Extended operation of synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillators to longer idler wavelengths

A synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator, based on periodically poled lithium niobate, has operated at idler wavelengths out to 7.3 microm . Directly measured idler output powers (average) are 4.2 mW at 6.1 microm, 0.5 mW at 7.0 microm, and 0.04 mW at 7.25 microm . Characterization of the idler output indicates essentially bandwidth-limited and diffraction-limited operation.     

Fast handheld two-photon fluorescence microendoscope with a 475 microm x 475 microm field of view for in vivo imaging

A fast handheld two-photon fiber-optic fluorescence endoscope for three-dimensional (3D) in vivo cellular imaging is developed. The compact handheld probe of the two-photon endoscope can simply be placed into contact with the target tissue to reveal clear 3D surface and subsurface histological images without biopsy. The new system has, to the best of our knowledge, the largest field of view (FOV) of 475 microm x 475 microm and a 3D imaging volume larger than 475 microm x 475 microm x 250 microm. A real-time two-photon fluorescence image is displayed at 0.4 mm(2)/s. The lateral and axial resolutions of the two-photon fluorescence endoscope are better than 1 and 14.5 microm, respectively.     

Saturated absorption spectroscopy of acetylene gas inside large-core photonic bandgap fiber

Saturated absorption spectroscopy is performed on the acetylene nu(1) + nu(3) band near 1532 nm inside photonic bandgap fibers of small (approximately 10 microm) and large (approximately 20 microm) core diameters. The observed linewidths are narrower in the 20 microm fiber and vary from 20 to 40 MHz depending on pressure and power. Variations in the background light transmission, attributed by others to surface modes, are significantly reduced in the 20 microm fiber. The optimum signal for use as a frequency reference in a 0.8 m long, 20 microm diameter fiber is found to occur at about 0.5 torr for 30 mW of pump power. The saturation power is found by modeling the propagation and attenuation of light inside the fiber.     

Simultaneous observation of CO isotopomer absorption by broadband difference-frequency generation using a direct-bonded quasi-phase-matched LiNbO3 waveguide

Rovibration absorption lines both of 12CO and 13CO are observed simultaneously with the output of a 2 microm broadband difference frequency generated in a direct-bonded quasi-phase-matched LiNbO3 waveguide, which is a 50 mm device with a single quasi-phase-matching period that is operated at a constant temperature. The wavelength conversion efficiency and the difference-frequency generation bandwidth reach 100%/W and 100 nm, respectively. The idler output bandwidth in the 2 microm region is obtained by group-velocity matching or phase-mismatch minimization when a 0.94 microm pump laser diode and a 1.55 microm tunable signal source are used.     

Dual-wedge scanning confocal reflectance microscope

A confocal reflectance microscope has been developed that incorporates a dual-wedge scanner to reduce the size of the device relative to current raster scanning instruments. The scanner is implemented with two prisms that are rotated about the optical axis. Spiral and rosette scans are performed by rotating the prisms in the same or opposite directions, respectively. Experimental measurements show an on-axis lateral resolution of 1.6 microm and optical sectioning of 4.7 microm, which compares with a diffraction-limited resolution of 0.8 and 1.9 microm, respectively.     

High-power picosecond optical parametric oscillator based on periodically poled lithium niobate

A high-power picosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on a 47-mm periodically poled lithium niobate crystal is described. More than 12 W of total average power-almost 8 W of signal power at 1.85 microm and more than 4 W of idler radiation at 2.5 microm -is simultaneously extracted from less than 18 W of average pump power. The OPO is synchronously pumped by 80-ps (FWHM) cw mode-locked pulses at 1.064 microm , and its output is tunable from 1.7 to 2.84microm . Nearly transform-limited signal pulses are obtained following the introduction of two intracavity etalons.     

Real-time reflectivity and topography imagery of depth-resolved microscopic surfaces

We have constructed an interference microscope that produces, in real time, reflectivity and topography images of surfaces with depth discrimination better than 1>mu;m . Intensity and phase images are obtained at the rate of 50 per second by use of a multiplexed lock-in detection and MMX assembler-optimized calculation routines. With a wavelength of 0.84microm , depth discrimination of 0.7microm and lateral resolution of 0.3microm were demonstrated, in good agreement with theory. Two-dimensional cross-sectional reflectivity and topography images taken at different depths in an integrated circuit are presented.     

