自启动被动锁模掺铒光纤激光器的研究

在非线性光纤环形镜非线性开关效应和块状半导体波导饱和吸收效应的共同作用下，实现了掺铒光纤激光器的自启动被动锁模，获得了十分稳定的锁模脉冲序列，观察到高次谐频锁模脉冲输出。分析了非线性光纤环形镜的非线性开关反射特性。     

Directly laser-written integrated photonics devices including diffractive optical elements

Femtosecond laser-written integrated devices involving Fresnel Zone Plates (FZPs) and waveguide arrays are demonstrated as built-in optical couplers. These structures were fabricated in borosilicate glass using a direct laser writing technique. The optical properties of these integrated photonic structures were investigated using CW lasers and high-resolution CCDs. For a single FZP coupled to a single waveguide, the overall coupling efficiency was 9%. A multiplexed optical coupler composed of three FZP layers was demonstrated to couple three waveguides simultaneously in a waveguide array. Structures of this type can be used as platforms for multichannel waveguide coupling elements or as microfluidic sensors that require higher light collecting efficiency.     

Spatial soliton pixels from partially incoherent light

We report what is to our knowledge the first observation of pixellike spatial solitons from partially spatially incoherent light. We created an array of as many as 32x32 soliton pixels by launching a spatially modulated incoherent light beam into a noninstantaneous self-focusing photorefraction medium. These solitons were stable and robust, forming a steady-state two-dimensional waveguide array in which optical coupling and control of local waveguide channels could be realized.     

Coaxial fiber-optic chemical-sensing excitation-emission matrix fluorometer

Great reductions in the overall size and complexity of high throughput multichannel UV-visible fluorometers were achieved by coupling a compact optical fiber array to compact dispersive transmission optics. The coaxial configuration centers on the insertion of a silica/silica optical fiber into the hollow region of a UV-fused silica capillary waveguide. The outer core delivers the maximum power of the narrow wavelength region of the excitation spectrum created by coupling a xenon arc discharge lamp to a compact spectrometer. The molecular fluorescence resulting from the interaction of light emitted at the distal end of the hollow waveguide and the sample matrix is received and transmitted to a CCD via a compact dispersive grating-prism (grism) optical assembly. A linear array of the coaxial optical fibers permits a full excitation-emission matrix spectrum of the analyte matrix to be projected onto the face of the CCD. The in situ identification and monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was carried out for the initial application testing for this prototype.     

The impact of the off-axis for the spatial light to multimode fiber coupling system

The electric field distribution of Gaussian beam and properties of Cassegrain optical antenna are discussed and their images have been simulated. By analysis of Cassegrain optical antenna with collimation and off-axis circumstance, laser power distribution and the curve of coupling efficiency are obtained. The question of spatial light to multimode fiber coupling efficiency with alignment and off-axis are researched. At last, taking into account off-axis situation of Cassegrain and laser beam to multimode fiber, the coupling efficiency of the whole system is discussed. These researches are necessary and useful for increasing spatial light to multimode fiber coupling efficiency.     

Nonlinear femtosecond pulse reshaping in waveguide arrays

We observe nonlinear pulse reshaping of femtosecond pulses in a waveguide array owing to coupling between waveguides. Amplified pulses from a mode-locked fiber laser are coupled to an AlGaAs core waveguide array structure. The observed power-dependent pulse reshaping agrees with theory, including shortening of the pulse in the central waveguide.     

High-repetition-rate pulsed fiber laser based on virtually imaged phased array

High-repetition-rate(HRR) pulsed fiber lasers have attracted much attention in various fields. To effectively achieve HRR pulses in fiber lasers, dissipative four-wave-mixing mode-locking is a promising method. In this work, we demonstrated an HRR pulsed fiber laser based on a virtually imaged phased array(VIPA), serving as a comb filter. Due to the high spectral resolution and low polarization sensitivity features of VIPA, the 30 GHz pulse with high quality and high stability could be obtained. In the experiments, both the single-waveband and dual-waveband HRR pulses were achieved. Such an HRR pulsed fiber laser could have potential applications in related fields, such as optical communications.     

