Broadband and high efficiency metal multi-layer dielectric grating based on non-quarter wave coatings as reflective mirror

This article deals with designing broadband and high efficiency metal multi-layer dielectric grating (MMDG) used to compress and stretch ultra-short laser pulse. The diffraction characteristics of MMDG are analysed with the method of rigorous coupled-wave method. The multi-layer dielectric used as reflective mirror is made up of non-quarter wave coatings. Taking the diffraction efficiency of the -1 order as the value of merit function, the parameters such as groove depth, residual thickness, duty cycle, and reflective mirror are optimized to obtain broadband and high diffraction efficiency. The optimized MMDG shows an ultra-broadband working spectrum with the average efficiency exceeding 97% over 160 nm wavelength centred at 1053 nm and TE polarization. The optimized MMDG should be useful for chirped pulse amplification.     

基于严格耦合波理论的宽光谱金属介质膜光栅衍射特性分析

基于严格耦合波理论建立了金属介质膜光栅的衍射机理模型,给出了TE模式金属介质膜光栅衍射效率的表达式.以-1级衍射效率和工作带宽为评价函数,对金属介质膜光栅的表面浮雕结构进行了优化设计.对于800 nm和1053 nm为中心的TE波,设计的金属介质膜光栅-1级衍射效率优于97%的工作带宽分别达到130 nm和150 nm,最后讨论了设计的宽光谱高衍射效率金属介质膜光栅的制备工艺容差.此研究对于提高脉宽压缩光栅的性能具有重要的意义. 关键词： 衍射效率 金属介质膜光栅 严格耦合波理论     

宽光谱高衍射效率脉宽压缩光栅设计和性能分析

基于飞秒激光对脉宽压缩光栅宽光谱和高衍射效率的要求,提出了一种金属介质膜结构的宽光谱高衍射效率脉宽压缩光栅,该光栅由基底、金属介质膜和表面浮雕结构组成.为获得宽光谱高衍射效率的脉宽压缩光栅,采用严格耦合波理论对金属介质膜光栅的结构参数进行优化设计.数值分析表明当金属介质光栅的槽深、剩余厚度、占空比和入射角分别为272 ...     

Near-field optical properties of wide bandwidth metal multi-layer dielectric gratings for pulse compressor

Metal multi-layer dielectric gratings (MMDG) for pulse compressors in high-energy laser systems should provide broad bandwidth as well as high laser-induced damage thresholds. The non-uniform optical near-field distribution of MMDG is an important factor that limits damage resistant capabilities. MMDG for pulse compressors operating at 800 nm with a corrugated SiO₂ layer are designed by using a genetic algorithm and the Fourier mode method. The diffraction efficiency, bandwidth, and near-field distribution of the MMDG are theoretically investigated. For the single dielectric match layer grating, the bandwidth is 140 nm, if the thickness and refractive index of the match layer are changed, the maximum electric field in the grating ridge, match layer, and metal layer of the grating increases with the decrease in grating diffraction efficiency. For the multi-dielectric match layer grating, the bandwidth and the maximum electric field in the metal layer decrease with the increase in high- and low-index material pairs, and the maximum electric field in the grating ridge and match layer initially decreases and then increases. Over a wide wavelength range, the maximum electric field in the grating ridge, match layer, and metal layer is minimal near the central wavelength. Moreover, MMDG should be used at larger incident angles while keeping enough bandwidth to reduce the electric field in the grating.     

多层介质膜光栅用高反射镜的严格耦合波分析

基于严格耦合波和增强透射矩阵的方法,提出了一种数值稳定的求解多层介质膜光学特性的机理模型.利用该模型计算了多层介质膜光栅用高反射镜的优化设计膜系.使用电子束热蒸发方式制备的多层介质膜光谱特性和理论设计的结果符合得很好,该严格耦合波模型是分析介质膜光学特性有效的稳定的数值求解方法.     