Carbon onions: carriers of the 217.5 nm interstellar absorption feature

Ultraviolet-visible absorption measurements of high purity and well separated carbon onion samples are reported. The results show that, after purification, absorption features from carbon onions match well with the interstellar UV spectrum. The measurements show that the absorption peak position remains constant at 4.55+/-0.1 microm(-1), and the width varies from 1.2-1.6 microm(-1), a key feature of the interstellar spectrum. The similarities between the experimental and observed absorption spectra indicate that carbon onions are very strong candidates for the origin of the UV interstellar absorption peak at 4.6 microm(-1).     

Slanted hole array beam profiler (SHArP)-a high-resolution portable beam profiler based on a linear aperture array

We demonstrate a novel high-resolution portable beam profiler based on a slanted linear array of small apertures, termed a slanted hole array beam profiler (SHArP). The apertures are directly fabricated on a metal-coated CMOS imaging sensor. With a single linear scan, the aperture array can establish a virtual grid of sampling points for beam profiling. With our prototype, we demonstrate beam profiling of Gaussian beams over an area of 66.5 microm x 66.5 microm with a resolution of 0.8 microm (compare with the CMOS pixel size of 10 microm). The resolution can be improved into the range of submicrometers by fabricating smaller apertures. The good correspondence between the measured and calculated beam profiles proves the fidelity of our new beam profiling scheme.     

Low-loss infrared dielectric material system for broadband dual-range omnidirectional reflectivity

A material system for broadband thermal IR applications based on branched polyethylene and tellurium is introduced. This system exhibits low absorption losses from 3.5 to 35 microm , has a large index contrast, and is readily deposited as a thin film. These unique features were used to investigate the formation of an omnidirectional reflector that exhibits two distinct, broadband omnidirectional ranges at thermal wavelengths. Reflectivity measurements are presented that confirm the existence of two omnidirectional ranges in the solar atmospheric windows extending from 8 to 12 microm and from 4.5 to 5.5 microm . The measurements are in good agreement with simulations.     

Automatic continuous scanning and random-access switching of mid-infrared waves generated by difference-frequency mixing

We report the rapid tuning of mid-infrared waves beyond 5 microm emitted in difference-frequency mixing with an electronically tuned dual-wavelength Ti:Al2O3 laser used as a pumping source. Simultaneous rapid tuning of the dual wavelengths, which satisfy phase matching in AgGaS2, allows rapid random access switching and continuous tuning of mid-infrared wavelengths. In random-access switching, the mid-infrared wavelength is tuned every pulse shot at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. Mid-infrared wavelengths continuously tuned from 5.2 to 7.2 microm, from 7.0 to 9.1 microm, and from 8.9 to 12.0 microm are achieved at phase-matched angles of 55 degrees, 50 degrees, and 45 degrees, respectively.     

Short-pulse, all-fiber, Raman laser with dispersion compensation in a holey fiber

The use of Raman gain in conventional fiber followed by dispersion compensation in a holey fiber in a synchronously pumped laser configuration allowed compression by a factor of 8.5 of output pulses at a selected wavelength with respect to the pump pulses. We obtained 2-ps output pulses at 1.14 microm from a totally fiber-integrated laser pumped with 17-ps pulses at 1 microm. Higher pulse compression should be possible with nonlinear chirp compensation. Ultrashort-pulse, all-fiber Raman lasers at wavelengths shorter than 1.3 microm are feasible.     

High-power optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier system with a 1.55 microm signal and a 1.064 microm pump

We have designed and built a chirped-pulse parametric-amplifier system that utilizes a 10 Hz, 300 ps, Nd:YAG pump laser system; a 1.575 microm fiber oscillator and amplifier as the signal source; and rubidium titanyl phosphate and potassium titanyl arsenate nonlinear crystals. We obtained 260 fs, 30 mJ pulses centered at 1.550 microm, representing a gain of > 10(9) and a peak power of 100 GW. To our knowledge, these are the highest energy and peak power pulses ever produced in the 1.5-2.0 microm region     

A theoretical model describing the transfer characteristics of a membrane hydrophone and validation

This paper presents a theoretical model describing the transfer characteristics of a bilaminar polyvinylidene fluoride membrane hydrophone. The model applied uses a matrix formulation for one-dimensional propagation in multi-layered media. Arbitrary interconnections of piezoelectric layers are possible. The electrical transfer characteristics of the hydrophone leg and cable are modelled as transmission lines using a two-port network approach. The model is validated against measured open-circuit sensitivities for a 25 microm film thickness 0.5 mm active element diameter bilaminar hydrophone (50 microm total film thickness). Good agreement between theory and experiment is demonstrated. A 9 microm film thickness 0.5 mm active element diameter bilaminar hydrophone (18 microm total film thickness) together with amplifier is also modelled. The voltage at the output stage of the amplifier is measured and, by knowledge of the transfer characteristics of the complete system, the pressure waveform at the hydrophone position is estimated and compared with the acoustic pressure waveform derived using a laser interferometer. Good agreement is obtained.     