Polarization-independent grating couplers for silicon-on-insulator nanophotonic waveguides

We propose the use of subwavelength structures in a waveguide grating to achieve polarization-independent coupling of light between an optical fiber and a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) optical waveguide. The subwavelength structure allows the mode effective indices of the TE and TM modes in the grating section to be precisely engineered. We calculate that coupling efficiency of over 64% is possible using the proposed design for polarization-independent coupling between single-mode optical fibers and SOI nanophotonic waveguides.     

Sequential generation of self-starting diverse operations in all-fiber laser based on thulium-doped fiber saturable absorber

Self-starting Q-switching, Q-switched mode-locking and mode-locking operation modes are achieved sequentially in an all-fiber erbium-doped fiber laser with thulium-doped fiber saturable absorber for the first time. The central wavelengths of Q-switching, Q-switched mode-locking and mode-locking operation modes are 1569.7 nm, 1570.9 nm, and 1572 nm, respectively. The mode-locking operation of the proposed fiber laser generates stable dark soliton with a repetition rate of 0.99 MHz and signal-to-noise ratio of 65 dB. The results validate the capability of generating soliton pulse by doped fiber saturable absorber. Furthermore, the proposed fiber laser is beneficial to the applications of optical communication and signal processing system.     

Polarization-dependent coupling in a 1x4 waveguide array in lithium niobate fabricated by femtosecond pulses

We demonstrate a 1×4 waveguide array produced by an IR femtosecond laser in z-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO₃). The polarization dependence of light coupling in this waveguide structure is experimentally investigated. The coupling constants of the waveguide array are obtained by measuring the ratio of output power of each waveguide for extraordinary rays and ordinary rays, and the variation of coupled power in each waveguide as a function of the waveguide length are demonstrated. PACS 42.65.Re; 77.84.Dy; 42.82.Et     

基于倏逝场耦合的石墨烯波导光传输相位特性仿真与实验研究

石墨烯材料应用到各种光波导器件中正成为新一代光子器件的重要发展方向之一,目前基于石墨烯的光纤和集成光子器件研究越来越受到国内外的重视. 本文建立了一种由微纳光纤耦合光倏逝场,并在石墨烯薄膜中传输的模型. 通过有限元分析法,研究了光在这种石墨烯波导中传输光场的强度分布和相位特性,并通过实验进行了验证. 结果表明,沿着微纳光纤-石墨烯光波导传播的倏逝场的强度分布和相位均受石墨烯材料作用,石墨烯材料能有效聚集和导行波导中传输的高阶模,在单位传输长度上具有更密集的等相位面. 本文提出了一种利用微纳光纤耦合光倏逝场研究石墨烯相位响应特性的新方法,对基于石墨烯波导的新型调制器、滤波器、激光器和传感器等光子器件的设计和应用具有一定的参考意义. 关键词： 石墨烯平面光波导 倏逝波 光场强度 相位     

非线性一维光子晶体波导光双稳

利用非线性折射率系数较大且非线性时间响应较快的CdS_xSe_1-x玻璃为材料,设计并制备了非线性一维光子晶体波导光双稳器件,该器件的折射率空间分布呈正弦形式。实验测得双稳开关的阈值功率密度为1.60×10⁵W/cm²,开关时间为63ps。采用时域有限差分方法讨论了光子晶体带隙随入射光强变化而移动的情况,随着入射光功率密度的增加,光子晶体的带隙中心向短波方向移动。同时计算了该器件的双稳特性,理论计算得到双稳开关的阈值功率密度为1.40×10⁵W/cm²,开关时间约为50ps。获得了理论与实验基本一致的结果。     

Generation of domain-wall solitons in an anomalous dispersion fiber ring laser

We report experimental observations performed using a net anomalous dispersion Er-doped fiber ring laser without polarization-selective elements, highlighting the domain-wall solitary pulses generated under the incoherent polarization coupling. By adjusting the pump power and the polarization state appropriately, bright and dark solitons can stably co-exist in the cavity, both centered at 1562.16 nm with a 3-dB spectral width of ～ 0.15 nm and a repetition rate of 3.83 MHz. Moreover, the 0.8 mm long thulium-doped fiber (TDF) facilitated the mode-locking and self-starting of the laser. This is the first demonstration of a laser being used to generate bright and dark solitons synchronously while using TDF as the saturable absorber (SA). Except possessing the all-fiber structure, the laser exhibits good stability, which may have a significant influence on improvement of the pulse-laser design, and may broaden practical applications in optical sensing, optical communication, and soliton multiplexed systems.     

