亚皮秒级时间分辨率的光取样示波器实验样机

利用自行开发的高稳定、低抖动和重复频率可调的“σ”型被动锁模光纤激光器作为高性能光学取样源,与待测的80 Gb/s光脉冲信号同时输入到100 m高非线性光纤中,通过四波混频效应实现了对被测光信号的全光采样。然后利用自行开发的数字信号处理与计算机图形显示软件,精确地重现了被测试的基于RZ码型的80 Gb/s光脉冲信号波形图。同时,还利用该光学取样示波器实验样机系统对重复频率为10 GHz、脉宽为1.8 ps的商用半导体主动锁模激光器的输出波形进行测量,所显示的脉冲宽度值为2.0 ps。这表明开发出的实验样机系统的时间分辨率优于900 fs。     

Fabrication of micro-gratings on Au-Cr thin film by femtosecond laser interference with different pulse durations

We encoded surface relief micro-gratings on Au-Cr thin films using two-beam interference of femtosecond laser pulses with the durations from 25 fs to 70 fs. The dependence of the fabrication quality on the pulse duration has been investigated both numerically and experimentally. The results revealed that the shorter pulses were preferable to prepare periodical microstructures with minimal ablation fringe width and satisfied fabrication quality. This work has potential applications on periodic functional microstructures fabrication for ultra-fine processing and modification on various materials, especially for intractable materials.     

Driving and analysis of micro-objects by digital holographic microscope in microfluidics

We propose an optical configuration in which floating particles in a microfluidic chamber can be characterized by an interference microscopy configuration to obtain quantitative phase-contrast maps. The configuration is simply made by two laser beams from the same laser source. One beam provides the optical forces for driving the particle along appropriate paths, but at same time works as the object illumination beam in the holographic microscope. The second beam plays the role of the reference beam, allowing recording of an interference fringe pattern (i.e., the digital hologram) in an out-of-focus image plane. The system and method are illustrated and experimental results are offered for polymeric particles as well as for in vitro cells with the aim to demonstrate the approach.     

Femtosecond hybrid mode-locked semiconductor laser and amplifier dynamics

We describe the generation of femtosecond high power optical pulses using hybrid passive-active mode-locking techniques. Angle stripe geometry GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor laser amplifiers are employed in an external cavity including prisms and a stagger-tuned quantum-well saturable absorber. An identical amplifier also serves as an optical power amplifier in a stretched pulse amplification and recompression sequence. After amplification and pulse compression this laser system produces 200 fs, 160 W peak power pulses. We discuss and extend our theory, and supporting phenomenological models, of picosecond and subpicosecond optical pulse amplification in semiconductor laser amplifiers which has been successful in calculating measured spectra and time-resolved dynamics in our amplifiers. We have refined the theory to include a phenomenological model of spectral hole-burning for finite intraband thermalization time. Our calculations are consistent with an intra-band time of approximately 60 fs. This theory of large signal subpicosecond pulse amplification will be an essential tool for understanding the mode-locking dynamics of semiconductor lasers and for analysis of high speed multiple wave-length optical signal processing and transmission devices and systems based on semiconductor laser amplifiers.     

光学频率梳啁啾干涉实现绝对距离测量

本文提出一种基于光学频率梳的啁啾脉冲干涉绝对距离测量的方法.通过一对衍射光栅啁啾参考脉冲,分析参考脉冲和测量脉冲的干涉光谱,得到脉冲的中心频率偏移量,从而解算出被测距离.文中详细分析了脉冲啁啾原理和啁啾脉冲干涉测距原理,以及影响测距范围的因素并给出仿真.搭建了改进的Michelson干涉结构,实验得出测距范围受啁啾参数的影响,并与理论分析吻合;在地下长导轨上,进行大范围测距实验.实验结果表明当,在65 m范围内,测量结果与参考测距仪相比,测距精度为33μm,相对精度达到5.1×10~(-7).此外,根据理论分析,通过实验优化了实验装置的测量不确定度.     

