Generation of few-cycle laser pulses by coherent synthesis based on a femtosecond Yb-doped fiber laser amplification system

We demonstrate a coherent synthesis system based on femtosecond Yb-doped fiber laser technology. The output pulse of the amplification system is divided into two replicas and seeded into photonic crystal fibers of two parallel branches for nonlinear pulse compression. Because of the different nonlinear dynamics in the photonic crystal fibers, the compressed pulses show different spectra, which can be spliced to form a broad coherent spectrum. The integrated timing jitter between the pulses of two branches is less than one tenth of an optical cycle.By coherently synthesizing pulses from these two branches, 8 fs few-cycle pulses are produced.     

Dynamical Bragg diffraction of optical pulses in photonic crystals in the Laue geometry: Diffraction-induced splitting, selective compression, and focusing of pulses

A theory for the dynamical Bragg diffraction of a spatially confined laser pulse in a linear photonic crystal with a significant modulation of the refractive index in the Laue geometry has been developed. The diffraction-induced splitting of a spatially confined pulse into the Borrmann and anti-Borrmann pulses localized in different regions of the photonic crystal and characterized by different dispersion laws is predicted. The selective compression or focusing of one of these pulses with the simultaneous broadening or defocusing of the other pulse is shown to be possible.     

Enhanced red-shifted radiation by pulse trapping in photonic crystal fibers with two zero-dispersion wavelengths

A theoretical investigation on the two pulses copropagation and the red-shifted radiation generation in a photonic crystal fiber with two zero-dispersion wavelengths are presented. It is found the intensity of the red-shifted radiation components can be enhanced when the fiber is pumped with two pulses and the pulse trapping occurs. As the input peak power of the pump pulse is increased under the phenomenon of pulse trapping, the intensity of the red-shift radiation can be further enhanced. The above effects can be explained by the energy transfer from the Raman soliton to the red-shifted radiation components due to the effect of pulse trapping and the effect of higher-order dispersion.     

Broadening compensation for ultrashort pulses in photonic crystals

Extremely large group velocity dispersion of both signs can be achieved at the band edges of guided modes in photonic crystal waveguides. The selection of a proper value and sign of this parameter allows the design of short-length waveguides to compensate for pulse broadening. This pulse broadening can be caused, for instance, when a photonic crystal delay line is introduced. We present a theoretical study of the possibilities of using photonic crystal waveguides as intra-circuital dispersion compensation elements for ultrashort pulses, so the width of a transmitted pulse can be reduced. However, we also demonstrate that recovering the original pulse shape is not possible for these large-bandwidth pulses due to higher-order dispersion terms.     

Modeling the terahertz radiation generation process,obtained by filtration of spectral supercontinuum,formed during propagation of femtosecond laser pulse in GaAs crystal

We present the results of theoretical studies of the process of generation of terahertz radiation arising via interaction of few-cycle laser pulses propagating in an isotropic nonlinear medium. Numerical time-integration, by the finite-difference method, of the system of nonlinear Maxwell equations has been performed. We consider the interaction of mutually-orthogonal linearly polarized pulses, both having the central wavelength of 1.98 μm, durations of 30 fs, and the energies of 30 nJ, propagating along the normal to the 〈110〉 plane in a 1 mm-thickness GaAs crystal. In the nonlinear part of the medium polarization the without-inertia nonlinear second-order susceptibility is taken into account. The process of formation of a terahertz pulse arising via spectral filtration of supercontinuum formed in the spectra of pump pulses at the output of nonlinear crystal is studied. The dependences of both the current frequency of the pump pulses on time for different lengths of nonlinear crystal and of pump pulse durations on the crystal length are obtained. Also the dependences of the current frequency of the terahertz pulse on time at different crystal lengths, as well as of the efficiency of generation of terahertz radiation on the length of nonlinear crystal and on the energy of pump pulses are obtained.     