Design of High-Efficiency Diffraction Gratings Based on Rigorous Coupled-Wave Analysis for 800nm Wavelength

We report on the design of a high diffraction efficiency multi-layer dielectric grating with wide incident angle and broad bandwidth for 80Ohm. The optimized grating can achieve 〉 95% diffraction efficiency in the first order at an incident angle of 5° from Littrow and a wavelength from 77Ohm to 83Ohm, with peak diffraction efieieney of 〉 99.5% at 80Ohm. The electric field distribution of the optimized multi-layer dielectric grating within the gratings ridge is 1.3 times enhancement of the incidence light, which presents potential high laser resistance ability. Because of its high-effieieney, wide incident, broad bandwidth and potential high resistance ability, the multi-layer dielectric grating should have practical application in Ti：sapphire laser systems.     

多层介质膜脉宽压缩光栅的严格矢量分析

用于展宽和压缩激光脉冲的多层膜脉宽压缩光栅是由多层介质高反膜和位于其顶层的浮雕光栅构成。以设计的高反射多层膜为基础,利用傅里叶模式理论分析了其衍射场分布,给出了TE波自准直角入射的使用条件下,多层介质膜脉宽压缩光栅衍射效率的表达式。以-1级衍射效率为评价函数,分别讨论了HfO2和SiO2为顶层材料时,多层膜脉宽压缩光栅-1级衍射效率高于0.95的光栅结构参量范围。结果表明,在该条件下,选择HfO2为顶层材料时,光栅结构参量有较大的取值范围。给出了优化的光栅结构参量,并分析了光栅制作误差及其使用条件的宽容度,对光栅制作工艺和使用具有一定的指导意义。     

Mo/Si aperiodic multilayer broadband reflective mirror for 12.5-28.5-nm wavelength range

Aperiodic molybdenum/silicon (Mo/Si) multilayer designed as a broadband reflective mirror with mean reflectivity of 10% over a wide wavelength range of 12.5-28.5 nm at incidence angle of 5° is developed using a numerical optimized method. The multilayer is prepared using direct current magnetron sputtering technology. The reflectivity is measured using synchrotron radiation. The measured mean reflectivity is 7.0% in the design wavelength range of 12.5-28.5 nm. This multilayer broadband reflective mirror can be used in extreme ultraviolet measurements and will greatly simplify the experimental arrangements.     

F2-laser ablation patterning of dielectric layers

Spatially defined patterning of multi-layer dielectric optical systems by laser-induced ablation is demonstrated. A 49-layer high-reflectivity mirror for 193-nm light was irradiated with F₂-laser light through the CaF₂-substrate to cleanly remove the whole dielectric stack by rear-sided ablation. The 157-nm light is absorbed efficiently by dielectric layers such as SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ that are typically used for ultraviolet (UV) transmission at 193-nm and longer wavelengths. Thus it is possible to ablate highly reflective UV-laser mirrors (HR 193 nm) and to create dielectric masks that withstand high power levels at 193 nm. A single 157-nm pulse with a fluence of less than 500 mJ/cm² is sufficient to cleanly ablate the whole layer stack with sharp edges and without debris deposition. Received: 31 October 2000 / Accepted: 14 November 2000 / Published online: 10 January 2001     

Broadband high-energy mirror for ultrashort pulse amplification system

We report a broadband high-energy mirror for TW-class chirped-pulse amplification of ᄺ-fs pulses. This mirror consists of broadband coatings and optimized high-damage-threshold coatings for decreasing the intensity on the broadband coatings. It is important to optimize the number of high-damage-threshold coatings so that high damage-threshold and relatively low dispersion are traded off against each other. The bandwidth of this mirror ((5겨 nm at 5₀꼀 nm) is almost equivalent to that of a commercial broadband mirror, and the damage threshold of this mirror is almost equivalent to that of a commercial high-energy mirror. This mirror can withstand chirped pulse laser beam's with high fluence (>1 J/cm²) and wide spectra (153 nm FWHM) in practice.     