脉宽对超快激光平衡光学互相关测距影响的研究

采用基于平衡光学互相关的超快激光绝对距离测量方法对大气中一段15m的空间距离进行了测量。仿真了不同脉冲宽度、不同光强损耗对平衡互相关信号的影响,理论分析表明脉宽展宽对平衡互相关信号影响较大。采用中心波长为1037nm、重复频率为260MHz的超快激光器光源,搭建了测距系统。实验验证了在脉宽分别为1.44ps、132fs时,对平衡互相关信号的影响,实验结果符合理论分析。研究了不同脉冲宽度对测量分辨力的影响,结果显示,采样时间为5ms,脉宽为1.44ps,测量分辨力不低于50μm;而当脉宽为132fs时,测量分辨力优于5μm。     

Second-harmonic optical coherence tomography

Second-harmonic optical coherence tomography, which uses coherence gating of second-order nonlinear optical responses of biological tissues for imaging, is described and demonstrated. Femtosecond laser pulses were used to excite second-harmonic waves from collagen harvested from rat tail tendon and a reference non-linear crystal. Second-harmonic interference fringe signals were detected and used for image construction. Because of the strong dependence of second-harmonic generation on molecular and tissue structures, this technique imparts contrast and resolution enhancement to conventional optical coherence tomography.     

Efficient generation of third harmonic radiation in air filaments: A revisit

In this paper we revisit the third harmonic generation from a femtosecond laser filament in air and its significant enhancement (~ 100 times) with a intercepting pump pulse, which has been reported very recently. The enhanced third harmonic is studied as a function of the pulse polarization, time delay between the pump and signal pulses, laser pulse energy, etc. We provide an explanation for the enhancement of third harmonic based on a quenching of interference effects present near filamentation threshold. Simulations based on a two-color propagation code reproduce well the experimental observations and confirm our interpretation.     

基于瞬态光栅频率分辨光学开关法测量飞秒脉冲的研究

超宽光谱的飞秒脉冲测量一直是超快激光领域的重要研究方向之一.常规的飞秒脉冲自相关方法是通过测量自相关倍频信号来获得,而倍频信号具有波长选择性,不同中心波长的飞秒脉冲测量需要更换不同的倍频晶体,十分不方便.因此,提出了一种改进型的瞬态光栅频率分辨光学开关(TG-FROG)方法用于测量飞秒脉冲.该方法结合四波混频和频率分辨光学开关方法,其基本过程是将待测脉冲分为三束,其中两束脉冲经过精密的延时控制并聚焦在光学介质上达到时空重合,利用三阶非线性效应产生稳定的瞬态光栅作为开关光;另一束脉冲作为探测光与产生的瞬态光栅进行相互作用产生一个信号光,使用光谱仪对该信号光的光谱与延迟时间进行测量,并通过反演迭代算法处理而获取待测飞秒脉冲的光谱与电场信息.该方法只需要待测光的功率密度达到三阶非线性效应就可以实现测量,因此可以应用于任意中心波长的飞秒脉冲测量.利用该方法对中心波长分别为800 nm, 400 nm的飞秒脉冲,以及超连续亚10 fs的周期量级超宽光谱飞秒脉冲进行了测量,并与常规的干涉自相关仪器测量结果进行了比较,所得测量结果基本一致.实验结果表明,建立的基于TG-FROG方法对不同中心波长,不同脉冲宽度的飞秒脉冲测量是十分有效的.     