Novel spatial solitons in light-induced photonic bandgap structures

The study of wave propagation in periodic systems is at the frontiers of physics, from fluids to condensed matter physics, and from photonic crystals to Bose-Einstein condensates. In optics, a typical example of periodic system is a closely-spaced waveguide array, in which collective behavior of wave propagation exhibits many intriguing phenomena that have no counterpart in homogeneous media. Even in a linear waveguide array, the diffraction property of a light beam changes due to evanescent coupling between nearby waveguide sites, leading to normal and anomalous discrete diffraction. In a nonlinear waveguide array, a balance between diffraction and self-action gives rise to novel localized states such as spatial “discrete solitons” in the semi-infinite (or total-internal-reflection) gap or spatial “gap solitons” in the Bragg reflection gaps. Recently, in a series of experiments, we have “fabricated” closely-spaced waveguide arrays (photonic lattices) by optical induction. Such photonic structures have attracted great interest due to their novel physics, link to photonic crystals, as well as potential applications in optical switching and navigation. In this review article, we present a brief overview on our experimental demonstrations of a number of novel spatial soliton phenomena in light-induced photonic bandgap structures, including self-trapping of fundamental discrete solitons and more sophisticated lattice gap solitons. Much of our work has direct impact on the study of similar discrete phenomena in systems beyond optics, including sound waves, water waves, and matter waves (Bose-Einstein condensates) propagating in periodic potentials.     

Novel spatial solitons in light-induced photonic bandgap structures

The study of wave propagation in periodic systems is at the frontiers of physics, from fluids to condensed matter physics, and from photonic crystals to Bose-Einstein condensates. In optics, a typical example of periodic system is a closely-spaced waveguide array, in which collective behavior of wave propagation exhibits many intriguing phenomena that have no counterpart in homogeneous media. Even in a linear waveguide array, the diffraction property of a light beam changes due to evanescent coupling between nearby waveguide sites, leading to normal and anomalous discrete diffraction. In a nonlinear waveguide array, a balance between diffraction and self-action gives rise to novel localized states such as spatial “discrete solitons” in the semi-infinite (or total-internal-reflection) gap or spatial “gap solitons” in the Bragg reflection gaps. Recently, in a series of experiments, we have “fabricated” closely-spaced waveguide arrays (photonic lattices) by optical induction. Such photonic structures have attracted great interest due to their novel physics, link to photonic crystals, as well as potential applications in optical switching and navigation. In this review article, we present a brief overview on our experimental demonstrations of a number of novel spatial soliton phenomena in light-induced photonic bandgap structures, including self-trapping of fundamental discrete solitons and more sophisticated lattice gap solitons. Much of our work has direct impact on the study of similar discrete phenomena in systems beyond optics, including sound waves, water waves, and matter waves (Bose-Einstein condensates) propagating in periodic potentials.      

Modal correction for fiber-coupling efficiency in free-space optical communication systems through atmospheric turbulence

High-speed free-space optical communication systems have recently used fiber-optical components. The coupling efficiency with which the received laser beam can be coupled into a single-mode fiber is noticeably limited by atmospheric turbulence due to the degradation of its spatial coherence. Fortunately, adaptive optics (AO) can alleviate this limitation by partially correcting the turbulence-distorted wavefront. The coupling efficiency improvement provided by Zernike modal AO correction is numerically evaluated. It is found that the first 3-20 corrected polynomials can considerably improve the fiber-coupling efficiency. The improvement brought by AO is compared with that brought by a coherent fiber array. Finally, a hybrid technique that integrates AO and a coherent fiber array is proposed. Results show that the hybrid technique outperforms each of the two above-mentioned techniques.     

