10(-2) ps nm(-1) km(-1) of lambda = 1.5-1.6 microm. With the usual MOF (made from holes of identical diameter), we show that at least 18 hole rings are required for losses to decrease to < 1 dB/km at lambda = 1.55 microm.     

Two-wave mixing in photorefractive BaTiO(3):Rh at 1.06 mum in the nanosecond regime

We present two-beam coupling experiments in the nanosecond regime at 1.06 mum , using photorefractive BaTiO(3):Rh. The maximum observed exponential gain coefficient is 14.2 cm(-1) . No intensity-dependent electron-hole competition and no strong saturation of the photoionized charge carriers are observed for intensities of less than 20MW cm(-2) . The energy required for recording the photorefractive grating is not significantly different in the nanosecond and the cw regimes.     

中红外差频光源应用于实际大气水汽浓度测量

基于非线性光学效应,采用差频发生技术(Difference frequency generation)和准相位匹配技术(Quasi-phase matching),在周期性极化的铌酸锂晶体(PPLN)中产生了中红外的可调谐激光源。泵浦光是一个功率为1 W、调谐范围在770到870 nm之间的连续可调谐钛宝石激光器。信号光是一个功率为1 W、单频连续的Nd∶YAG激光器。当晶体的光栅周期为20 μm、温度调谐范围内在室温到200 ℃之间时,能够产生2.8 μm附近的、功率约为1～2 μW的差频光源。基于这个光源,采用直接吸收光谱方法测量了实验室大气中的水汽(001←000)吸收带的吸收光谱。依据大气中水汽分子在8.5 cm的吸收光程条件下的吸收光谱,成功地测量得到了大气中的水汽浓度。     

Picosecond pulse amplification in a core-pumped large-mode-area erbium fiber

Amplification in a single-clad, large-mode-area erbium fiber as an alternative to double-clad Er-Yb amplifiers is presented. Both signal and pump are coupled through a mode-matched splice into the fundamental mode, which ensures preferential gain in the fundamental mode while minimizing the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). The 875 microm(2) effective area of the Er fiber enables amplification of 6 ps pulses at 1.55 microm wavelength by approximately 33 dB in a single stage to >25 kW peak power with low nonlinear pulse distortion and a diffraction-limited output beam with M(2)<1.1.     

Electric-field enhancement of beam coupling in Sn2P2S6

The influence of an external field on photorefractive recording in Sn₂P₂S₆ (SPS) crystals is studied. A large gain factor of more then 15 cm^-1 is achieved for a grating spacing of 12 μm at λ=0.9 μm. For an applied field exceeding ±200 V/cm a switching of the beam coupling direction is detected, exhibiting a pronounced hysteresis. Received: 25 October 2000 / Revised version: 18 January 2001 / Published online: 21 March 2001     

1．3μm附近CO2的高灵敏度吸收光谱

采用可连续调谐半导体二极管激光器作为探测光源,将长程多通池吸收光谱、波长调制和谐波探测技术相结合,建立了一套具有高检测灵敏度和高分辨率的测量气态分子光谱及进行微量分析的研究装置.可以测量6.67×102Pa下～10-27 cm-1·(molecule·cm-2)-1的强度,最小可探测吸收达到～10-8.并利用该装置测量了CO2气体在1.31 μm附近的近红外吸收光谱,并用最小二乘法拟合实验数据获得了这一波段谱线的参数.同时测量的谱线参数与HITRAN数据库相比,发现15条数据库上没有报道的弱谱线.     

A Novel Fabrication Technique of Long Period Fiber Gratings Using a Holographic Optical Element

We develop a new flexible and precise ultraviolet exposure technique to fabricate a long period fiber grating using a computer-generated holographic optical element (HOE). The HOE can generate a striped beam pattern with about a 300 #x03BC;m period from a KrF excimer laser. This method offers (1) ease in varying the grating period and (2) grating period precision. We achieve a grating period within an accuracy of #x00B1;0.04 #x03BC;m. This means that the peak wavelength can be controlled within an accuracy of #x00B1;0.2nm with an operating wavelength of 1.55 #x03BC;m.This paper was originally presented at the 2nd International Conference on Optical Design and Fabrication, ODF2000 which was held on November 15-17, 2000 at the International Conference Center, Tokyo, Waseda University, Japan.     

Mid-infrared (2.75-6.0-microm) second-harmonic generation in LiInS(2)

Phase-matched second-harmonic generation is obtained in various LiInS(2) crystals by use of the tunable picosecond output of the free-electron laser for infrared experiments (FELIX) as the pump source in the mid-IR range from 2.75 to 6.0 microm. Deviations from the phase-matching curve calculated from Boyd's refractive-index data are observed. Furthermore, the optical damage threshold of the crystals has been measured to be 1.1. J/cm(2)(>6 GW/cm(2)) at the 5-microm wavelength. LiInS(2) holds great promise for parametric interaction in the 1-13-microm range.