High power all-fibered femtosecond master oscillator power amplifier at 1.56 μm

Direct amplification of output from chirped pulse oscillator (CPO) to 3.3?W of average power (pulse energy of 118?nJ in 20?ps pulse duration before compression) was achieved in a properly designed cladding pumped large mode area Er-doped fiber. Various configurations of CPO cavity with different FWHM of output spectrum and pulse duration were investigated. Fourier limit compression with 480?fs pulse duration and 32?kW peak power has been obtained for pulses with 14.8?nm FWHM spectrum. Subsequent nonlinear compression in a standard SMF-28 fiber yielded pulses as short as 145?fs.     

Femtosecond Transform-Limited Pulse Generation by Compensating for the Linear Chirp of SPM Spectra in Dispersion Shifted Fibers

A simple technique of pulse compression, based on the linear chirp compensation of self-phase modulation (SPM) spectra in dispersion shifted fibers, is demonstrated. The optimization procedure is carried out, for a short span of a single-mode fiber, using a parabolic law, which describes the behavior of the squared output pulse width versus the pump peak power in the case of Gaussian pulses. The experimental results give a minimum pulse duration of 233 fs, which is in good agreement with the model. Shorter and coherent pulses, down to 90 fs, have been obtained by inserting an interference filter at the optical output.     

Ultra-short pulse compression using photonic crystal fibre

A short section of photonic crystal fibre has been used for ultra-short pulse compression. The unique optical properties of this novel medium in terms of high non-linearity and relatively small group velocity dispersion are shown to provide an ideal platform for the standard fibre pulse compression technique used directly on the nano-Joule output pulses from a commercial laser system. We report an order of magnitude reduction of the pulse width to 25 fs FWHM but predict a substantially improved performance with a dedicated fibre design. Good agreement is obtained with a simple model for the spectral broadening in the fibre. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.70.Qs; 42.81.Cn     

微微秒超短脉冲的光学压缩

在研究了短光纤(L～L_w)中受激喇曼散射的斯托克斯脉冲对基波脉冲能量箝位效应的基础上进行了脉冲压缩实验。以高泵浦功率(P=1600W)注入长度为8.95m绿光单模光纤中,采用双光程的光栅对压缩结构,并引入空间频率窗口滤除自相位调制光谱的非线性啁啾部分,将40ps的锁模Nd:YAG倍频光脉压缩至<5ps。     

Yb-doped fiber oscillator generating 41 fs wave-breaking-free pulses

We report on the generation of wave-breaking-free pulses from an Yb-doped fiber oscillator at 1.03 μm by using the nonlinear polarization rotation mode-locking. The average output power reached 113 mW as limited by available pump power of 578 mW. The generated pulses had a pulse energy up to 2 nJ and could be externally compressed down to 41 fs. The output pulses exhibited a smooth spectrum without any side lobe or temporal wave-packet breaking due to the nonlinear phase modulation in an additional Erdoped fiber acted as a saturable absorber in the fiber laser.     

High speed ultra short pulse fiber ring laser using photonic crystal fiber nonlinear optical loop mirror

A scheme to generate high speed optical pulse train with ultra short pulse width is proposed and experimentally studied. Two-step compression is used in the scheme: 20 GHz and 40 GHz pulse trains generated from a rational harmonic actively mode-locked fiber ring laser is compressed to a full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of ~ 1.5 ps using adiabatic soliton compression with dispersion shifted fibers (DSF). The pulse trains then undergo a pedestal removal process by transmission through a cascaded two photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-nonlinear optical loop mirrors (NOLM) realized using a double-ring structure. The shortest output pulse width obtained was ~ 610 fs for 20 GHz pulse train and ~ 570 fs for 40 GHz pulse train. The signal to noise ratio of the RF spectrum of the output pulse train is larger than 30 dB. Theoretical simulation of the NOLM transmission is conducted using split-step Fourier method. The results show that two cascaded NOLMs can improve the compression result compared to that for a single NOLM transmission.     