激光回馈效应及其传感应用研究的进展

对基于激光回馈效应的传感应用研究进展进行了综述。由于激光回馈引起激光器功率波动一个条纹对应外部反射镜移动半个光波波长,功率波动深度与传统双光束干涉系统相当,基于该现象的激光回馈干涉仪与传统的干涉仪相比具有相同的相位灵敏度。但其结构简单、紧凑、易准直的特点,引起了国内外科研者浓厚的兴趣,开发了很多全新概念、经济实用的精密测量仪器。对激光回馈效应在位移测量、速度测量、振动测量、距离测量、角度测量和形貌测量中的原理进行了介绍,同时对各传感应用系统进行了评述。     

Generation of 10-GHz ultra-short pulses with low time jitter in an actively mode-locked fiber laser

We have experimentally achieved the 8.3-ps ultra-short pulse at 10 GHz repetition rate with the time jitter as low as 590 fs in an actively mode-locked fiber ring laser. The ring-cavity laser is mode-locked by a semiconductor optical amplifier based on cross-gain modulation. The external CW source is modulated with radio frequency signal by an amplitude modulator as the external optical pulses and, then, injected into the fiber ring cavity to achieve active mode locking. Further investigating the laser output characteristics, it indicates that the linewidth of employed CW source affects properties of the generated ultra-short pulse, such as phase noise and time jitter. Ultra-short pulse at high repetition rate with low time jitter can be generated by the optimization of CW laser source.     

All-semiconductor laser driven terahertz time-domain spectrometer

We present a terahertz time-domain spectrometer pumped by an all-semiconductor femtosecond laser system which emits 600 fs long optical pulses at 830 nm. Standard LT-GaAs antennas are used to generate and coherently detect THz radiation with a bandwidth of 1.4 THz. The measured time traces are in good agreement with simulations based on the Drude–Lorentz model. Spectroscopic measurements on polymers with different additive contents as well as THz imaging were carried out to confirm the successful operation of the spectrometer. Our approach holds great potential for the development of cost-effective, rugged and portable THz spectrometers for a variety of applications.     

飞秒脉冲的二次谐波理论和实验研究

本文分析了小信号情况下飞秒脉冲的倍频特性,在非耗尽近似下,得出了飞秒脉冲二次谐波波形及效率的解析解,在时间域内,对一般条件的耦合波方程进行了数值解,分析了相位失配对飞秒脉冲倍频波形及效率的影响。 用0.5mm厚的一类匹配LBO晶体对碰撞锁模激光器产生的80fs超短脉冲进行了腔外倍频实验,实验结果与理论计算符合得很好。     

超短激光脉冲对宽带光学物质的微加工

通过讨论超快飞秒激光脉冲和长脉冲宽度的激光脉冲紧导致宽能隙透明电介质的损伤机理和比较超短激光脉冲与长激光脉冲对宽能隙透明电介质的损伤程度，得出超短激光脉冲是一种可对透明宽带电介质进行加工的有效工具的结论。当波长为800nm，脉冲宽度为150fs的激光脉冲紧聚焦到不同的宽能隙透明电介质（K9玻璃和ZK6玻璃）体内时，可制作不同光栅常数的光栅，并在波长为635nm的He-Ne连续激光的垂直照射下，对光栅的远场相对衍射效率和光栅的衍射效率进行了测量。     

Pulse Compression by Filamentation in Argon with an Acoustic Optical Programmable Dispersive Filter for Predispersion Compensation

We have experimentally demonstrated pulses 0.4 mJ in duration smaller than 12 fs with an excellent spatial beam profile by self-guided propagation in argon. The original 52 fs pulses from the chirped pulsed amplification laser system are first precompressed to 32 fs by inserting an acoustic optical programmable dispersive filter instrument into the laser system for spectrum reshaping and dispersion compensation, and the pulse spectrum is subsequently broadened by filamentation in an argon cell. By using chirped mirrors for post-dispersion compensation, the pulses are successfully compressed to smaller than 12 fs.     

利用NOLM实现连续光到归零码脉冲和波长的同时变换

利用非线性光学环路镜成功地实现了连续光到超短光脉冲和波长的同时变换.最大波长变换间距大于35nm.实验系统中采用增益开关分布反馈半导体激光器(GSDFB-LD)产生的超短光脉冲作为控制光,采用波长可调半导体激光器作为信号光.在变换过程中在1.55μm附近首次观测到了波长的反相变换.当信号光和控制光脉冲走离大于40.7ps时,变换信号脉冲发生畸变,变换脉冲展宽.     

