Parametric amplification in a microstructure fiber

We report an observation of parametric amplification with a gain greater than 30 dB in a 1.7-m microstructure fiber. It is found that there exists a peak pump power P_s. For peak pump powers less than P_s, the amplified twin (signal: longer wavelength, and idler: shorter wavelength) pulses are highly correlated, and the bandwidth of the amplified signal pulse broadens monotonically with pump power. For peak pump powers exceeding P_s, the correlation between the amplified twin pulses drops when the pump power increases, the bandwidth of the amplified signal pulse becomes narrower when the pump power increases, and the central wavelength of the amplified signal (idler) pulse shifts towards longer (shorter) wavelength, respectively, due to phase matching. PACS 42.65.Yj     

Optical signal processing using nonlinear fibers

Ultra-fast optical signal processing is a promising technology for future photonic networks. This paper describes possible applications of nonlinear fibers to optical signal processing. The third-order optical nonlinearities in a fiber are discussed by analyzing the interaction of co-propagating optical waves. The properties of a nonlinear fiber are then considered in terms of optimizing the dispersion for achieving phase matching and decreasing walk-off. A highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF) is a practical candidate for an ultra-high-speed signal processor. Using HNLF, the following experiments are successfully demonstated: ultra-broadband wavelength conversion/optical phase conjugation by four-wave mixing, 160 Gb/s optical 3R-regeneration, and optical switching up to 640 Gb/s using a parametric amplified fiber switch. Steps for further improvements are also discussed.     

Silicon Raman polarizer

We theoretically investigate the polarization properties of Raman amplifiers based on silicon-on-insulator waveguides, and show that it is possible to realize a waveguide Raman polarizer. The Raman polarizer is a special type of Raman amplifier with the property of producing an amplified and highly repolarized beam when it is fed by a relatively weak and unpolarized signal.     

Noiseless amplification and signal-to-noise ratio in single-sideband transmission

We study the properties of optical single-sideband (SSB) modulation with respect to signal-to-noise ratio and limits to spectral efficiency. We show that SSB signals undergo truly noiseless amplification, which can be understood in view of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Yet, contrary to previously published results, this phenomenon offers no advantages in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio of the amplified signal. We show that, when an intensity receiver is used, single-sideband modulation can improve spectral efficiency in the limit of a high optical signal-to-noise ratio and in the presence of a strong carrier signal.     

Parasitic lasing in large aperture Ti:sapphire chirped pulse amplifier

We research some properties of parasitic lasing(PL) in the Ti:sapphire chirped pulse amplifier with the crystal diameter of 100 mm. The evolutionary process from the spontaneous emission to the PL and its influence on amplified output energy, spectrum, and beam profile are experimentally measured. The threshold of PL in the crystal is 22 J, and the output signal can still keep rising with the pump when the pump energy is below 38 J. The PL has no obvious impact on the output spectrum and beam profile besides the energy.     

Detection of weak optical signals with a laser amplifier

Detection of weak and extremely weak light signals amplified by linear and four-wave mixing laser amplifiers is analyzed. Photoelectron distributions are found for different input photon statistics over a wide range of gain. Signal-to-noise ratios are calculated and analyzed for preamplification schemes using linear and four-wave mixing amplifiers. Calculations show that the high signal-to-noise ratio (much higher than unity), ensuring reliable detection of weak input signals, can be attained only with a four-wave mixing preamplification scheme. Qualitative dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio on the quantum statistical properties of both signal and idler waves is demonstrated.     

Amplified Emissions Spectroscopy for Sensing Applications

Amplified emission spectroscopy is promising for applications of qualitative and quantitative sensing of elements and their states. This technique has the characteristics of a narrow spectral line, high spectral resolution, and high signal‐to‐noise ratio. Recently, this technology has advanced tremendously with progress in excitation methods, that is, resonance multiphoton absorption and filamentation with ultrafast lasers. The mechanism, conditions, excitation, signal processing, and applications of amplified emission spectroscopy are reviewed herein. In particular, the different formation patterns of the amplified emission spectra produced by an ultrafast laser are analyzed in detail. In addition, a brief introduction is given to the existing applications of amplified emission. Finally, both a conclusion and a perspective of the future for amplified emission are presented.     