Multiwaveguide implantable probe for light delivery to sets of distributed brain targets

Optical fibers are commonly inserted into living tissues such as the brain in order to deliver light to deep targets for neuroscientific and neuroengineering applications such as optogenetics, in which light is used to activate or silence neurons expressing specific photosensitive proteins. However, an optical fiber is limited to delivering light to a single target within the three-dimensional structure of the brain. We here demonstrate a multiwaveguide probe capable of independently delivering light to multiple targets along the probe axis, thus enabling versatile optical control of sets of distributed brain targets. The 1.45-cm-long probe is microfabricated in the form of a 360-μm-wide array of 12 parallel silicon oxynitride (SiON) multimode waveguides clad with SiO(2) and coated with aluminum; probes of custom dimensions are easily created as well. The waveguide array accepts light from a set of sources at the input end and guides the light down each waveguide to an aluminum corner mirror that efficiently deflects light away from the probe axis. Light losses at each stage are small (input coupling loss, 0.4 ± 0.3 dB; bend loss, negligible; propagation loss, 3.1 ± 1 dB/cm using the outscattering method and 3.2 ± 0.4 dB/cm using the cutback method; corner mirror loss, 1.5 ± 0.4 dB); a waveguide coupled, for example, to a 5 mW source will deliver over 1.5 mW to a target at a depth of 1 cm.     

基于光子集成芯片的可穿戴光纤光栅解调研究

为了实现光纤光栅传感器在可穿戴系统中的应用,提出了一种基于硅基光子集成芯片的可穿戴光纤光栅传感解调系统。基于比利时iSiPP50G工艺的光子集成芯片由4×1长波长VCSEL阵列、1×8阵列波导光栅、2×2 MMI耦合器、4×1光纤光栅耦合器阵列、Ge-on-Si波导光电探测器、直波导和弯曲波导等组成。在完成对VCSEL光源金线键合和光子集成芯片光纤耦合封装的基础上,设计了手环式解调电路,对人体温度和心音信号进行了实时测量。实验结果表明:解调系统的动态波长检测范围为1 540 nm～1 560 nm,波长分辨率为0.08 pm,解调精度为5 pm,温度监测范围为35℃～42℃,误差为±0.1℃;可检测50 Hz～100 Hz频率范围内的心音信号,可识别出第一心音和第二心音,并计算出心动周期、心率、第一心音时限、第二心音时限和心力等特征参数。     

A self-consistent model for a SOA-based fiber ring laser including the mode-locked pulse properties

In this paper, we present a self-consistent model of an optically mode-locked semiconductor fiber ring laser. The fiber laser uses a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) as the gain medium, while mode-locking is achieved by its gain modulation, via an external optical pulsed signal. We solved the model analytically developing a novel technique, where we have assumed double saturation of the SOA by both the mode-locked and the externally introduced pulsed signal. The study revealed the locus of the laser parameters to achieve mode-locking. In particular, it was found that SOA gain and energy of the externally introduced signal are two critical parameters that must simultaneously set properly for exact mode-locking. Another outcome of our analysis is that the study of the chirp parameter should be carried out keeping the nonlinear terms of the SOA gain. We have also investigated a slightly detuning regime of operation that revealed a fast change of the mode-locking process.     

Laser-assisted magnetic recording light-delivery system with a coupling element and a laterally tapered vertically multistepped waveguide

In a light-delivery system for laser-assisted magnetic recording, which provides high-areal-density storage by heating the storage medium during the writing process, a laser diode light source and a near-field transducer must be efficiently coupled using inexpensive optical devices. We describe a light-delivery system using an element for end-fire coupling and a spot-size converter. To couple the light emitted from the end of an optical fiber to a spot-size converter inexpensively, a couple element requiring no other lens elements between the fiber and converter was developed. A vertically multistepped and laterally tapered waveguide suitable for fabrication by planar processing was also developed. These devices are well suited for practical use.