双啁啾介质镜的设计与分析

从双啁啾膜系原理出发，经过自行编制的软件优化计算，得到了由54层介质膜组成的具有色散补偿功能的宽带高反镜，高反射率（大于99.9%）带宽宽达120nm，群延迟色散量为－50fs^2。对基于耦合模理论和传输线理论的双啁啾镜的原理和设计思路进行了分析，并通过计算机模拟验证了设计结果，分析了膜系各参量的改变对膜系的反射率和时延特性的影响。另外，在优化计算过程中发现了一些值得注意的有用的规律。     

多层介质膜脉冲压缩光栅近场光学特性分析

利用傅里叶模式理论分析了TE波自准直角入射的使用条件下，多层介质膜光栅的光栅区和多层膜区电场分布的特点.分别讨论了HfO₂和SiO₂为顶层光栅材料时，光栅结构参数对光栅脊峰值电场的影响，结果表明，对于不同膜厚的顶层材料，存在一个最佳膜厚度，使光栅脊峰值电场最小，并且当膜厚增大时，设计大高宽比的光栅可以降低该电场峰值.最后，在大角度条件下使用多层膜光栅也可以降低光栅脊处的峰值电场. 关键词： 衍射光学 多层介质膜光栅 模式理论 损伤阈值     

梯形介质膜光栅衍射特性分析

基于严格耦合波理论建立了梯形介质膜光栅的衍射机理模型,利用该模型讨论了底角为70°的梯形介质膜光栅-1级的衍射行为.通过对梯形介质膜光栅的占空比、槽深和剩余厚度的优化,设计了应用于1053 nm和51.2°角度入射的梯形介质膜光栅.对于顶层为HfO2的介质膜光栅,当槽深为200 nm,剩余厚度为100 nm,占空比为0.35时.其衍射效率优于99.5%,而对于顶层为SiO2的梯形光栅,为获得99.5%的衍射效率.其槽深为800 nm,剩余厚度为320 nm.而且,获得同样的衍射效率,顶层为HfO2的梯形光栅具有更宽的光谱特性.数值计算表明,严格耦合波理论模型对梯形介质膜光栅衍射效率的计算具有很好的收敛性和稳定性.     

Spectrum splitting using multi-layer dielectric meta-surfaces for efficient solar energy harvesting

We designed a high-efficiency dispersive mirror based on multi-layer dielectric meta-surfaces. By replacing the secondary mirror of a dome solar concentrator with this dispersive mirror, the solar concentrator can be converted into a spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system with higher energy harvesting efficiency and potentially lower cost. The meta-surfaces are consisted of high-index contrast gratings (HCG). The structures and parameters of the dispersive mirror (i.e. stacked HCG) are optimized based on finite-difference time-domain and rigorous coupled-wave analysis method. Our numerical study shows that the dispersive mirror can direct light with different wavelengths into different angles in the entire solar spectrum, maintaining very low energy loss. Our approach will not only improve the energy harvesting efficiency, but also lower the cost by using single junction cells instead of multi-layer tandem solar cells. Moreover, this approach has the minimal disruption to the existing solar concentrator infrastructures.     

Tuning of dye lasers with a reflecting Fizeau wedge

The reflecting properties of the Fizeau interferometer are used to obtain efficient spectral condensation and tuning of short pulse dye lasers. It is pointed out that the formation of multibeam interference fringes with a divergent beam leads to angular dispersion and resurgence of a part of the beam outside the impact area, which can be used to obtain selective feedback in a laser cavity. With a single Fizeau wedge used as a mirror in a 2 ns pulse laser, a linewidth of 0.01 nm is obtained and the tuning range is of the order of 10 nm. The Fizeau wedge mirror also permits an easy switch from a broadband laser emission to a tunable narrow line or to a tunable narrow hole in a broadband laser spectrum.     