Fluctuations in the phase-conjugate signal generated via degenerate four-wave mixing

The excess fluctuations of the phase-conjugate (PC) signal generated via pulsed degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) in sodium vapor are investigated. Various dye-laser oscillator and amplifier combinations are employed to trace the sources of these fluctuations. For DFWM driven by an externally-stabilized cw dye-laser oscillator amplified with a dye system pumped by the smoothed pulses of a Nd:YAG laser, the PC excess fluctuations are very highly correlated with the energy fluctuations of the input amplified dye-laser pulses. Thus, input-pulse selection on the basis of energy alone permits observation of the quantum-mechanical fluctuations of the PC signal.     

堆积脉冲光参量啁啾脉冲放大器

以自启动被动锁模掺镱光纤堆积脉冲激光器为种子源,采用非共线相位匹配的方法,进行了光参量啁啾脉冲放大器的实验研究,得到了两级放大总增益为1.1×107,单脉冲能量为11 mJ,能量稳定性小于2％ rms,8 nm的放大谱宽.实验结果表明,采用这种结构的光参量啁啾脉冲放大器,放大增益高,系统稳定、结构紧凑、便于调节,同时通过调节种子源中的堆积器,可以得到不同宽度的放大信号脉冲.     

Amplification of noise in the quantum theory of parametric processes

A quantum mechanical treatment is given of the acousto-optical parametric amplification processes in dielectric crystals when the signal acoustical and idler light waves are amplified in the presence of intensive optical pumping. The approximate Heisenberg equations of motion are found and solved for the creation and annihilation operators of signal and idler modes with due regard for the interaction of these modes with other light and vibratory modes of the crystal (“the thermostat”). It is shown that the thermostat influence results in noise and attenuation effects. These persistent noises are also amplified. If the pumping is not far above the threshold the persistent noises are more important than the initial ones.     

Transformation of the probability density function in an optical parametric amplifier: Application to rogue-wave-like statistics

We study how the probability density function of a weak seed intensity is transformed in a nonlinear process such as optical parametric amplification. The character of the transformation strongly depends on the amplification regime accessed: in the small-gain (undepleted-pump) regime the statistics of the seed are transferred to the statistics of the amplified signal almost unaltered. In contrast, in the gain saturation regime the modification of the statistics is considerable. In particular, we demonstrate that rogue-wave-like (long-tailed) statistics of the seed are completely suppressed, and resulting probability distribution function of the amplified signal becomes Gaussian. The theoretical findings are supported by the experiments carried out in supercontinuum-seeded noncollinear optical parametric amplifier.     

单频光纤拉曼放大器的实验研究

本文进行了1031 nm抽运光对1080 nm单频信号光的拉曼放大实验,详细研究了单频信号光种子功率、拉曼增益光纤长度、抽运方式等因素对 单频光纤拉曼放大器(SF-FRA)输出特性的影响.结果表明,在未受受激布里渊散射(SBS)因素限制时,相同抽运功率条件下,单频信号光种子功率越高,SF-FRA的效率越高;拉曼增益光纤越长,SF-FRA的效率越高;前向抽运时,SF-FRA的效率较高.实验中发现SF-FRA的拉曼放大过程对单频信号光的线宽有较小的展宽.此外,单频信号光远场干涉短曝光图像的对比度为0.814,单频信号光与SF-FRA放大光远场干涉短曝光图像可见度为0.719,表明SF-FRA对单频信号光的相干性有一定影响.实验结论可为其他特殊波长SF-FRA的设计提供一定的参考.     

High-gain fiber, optical-parametric, chirped-pulse amplification of femtosecond pulses at 1 μm

Fiber-based optical-parametric chirped-pulse amplification is reported at 1μm in a microstructured fiber in the femtosecond regime. The signal has been highly stretched by an ?ffner triplet and then amplified with an all-fiber, pulsed-pump, fiber optical-parametric amplifier. More than 30dB gain has been achieved over 8.3nm, and the amplified signal has been recompressed.     