一种高双折射光子晶体光纤中的脉冲俘获分析

数值模拟分析了一种新型高双折射光子晶体光纤中的脉冲俘获现象,以及泵浦脉冲入射条件对脉冲俘获效果的影响机理.结果表明：泵浦脉冲和信号脉冲处于零色散点附近,且分别处于光子晶体光纤的反常和正常色散区,其走离参量的数值小于10－12 s/m时,可以实现脉冲俘获|泵浦脉冲和信号脉冲的时域中心延迟对泵浦脉冲光谱红移量和信号脉冲光谱蓝移量影响很小,但时域中心延迟越大,信号脉冲的输出频谱越窄,俘获效果越差|提高泵浦脉冲峰值功率,可明显增大泵浦脉冲光谱红移量和信号脉冲光谱蓝移量,为实现不同波长范围的全光开关提供了条件|泵浦脉冲半宽度越大,泵浦脉冲频谱越宽,信号脉冲频谱越窄,俘获效果越不明显.     

Generation and storage of double slow light pulses in a solid

We experimentally study the generation and storage of double slow light pulses in a Pr³⁺:Y₂SiO₅ crystal. Under electromagnetically induced transparency, a single signal pulse is stored in the spin coherence of the crystal. By simultaneously switching on two control fields to recall the stored information, the spin coherence is converted into two slow light pulses with distinct frequencies. Furthermore, the storage and controlled retrieval of double slow light pulses are obtained by manipulating the control fields. This study of double slow light pulses may have practical applications in information processing and all-optical networks. vspace2mm     

On the nonlinear propagation of few-cycle pulses in a uniaxial crystal

The soliton-like dynamics of few-cycle optical pulses propagating in a uniaxial crystal at an arbitrary angle to the optic axis is analytically studied. Solutions describing the one-dimensional dynamics of pulses representing coupled states of the ordinary and extraordinary field components are analyzed. The ordinary component can contain an arbitrary number (down to one period) of optical oscillations, whereas the extraordinary component is a unipolar video pulse. The effect of small-scale transverse perturbations on the propagation of such pulses is considered. Regions of values of parameters of the medium and the pulse in which the propagation is stable are found. The spectrum of the ordinary component is shown to substantially depend on the sign of the birefringence of the crystal as well as on the angle at which the pulse propagates with respect to the optic axis.     

Mid-infrared pulses generated from the mixing output of an amplified, dual-wavelength Ti:sapphire system

We demonstrate the generation of femtosecond mid-infrared pulses by direct difference-frequency mixing in a AgGaS(2) crystal of two intense pulses from a dual-wavelength oscillator that have been simultaneously amplified in a single regenerative amplifier. A pulse energy of as much as 1.6 muJ was achieved at wavelengths of 9-11 mum.     

Determination of the Subpicosecond Laser Pulse Chirp in the Middle IR Range Based on the Fourth Harmonic Noncollinear Generation

A new method is proposed to determine the subpicosecond laser pulse chirp in the middle IR range at the central wavelength of 10 μm, based on the generation of the second-harmonic pulses both by the bandwidth-limited and frequency-modulated subpicosecond pulses and the subsequent noncollinear generation of the fourth-harmonic radiation by the corresponding second-harmonic pulses. The time dependences are given of the instantaneous frequency of the frequency-modulated second-harmonic pulse at the central wavelength of 5 μm, generated in the field of the frequency-modulated subpicosecond IR pulse, propagating in the negative uniaxial AgGaS₂ crystal along the direction of 61°36′ relative to the optical axis. These results can be used in designing a nonlinear optical phase correlator to determine the phase and time profile of the subpicosecond laser pulse in the middle IR range.     