Optimization of near-field optical field of multi-layer dielectric gratings for pulse compressor

Multi-layer dielectric (MLD) gratings for pulse compressors in high-energy laser systems should provide high diffraction efficiency as well as high laser induced damage thresholds (LIDT). Nonuniform optical near-field distribution is one of the important factors to limit their damage resistant capabilities. Electric field distributions in the gratings and multi-layer film region are analyzed by using Fourier modal method. Optimization of peak electric field in the gratings ridge is performed with a merit function, including both diffraction efficiency and electric field enhancement when the top layer material is HfO₂ and SiO₂, respectively. A set of optimized gratings parameters is obtained for each structure, which reduce the peak electric field within the gratings ridge to being respective 1.39 and 1.84 times the value of incident light respectively. Finally, we also discuss the effects of gratings refractive index, gratings sidewall angle and incident angle on peak electric field in the gratings ridge.     

Design of ultrabroadband internal reflection gratings with high efficiency

A high-efficiency, ultrabroadband dielectric internal reflection grating with rhombus-shaped grooves is designed by a rigorous coupled-wave analysis, and an effective method for predicting spectral bandwidths of gratings from their efficiency maps is presented. The grating can be fabricated from a single dielectric material, and its reflection diffraction efficiency of the -1st order can reach more than 0.99. More importantly, an ultrabroadband top-hat diffraction spectrum with efficiency exceeding 0.98 over 170 nm wavelength wide is achieved, which makes the gratings suitable for applications associated with broadband illumination, such as ultrashort pulses.     

Distributed feedback-distributed Bragg reflector coupled cavity laser with a Ti:(Fe:)Er:LiNbO3 waveguide

A thermally fixed photorefractive Bragg grating is written in a single-mode Ti:Fe:Er:LiNbO3 channel waveguide and used to develop a distributed feedback-distributed Bragg reflector coupled cavity laser with a second broadband dielectric cavity mirror. The optically pumped (lambda(p) = 1480 nm, P = 130 mW) laser emits in single-frequency operation as much as 8 mW at lambda = 1557.2 nm with a slope efficiency of approximately 22%. The laser wavelength can be thermo-optically and electro-optically tuned over 100 pm.     

Relationships among group delay,energy storage,and loss in dispersive dielectric mirrors

We show that absorbed and stored electromagnetic energy are proportional to the reflection group delay in highly reflective dispersive dielectric mirrors over the high-reflectivity band.Our theoretical considerations are verified by numerical simulations performed on different dielectric mirror structures.The revealed proportionality between group delay and absorbed energy sets constraint on the application of ultrabroadband and/or dispersive dielectric mirrors in broadband or widely tunable,high-power laser systems.     

Optimization of thin-film design for multi-layer dielectric grating

Thin-film design used to fabricate multi-layer dielectric (MLD) gratings should provide high transmittance during holography exposure, high reflectance at use wavelength and sufficient manufacturing latitude of the grating design making the MLD grating achieve both high diffraction efficiency and low electric field enhancement. Based on a (HLL)⁹H design comprising of quarter-waves of high-index material and half-waves of low-index material, we obtain an optimum MLD coating meeting these requirements by inserting a matching layer being half a quarter-wave of Al₂O₃ between the initial design and an optimized HfO₂ top layer. The optimized MLD coatings exhibits a low reflectance of 0.017% under photoresist at the exposure angle of 17.8° for 413 nm light and a high reflectance of 99.61% under air at the use angle of 51.2° for 1053 nm light. Numerical calculation of intensity distribution in the photoresist coated on the MLD film during exposure shows that standing-wave patterns are greatly minimized and thus simulation profile of photoresist gratings after development demonstrates smoother shapes with lower roughness. Furthermore, a MLD gratings with grooves etched into the top layer of this MLD coating provides a high diffraction efficiency of 99.5% and a low electric field enhancement ratio of 1.53. This thin-film design shows perfect performances and can be easily fabricated by e-beam evaporation.