Temporal response of nonlinear transmission in optically thick saturable absorbers and determination of saturable absorption parameters

The temporal response of nonlinear transmission in saturable absorbers is theoretically investigated on the basis of a four-energy-level model including an excited-state absorption, and is experimentally employed for determining saturable absorption parameters in saturable-dye-doped films. The approximation of optically thin absorbers is shown to be inadequate to this end. In theoretical calculations, optically thick saturable absorbers are treated by a set of simultaneous partial differential equations: a rate equation governing the dynamics of population densities of energy levels and a propagation equation governing the propagation of optical fields in the optically thick absorbers. By comparing experimental results with numerical ones, the saturable absorption parameters can be determined on the basis of the intensity dependence of response time. In numerical calculations, the effect of random orientation is also considered for optically anisotropic molecules rigidly fixed in saturable absorbing media. The characterization of the saturable absorption parameters is conducted by using uranine-doped poly(vinyl alcohol) films.     

Quantitative infrared photochemistry with CO2 laser of different temporal shape: Dissociation of CF3I with nanosecond pulses

Infrared laser pulses of different temporal pulse shape with a length of 2–50 ns and a nominal power of 100–1000 MW are generated by a TEA CO₂ laser oscillator combination using saturable intracavity absorbers and a fast CdTe electro-optical switch. The multiphoton dissociation of CF₃I + nhv → CF₃ + I at 1074.6 cm⁻¹ and p(CF₃I) = 10 Pa was studied using these pulses. The product yields and the absolute rate constants were determined for different temporal pulse profiles, showing clear intensity effects at low intensities and a transition to a linear intensity regime at higher intensities.     

Simultaneous Spatial and Temporal Focusing in Nonlinear Microscopy

Simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing (SSTF), when combined with nonlinear microscopy, can improve the axial excitation confinement of wide-field and line-scanning imaging. Because two-photon excited fluorescence depends inversely on the pulse width of the excitation beam, SSTF decreases the background excitation of the sample outside of the focal volume by broadening the pulse width everywhere but at the geometric focus of the objective lens. This review theoretically describes the beam propagation within the sample using Fresnel diffraction in the frequency domain, deriving an analytical expression for the pulse evolution. SSTF can scan the temporal focal plane axially by adjusting the GVD in the excitation beam path. We theoretically define the axial confinement for line-scanning SSTF imaging using a time-domain understanding and conclude that line-scanning SSTF is similar to the temporally-decorrelated multifocal multiphoton imaging technique. Recent experiments on the temporal focusing effect and its axial confinement, as well as the axial scanning of the temporal focus by tuning the GVD, are presented. We further discuss this technique for axial-scanning multiphoton fluorescence fiber probes without any moving parts at the distal end. The temporal focusing effect in SSTF essentially replaces the focusing of one spatial dimension in conventional wide-field and line-scanning imaging. Although the best axial confinement achieved by SSTF cannot surpass that of a regular point-scanning system, this trade-off between spatial and temporal focusing can provide significant advantages in applications such as high-speed imaging and remote axial scanning in an endoscopic fiber probe.     

Determination of the temporal stability intervals for the parameters of a hydroacoustic channel

The temporal variability of the parameters of an oceanic waveguide extending for ～300 km near the eastern coast of the Kamchatka peninsula is investigated. Signals with linear frequency modulation in the frequency band 600–800 Hz are used. Relative contributions of various processes that occur in the oceanic medium are analyzed. The effect of the transmitting ship drift is estimated. Estimates are obtained for the lower bounds of the stability intervals of the waveguide parameters. The main contribution to the temporal variability of the propagation conditions is presumably determined by the internal wave dynamics. The possibility of adapting the reception to the sound channel characteristics is considered.     

Gas-induced solitons

The self-guiding of femtosecond laser pulses in air is investigated. For powers close to the threshold for self-focusing, we show that the balance between the nonlinear focusing of the beam and its defocusing by multiphoton sources produces a new kind of solitonlike structure. Over considerably long distances, the radial profile of the pulse relaxes to a steady-state shape, whereas its temporal profile shrinks along propagation. The influence of the normal group-velocity dispersion is finally discussed.     

Dissipative photonic lattice solitons

We show that discrete dissipative optical lattice solitons are possible in waveguide array configurations that involve periodically patterned semiconductor optical amplifiers and saturable absorbers. The characteristics of these low-power soliton states are investigated, and their propagation constant eigenvalues are mapped on Floquet-Bloch band diagrams. The prospect of observing such low-power dissipative lattice solitons is discussed in detail.     

啁啾脉冲堆积宽带激光非线性传输时域调制特性

为避免时域调制增长形成的高强度时间尖峰对光学元件的损坏,数值研究了啁啾堆积脉冲宽带激光非线性传输的时域调制增长规律。结果表明:对于正常色散介质,子脉冲间干涉引入的时间调制与外加调制随着传输距离的增加,不断振荡减弱;相反,对于反常色散介质,无外加时间噪声时,堆积子脉冲间的相互干涉引入的时间调制有微弱增长,但当传输距离进一步增加时,子脉冲间干涉引入的调制可以获得快速增长;而当外加非线性最快增长时间调制时,时间调制发生迅速增长,具有破坏威胁的时间尖峰易于形成。     

Remotely scanned multiphoton temporal focusing by axial grism scanning

A simple technique for remote scanning of the focal plane in temporal focusing multiphoton microscopy is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. A new on-axis light propagation optical setup design enables this scanning, which was considered not feasible in previous studies. The focal plane is axially displaced by the movement of a remote optical device, consisting of a double prism grating, and optionally a cylindrical lens. The displacement is linear, and its slope is inversely proportional to the square of the optical system's magnification.     