基于氧化镁晶体中级联四波混频过程的紫外飞秒光脉冲产生

紫外波段飞秒激光脉冲是研究超快化学和超快物理相关过程的重要工具,实现波长可调谐的宽带紫外飞秒光脉冲将有助于推动超快动力学及相关领域的研究.本文报道了以两束400 nm的飞秒光脉冲作为级联四波混频的抽运源,在氧化镁晶体中产生9阶频率上转换和5阶频率下转换边带信号的实验结果.边带波长范围从350 nm到450 nm连续可调谐,这些边带信号的发散角和波长与级联四波混频理论预测结果吻合.紫外边带相对于入射光的整体转化效率约为1.2%.同时,高阶边带的光谱形状呈现高斯型,其谱宽理论上支持傅里叶转换极限脉宽为20—50 fs.本文展示了一种高效产生波长可连续调谐的紫外飞秒光脉冲的便捷方法,为基于紫外超短脉冲的相关研究提供了有效工具.     

Multi-stage pulse compression by use of cascaded quadratic nonlinearity

In this paper, the multi-stage compression of picosecond pulses by cascaded quadratic nonlinearity is studied theoretically, and the dependence of pulse compression on phase-mismatch, laser intensity, and crystal characteristics has been discussed in detail. We demonstrate that the multi-stage pulse compression is much more efficient than the single-stage with a same total crystal length. Pulses as short as ∼150 fs can be generated by compressing 30-ps initial pulses in a two-stage configuration under the realistic crystal and laser conditions, and shorter pulses of ∼30 fs may be obtained by three-stage compression. Pulse compression performances with BiBO and BBO crystals are compared and discussed finally.     

利用群速度匹配的级联二阶非线性实现超短激光脉冲压缩

提出了一种采用倾斜脉冲的级联二阶非线性来实现超短激光脉冲压缩的方法. 对基于单块BBO晶体中基频光与倍频光群速度匹配的级联二阶非线性的脉冲压缩方案进行了理论分析. 对比研究了群速度匹配与失配情况下利用级联二阶非线性进行脉冲压缩的效果, 并模拟分析了基频光与倍频光的位相失配量、非线性晶体长度、 基频光初始峰值光强和初始脉宽等因素对脉冲压缩效果的影响. 结果表明, 基频光与倍频光的群速度匹配将会大幅度改善压缩脉冲的时间波形和频谱分布. 通过对位相失配量、晶体长度、初始光强等参数的优化和选取可获得较理想的压缩效果. 采用倾斜脉冲的级联二阶非线性的脉宽压缩方法, 针对中心波长800 nm、脉宽100 fs, 峰值光强为50 GW/cm²的基频光脉冲, 采用25 mm厚BBO晶体, 当基频光与倍频光位相失配量Δk=60 mm^-1(对应失谐角1.98°), 晶体外部脉冲前沿倾斜角γ₀=74°时, 计算获得了质量较好的20 fs剩余基频光, 并同时产生了14 fs的倍频光. 关键词： 倾斜波 级联二阶非线性 群速度失配 脉冲压缩     

非真空传输的高效交叉偏振滤波设计与产生

采用常规透镜设计了适用于非真空环境中交叉偏振波(XPW)产生的双透镜聚焦系统,在相对较短的距离实现了长焦透镜聚焦的效果,并测量了聚焦后的激光脉冲,发现其没有显著的非线性相位积累,保证了激光光束质量.在非真空中采用双BaF_2晶体得到了XPW系统转换效率22%,光谱1.78倍展宽的净化脉冲输出,双透镜组合聚焦形式使得双BaF_2晶体间距在13—22 cm内可保证20%以上的XPW转换效率,双晶体间距的调节冗余度提高了两个量级,极大地降低了双晶转换效率对晶体间距的依赖.这种正负透镜组合聚焦的光路设计在非真空中实现了高效稳定的XPW输出,为后续的放大应用提供了高对比度、宽光谱的高质量种子源.     