Three-transition cascade erbium laser at 1.7, 2.7, and 1.6 microm

We report on an upconversion cascade laser in an erbium-doped ZBLAN fiber emitting simultaneously on the three transitions (4)S(3/2) ? (4)I(9/2) at 1.7 microm , (4)I(11/2) ? (4)I(13/2) at 2.7 microm , and (4)I(13/2) ? (4)I(15/2) at 1.6 microm . At moderate pump powers, the laser transition at 1.6 microm supports 2.7-microm lasing and permits a slope efficiency at 2.7 microm of 15% versus launched pump power. Above the threshold of upconversion lasing at 1.7 microm , the slope efficiency at 2.7 microm increases to 25.4%. Taking pump excited-state absorption into account, this value represents more than 90% of the theoretical slope efficiency. A transversely single-mode output power of 99mW is achieved at 2.7 microm.     

Core-clad silver halide fibers with few modes and a broad transmission in the mid-infrared

There is interest in single-mode fibers that are highly transparent in the mid-infrared. Such fibers would be valuable for spectroscopy, interferometry, and heterodyne detection. We have developed core-clad fibers made of crystalline silver halides with an external diameter of 900 microm and core diameters as small as 60 microm. These fibers exhibit homogeneous core and cladding regions, round cores, and smooth core-cladding interfaces. The 60 microm fibers support roughly 70 modes and have low losses over a broad spectral range in the mid-infrared. This will pave the road for the development of single-mode mid-infrared fibers. ie ty of America     

Ultrahigh-resolution plastic graded-index fused image plates

Fiber-optic imaging systems such as the medical endoscope, the boroscope, the fused-image faceplate, and the image conduit are now made from glass step-index (SI) fibers, and the image resolution of the SI fiber-optic imaging systems is limited to ~5 microm. Ultrahigh-resolution fiber-optic fused-image plates with fiber diameter sizes of 5 and 2.8 microm were fabricated with plastic graded-index (GRIN) fibers. The measured image resolutions of the 5-microm SI and GRIN-based guides were comparable, and the resolution of the plastic GRIN image guides improved as the fiber diameter was reduced from 5 to 2.8 microm.     

Mid-infrared difference-frequency generation of ultrashort pulses tunable between 3.2 and 4.8 microm from a compact fiber source

We report single-pass difference-frequency generation of mid-infrared femtosecond pulses tunable in the 3.2-4.8 microm range from a two-branch mode-locked erbium-doped fiber source. Average power levels of up to 1.1 mW at a repetition rate of 82 MHz are obtained in the mid infrared. This is achieved via nonlinear mixing of 170 mW, 65 fs pump pulses at a fixed wavelength of 1.58 microm, with 11.5 mW, 40 fs pulses tunable in the near-infrared range between 1.05 and 1.18 microm. These values indicate that the tunable near-infrared input component is downconverted with a quantum efficiency that exceeds 30%.     

3D MR microscopy with resolution 3.7 microm by 3.3 microm by 3.3 microm

The technique of magnetic resonance imaging microscopy holds promise of bringing the full capabilities of NMR to arbitrarily specified positions within spatially inhomogeneous systems, including biological cells, yet the possibilities are limited by the need for adequate sensitivity and spatial resolution. We report proton magnetic resonance images obtained by combining advances in receiver coil sensitivity, gradient strength, and pulse/gradient sequence design. We achieve resolution of 3.7 +/- 0.4 microm by 3.3 +/- 0.3 microm by 3.3 +/- 0.3 microm for a volume resolution approximately 40 femtoliters (corresponding to approximately 3 x 10(12) proton spins).     

Imaging electron trajectories in a laser-wakefield cavity using betatron X-ray radiation

We demonstrate that betatron x-ray radiation accurately provides direct imaging of electrons trajectories accelerated in laser wakefields. Experimental far field x-ray beam profiles reveal that electrons can follow similar transverse trajectories with typical excursions of 1.5 microm+/-0.5 microm in the plane of laser polarization and 0.7 microm+/-0.2 microm in the plane perpendicular.