Self-phase-locked degenerate femtosecond optical parametric oscillator

We demonstrated a stable degenerate synchronously pumped femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (SPOPO) as a divide-by-2 subharmonic generator. The SPOPO exhibited passive all-optical self-phase-locking between the pump and signal/idler and thus required no external electronic feedback to produce the phase-locked subharmonic. We employed a type I phase-matched, 1-mm-long, periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3 crystal as the nonlinear gain element and an 80 MHz mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser with 180 fs pulses tuned at 775 nm as the pump. The SPOPO generated transform-limited 70 fs phase-locked output pulses centered at 1550 nm. The self-phase-locking operation was confirmed by separate beat-note measurement techniques with respect to the pump laser and with respect to an external cw laser.     

Lens Sag Measurement of Microlens Array Using Optical Interferometric Microscope

This study attempted to develop a detection system for lens sag of the microlens array in real time using an optical automatic inspection framework to link with the computer through a camera. An image processing technique was applied to detect the spherical microlens array, and then, the results were compared.The system light source used laser light and applied CCD to collocate with the microscope array to form an automatic optical detection system for an optical interferometric microscope. It applied the principle of the Fizeau interferometer, illuminated the surface of microlens array, and formed the phase difference required by the interference of two lights through the laser light reflected by the reference plane and the surface of the microlens array, thus, forming an interference fringe.When the sag of the microlens was much longer than the wave length of the detection light source, the fringe would be densely distributed, thus, only a few central fringes were clear in the microscopic image. An image processing method was used to search the center of the interference fringe and a creative algorithm was utilized to obtain the lens sag of the microlens. As proved by the experiment, lens sag of 4 microlens arrays were detected in real time, with a minimum detection error of 0.08 μm, and a maximum detection error of 4 μm (error value 1 ~ 9%), according to different sample processes. This system featured a simple structure and is applicable to non-contact detection and detection of different-sized microlens arrays.     

Computer generated optical holographic fringe patterns for the analysis of vibrating structures

Optical holographic interference fringe patterns on rods and bars vibrating in ultrasonic resonance (standing waves) are predicted by computer simulations. The simulations are based on a combination of finite element calculations with calculations based on the theory of holographic interference fringe generation. The hypothetical fringe patterns are then compared to holographic fringe images obtained by the experiment (time average holograms). The holographic arrangement and the mechanical part of the ultrasonic system (transducer, horn and specimen) were fixed on a commercial rigid optical table supported on air bags to isolate it from ground vibrations. Thus it is shown that the scope of the study can be reached with a minimum of experimental effort, i.e., with basic laser optical equipment. It is shown that provided the system operates in the desired mode, good agreement between the theoretical and the real image is given. Finally examples of the possible influence of defects or of parasitic modes of vibration on the appearance of the fringe patterns are given.     

利用三色组合脉冲激光获得孤立阿秒脉冲发射

孤立阿秒脉冲因可以跟踪和控制原子及分子内电子的运动过程而备受关注.本文从理论上开展了氦原子在3束飞秒脉冲激光组合场辐照下产生的高次谐波和阿秒脉冲辐射的研究.组合激光场由16 fs/1600 nm,15 fs/1100 nm和5.3 fs/800 nm的钛宝石脉冲构成.与前两束脉冲合成的双色场产生谐波谱相比,附加钛宝石脉冲的三色场产生的高次谐波发射谱呈现出高转换效率及宽带超连续特性,超连续谱范围覆盖从230—690次谐波,傅里叶变换后实现了128 as高强度孤立短脉冲的产生.该结果归因于合成的三色场呈现出高功率及少周期的中红外飞秒脉冲激光特性,可以有效控制原子电离以及复合发生在中红外飞秒脉冲的一个有效光学周期内.