Generation and amplification of dual-color femtosecond pulses by a noncollinear optical parametric up-conversion process

Noncollinear optical parametric up-conversion generation and amplification are realized in a thick β-barium borate (BBO) crystal, and a couple of visible femtosecond up-conversion laser pulses can be achieved by a femtosecond pulse at 800 nm as the pump sources. The theoretical and experimental results indicate that there exist phase-matching conditions for dual-color noncollinear parametric up-conversion generation and amplification, and their wavelengths can be tuned by rotating the BBO crystal. This parametric up-conversion generation and amplification can be attributed to three and five-wave mixing in a thick BBO crystal, and it shows the potential application on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) to generate multi-color ultraviolet or visible femtosecond laser pulses pumped directly by femtosecond fundamental laser pulses without frequency-doubling or tripling.     

Programmable shaping of a subterawatt, femtosecond laser pulse by modulating the spectral phase of the preamplified pulse

Shaping the temporal profile of subterawatt optical pulses with a femtosecond duration is demonstrated with the help of a programmable pulse shaper, which is based on a liquid–crystal spatial light modulator. For safe operation, we place the pulse shaper between regenerative and multipass amplifiers. We generate double pulses, whose respective component pulses have 0.27-TW peak power and 74-fs duration. The possibility of variously-shaped multiterawatt pulses is also discussed.     

Damage threshold of lithium niobate crystal under single and multiple femtosecond laser pulses: theoretical and experimental study

The damage threshold of lithium niobate crystal under single and multiple femtosecond laser pulses has been studied theoretically and experimentally. Firstly, the model for the damage threshold prediction of crystal materials based on the improved rate equation has been proposed. Then, the experimental measure method of the damage threshold of crystal materials has been given in detail. On the basis, the variation of the damage threshold of lithium niobate crystal with the pulse duration has also been analyzed quantitatively. Finally, the damage threshold of lithium niobate crystal under multiple laser pulses has been measured and compared to the theoretical results. The results show that the transmittance of lithium niobate crystal is almost a constant when the laser pulse fluence is relative low, whereas it decreases linearly with the increase in the laser pulse fluence below the damage threshold. The damage threshold of lithium niobate crystal increases with the increase in the duration of the femtosecond laser pulse. And the damage threshold of lithium niobate crystal under multiple laser pulses is obviously lower than that irradiated by a single laser pulse. The theoretical data fall in good agreement with the experimental results.     

Pulse-width influence on the laser-induced structuring of CaF2 (111)

We have investigated the morphology of CaF₂ (111) irradiated by 780 nm laser pulses of varying pulse width (200 fs-8 ns) with fluences above the damage threshold. Large differences can be observed which we relate to the mechanisms and dynamics of defect production in this wide band gap material. The best defined and most controllable ablation is obtained for laser pulse widths of a few picoseconds. For nanosecond and femtosecond pulses strong fracturing of the crystal is observed with damage outside the laser irradiated zone. This has a thermal origin for nanosecond pulses but a non-thermal origin for pulse widths below approximately 1 ps.     

Dynamics of the parameters of pulses in uniaxial crystals

A set of equations describing the dynamics of the parameters of an electromagnetic pulse is derived using the Ritz-Whitham variational principle. An ordinary pulse component is a quasi-monochromatic pulse, and its extraordinary component is a videopulse. The transverse dynamics of pulses having the super-Gaussian shape is considered for propagation along an optical crystal axis.     

Fully conductively cooled, diode-pumped Ho:Tm:LuLiF4 laser oscillator/amplifier

A fully conductively cooled and diode-pumped linear Ho:Tm:LuLiF laser oscillator can generate more than 1 J normal mode pulses at a 10 Hz pulse repetition rate where heat pipes are used for cooling pump diodes and laser crystal. As an amplifier, it can amplify the 80 mJ/180 ns pulses into 400 mJ pulses before the appearance of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). The ASE threshold is about 5.6 J with a 40 mm long and side-polished laser crystal. For a 5 mJ input pulse and 5.6 J pump pulse, the double-pass gain exceeds 22.5. If the lateral surface of the laser crystal is fine ground, the ASE threshold can rise to higher than 8 J, but the efficiency will be lower due to large pump diffusion.