啁啾脉冲堆积宽带激光非线性传输时域调制特性

为避免时域调制增长形成的高强度时间尖峰对光学元件的损坏,数值研究了啁啾堆积脉冲宽带激光非线性传输的时域调制增长规律。结果表明:对于正常色散介质,子脉冲间干涉引入的时间调制与外加调制随着传输距离的增加,不断振荡减弱;相反,对于反常色散介质,无外加时间噪声时,堆积子脉冲间的相互干涉引入的时间调制有微弱增长,但当传输距离进一步增加时,子脉冲间干涉引入的调制可以获得快速增长;而当外加非线性最快增长时间调制时,时间调制发生迅速增长,具有破坏威胁的时间尖峰易于形成。     

Self-compression of femtosecond pulses in argon with a power close to the self-focusing threshold

Self-compression of femtosecond pulses in noble gases with an input power close to the self-focusing threshold has been investigated experimentally and theoretically. It is demonstrated that either multiphoton ionization （MPI） or space-time focusing and self-steepening effects can induce pulse shortening, but they predominate at different beam intensities during the propagation. The latter effects play a key role in the final pulse self-compression. By choosing an appropriate focusing parameter, action distance of the space-time focusing and self-steepening effects can be lengthened, which can promote a shock pulse structure with a duration as short as two optical cycles. It is also found that, for our calculation cases in which an input pulse power is close to the self-focusing threshold, either group velocity dispersion （GVD） or multiphoton absorption （MPA） has a negligible influence on pulse characteristics in the propagation process.     

啁啾脉冲堆积宽带激光非线性传输空间调制特性

为避免啁啾脉冲堆积宽带激光的空间调制对光学元件的损坏,数值研究了其非线性传输过程中时域调制对光束空间调制产生与增长的影响。结果表明：光束未叠加空间调制时,若B积分在实际工作范围内,堆积子脉冲间干涉引入时间调制外,叠加与未叠加时间调制,正反常色散情况下光束空间上均不会产生调制,因而也没有调制增长,然而,当B积分进一步增加时,光束空间将产生调制,并能快速增长;当光束引入空间调制后,在反常色散情况下,与时间未额外叠加调制相比,时间额外叠加调制时空间调制增长速度明显加快,而在正常色散时,额外添加时间调制与不添加调制,空间调制增长的差别很小。     

相干原子系统的失谐对脉冲调制的影响

研究了一对非共振脉冲在相干介质中的时空传播,着重考究了失谐对相干脉冲相位调制的影响。计算结果表明当脉冲在介质中稳定传播时,脉冲的最终振幅与双光子脉冲共振的情况下相同,只由介质的初始状态决定,与失谐无关。而失谐仅仅只对脉冲的相位进行调制。     

Multiphoton endoscopy

Despite widespread use of multiphoton fluorescence microscopy, development of endoscopes for nonlinear optical imaging has been stymied by the degradation of ultrashort excitation pulses that occurs within optical fiber as a result of the combined effects of group-velocity dispersion and self-phase modulation. We introduce microendoscopes (350-1000 microm in diameter) based on gradient-index microlenses that effectively eliminate self-phase modulation within the endoscope. Laser-scanning multiphoton fluorescence endoscopy exhibits micrometer-scale resolution. We used multiphoton endoscopes to image fluorescently labeled neurons and dendrites.     

Demonstration of temporal distinguishability in a four-photon state and a six-photon state

An experiment is performed to demonstrate the temporal distinguishability of a four-photon state and a six-photon state, both from parametric down-conversion. The experiment is based on a multiphoton interference scheme in a recently discovered projection measurement of a maximally entangled N-photon state. By measuring the visibility of the interference dip, we can distinguish the various scenarios in the temporal distribution of the pairs and, thus, quantitatively determine the degree of temporal distinguishability of a multiphoton state.     

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。     

Distortion-free delivery of nanojoule femtosecond pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser through a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber

We demonstrate propagation of femtosecond pulses in the 800-nm range through a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber with preserved temporal and spectral profiles for pulse energies up to 4.6 nJ. Without the use of a prechirping unit, 170-fs pulses were transmitted essentially undistorted at 812 nm, near the zero-dispersion wavelength. Because of the air guidance of pulses, intensity-dependent nonlinear effects were minimal, with only 15% pulse broadening occurring at 350-mW average output power. This fiber thus is excellently suited for applications that require single-mode delivery of high-energy ultrashort pulses to the fiber output face such as, for example, miniaturized multiphoton microscopes.     

Spectral-domain optical coherence phase and multiphoton microscopy

We describe simultaneous quantitative phase contrast and multiphoton fluorescence imaging by combined spectral-domain optical coherence phase and multiphoton microscopy. The instrument employs two light sources for efficient optical coherence microscopic and multiphoton imaging and can generate structural and functional images of transparent specimens in the epidirection. Phase contrast imaging exhibits spatial and temporal phase stability in the subnanometer range. We also demonstrate the visualization of actin filaments in a fixed cell specimen, which is confirmed by simultaneous multiphoton fluorescence imaging.     

Direct measurement of pulse distortion near the zero-dispersion wavelength in an optical fiber by frequency-resolved optical gating

The technique of frequency-resolved optical gating is used to characterize the intensity and the phase of picosecond pulses after propagation through 700 m of fiber at close to the zero-dispersion wavelength. Using the frequency-resolved optical gating technique, we directly measure the severe temporal distortion resulting from the interplay between self-phase modulation and higher-order dispersion in this regime. The measured intensity and phase of the pulses after propagation are found to be in good agreement with the predictions of numerical simulations with the nonlinear Schr?dinger equation.