水中受激布里渊散射微弱Stokes信号光的高增益放大

采用脉冲宽度为7.2 ns的种子光注入式倍频Nd:YAG脉冲激光器,以CS₂为放大介质,实验并理论研究了水中受激布里渊散射微弱Stokes光的信号增益随延迟时间、放大器池长、抽运光能量的变化规律. 结果表明,当抽运光脉冲相对信号光脉冲延迟进入放大器,且延迟时间为脉冲宽度的一半,抽运光能量略低于介质受激布里渊散射阈值,选择合适的放大器池长可获得最佳的信号增益. 适当选择抽运光能量,亦可实现微弱信号光的线性放大. 实验中采用独立双池放大系统,当水中Stokes信号光的能量为1 pJ时,信 关键词： 布里渊放大器 信号增益 延迟时间 抽运光能量     

Double-pass ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier with high gain coefficient and low noise figure

We have proposed and demonstrated a double-pass ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier using an optical circulator and a fiber Bragg grating as reflector. When the signal has passed through the ytterbium-doped fiber once, it reflects off a 0.2-nm passive fiber Bragg grating filter. This reduces amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise from the first pass. The input signal light is amplified both forward and backward through ytterbium-doped fiber. With this double-pass configuration, 1053.15-nm unsaturated signal gain of 28 dB, gain coefficient of 1.1 dB/mW, and noise figure of less than 4 dB are achieved at 977-nm pump power of 68 mW. It is also found that this double-pass configure provides enhancing gain coefficient and improving noise figure by comparison with single-pass configuration.     

基于拉曼组合放大的长距离光纤传输系统

本文改进了一种实现长距离自适应补偿光纤传输的方法.在利用光纤光栅形成的谐振腔产生激光对信号光进行拉曼放大的基础上,再利用双抽运光对信号光进行拉曼放大,从而获得更高的拉曼增益以实现更长距离的自适应补偿光纤传输.使实验自适应补偿传输距离达125km(为目前国际上已报道的最长自适应补偿光纤传输距离).实验测量并理论分析了该长距离光纤传输系统的开关增益、放大的自发辐射噪声、噪声指数和光功率分布的特性,实验结果与理论模型符合很好.     

电光调制在被动综合孔径成像探测中的应用

介绍了一种新型被动综合孔径成像探测方法:视场辐射信号被接收和放大后,通过电光幅度调制将其幅度和相位信息加载到光波上,经光纤传输在末端形成阵列,通过光学系统直接成像,将视场实时恢复出来.该方法可实现工作在微波、毫米波和太赫兹波段的高分辨力实时成像探测的目的.深入分析了电光调制器在综合孔径成像探测中的应用,建立电光调制模型,讨论了在小信号调制下的电光幅度调制近似理论.通过数值计算与仿真分析,得到综合孔径成像探测中电光调制器的调制信号强度限制的有关结论.结果表明,利用上变频电光调制技术和光信息处理,所得到的成像仿真图的半峰全宽和信噪比性能都优于传统的基于下变频技术的成像仿真结果.     

Observation of superradiant amplification of ultrashort laser pulses in a plasma

We demonstrate the amplification of a femtosecond signal pulse in an underdense plasma by a novel mechanism called superradiant amplification. The pulse is amplified by a counterpropagating few picosecond long pump pulse. In the superradiant regime, the ponderomotive forces exceed the electrostatic forces and arrange the plasma electrons to reflect the pump light into the signal pulse. We found a significant amplification in energy and intensity. The time structure of the amplified signal pulse carries intrinsic features of the superradiant regime. Sub-10-fs pulses of petawatt power appear feasible.     

Slow and stored light in an amplifying double-Lambda system

We show analytically and numerically that a double-Lambda system, characterized by parametric amplification of cross-coupled probe and four-wave mixing pulses, is an excellent medium for producing both slow and stored light. Moreover, this system can compensate for the absorption and broadening processes that usually occur without destroying the coherent properties of the medium. The stored probe signal pulse is written by means of a simple Lambda system and is retrieved and amplified, at the same frequency, by a double-Lambda system that also produces a pulse at the four-wave mixing frequency.