色散补偿和色散位移光纤实现光脉冲压缩

根据超短光脉冲在光纤中传输的非线性薛定谔方程，模拟了不同色散参量情况下色散补偿和色散位移光纤对增益开关半导体激光器产生的光脉冲的压缩，给出了光脉冲在经过色散补偿光纤前后的啁啾曲线。结果表明，使用色散参量D分别为-150，-180和-20ps/(nm·km)的色散补偿光纤可以实现其他脉冲压缩方法的压缩效果，最大压缩因子达到6.09，但色散参量越大，所需光纤长度就越短。此外，脉冲经过色散补偿光纤后线性啁啾几乎为零。还利用色散位移光纤对脉冲进行孤子压缩，脉冲宽度由最初的45ps减小到1.23ps。指出采用这2种光纤相结合的方法可以对光脉冲实现高效压缩。     

Optical pulse compression using the combination of phase modulation and high-order dispersion compensation

Optical pulse compression using high-order dispersion compensation is proposed and theoretically analyzed. Firstly, the required dispersion profile for the high-order dispersion compensation is derived, according to the linear chirp and the nonlinear chirp of a phase-modulated continuous-wave (CW) laser source. With the use of the high-order dispersion compensation, such as the combination compensation of the second order dispersion (SOD) and the fourth order dispersion (FOD), an efficient pulse compression having a less time-bandwidth product and a greater peak power is realized. A sampled fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with both the SOD and the FOD is then designed using the equivalent chirp and the reconstruction algorithm. Finally, in the numerical simulation an optical pulse with a time-bandwidth product of 0.79 is generated via high-order dispersion compensation that is performed by using the sampled FBG.     

Optimizing input and output chirps up to the third-order for sub-nanojoule,ultra-short pulse compression in small core area PCF

Compression of sub-nanojoule laser pulses using a commercially available photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with zero dispersion wavelength of 860 nm is discussed. A twofold pulse compression starting from 24 fs transform limited seed pulses around 800 nm is experimentally demonstrated as a verification of our simulations. Theory shows that by the optimization of input and output chirp parameters up to the third order, high quality, 5.7 fs pulses can be generated from a cost efficient experimental setup. Further calculations show that 1 ps pulses with central wavelength of 800 nm can be compressed down to 50 fs in the normal dispersion regime of the fiber with proper dispersion compensation. Calculations also show that dispersion flattened fibers can improve both the quality and the duration of compressed pulses. PACS 42.65.Re     

Few-cycle pulse compression through cascade of bulk media and hollow-core fiber

We experimentally demonstrated a new few-cycle pulse compression technique through the cascade of bulk media and hollow-core fiber (HCF) and this compression system has been intensively studied. The pulses with the duration of ∼5 fs and the energy of 0.33 mJ near 800 nm have been generated by compressing the ∼40 fs input pulse from a commercial laser system. In principle, this technique allows compression of pulses with duration of picoseconds to a few cycles (sub-7 fs) and the output can be above 1 mJ.     

Electron-yield enhancement in a laser-wakefield accelerator driven by asymmetric laser pulses

The effect of asymmetric laser pulses on electron yield from a laser wakefield accelerator has been experimentally studied using >10(19) cm(-3) plasmas and a 10 TW, >45 fs, Ti:Al2O3 laser. The laser pulse shape was controlled through nonlinear chirp with a grating pair compressor. Pulses (76 fs FWHM) with a steep rise and positive chirp were found to significantly enhance the electron yield compared to pulses with a gentle rise and negative chirp. Theory and simulation show that fast rising pulses can generate larger amplitude wakes that seed the growth of the self-modulation instability, and that frequency chirp is of minimal importance for the experimental parameters.     

负曲率空芯光纤对飞秒超短脉冲光的压缩研究

为了实现对飞秒激光器产生的超短脉冲的进一步压缩,对近年来出现的一种新型负曲率空芯光纤展开了研究,并基于该光纤对800 nm飞秒激光进行了压缩实验。首先介绍了一种圆形玻璃管包层结构的负曲率空芯光纤,通过有限元方法对光纤的损耗特性进行计算,并与实验测试结果进行对比。然后利用广义非线性薛定谔方程对脉冲在光纤中的传输进行了模拟仿真。最后利用该光纤进行了超短脉冲压缩实验,将脉冲宽度为160 fs的钛宝石飞秒激光耦合进一段充高压氩气的圆形玻璃管包层结构的负曲率空芯光纤,通过光纤内反常色散和自相位调制的共同作用,得到84 fs的输出,实现脉冲的压缩,实验结果与仿真计算一致。这种新型的负曲率空芯光纤损伤阈值高、色散、非线性系数小且灵活可调,非常适用于超快领域研究。     

16 fs, 350 nJ pulses at 5 MHz repetition rate delivered by chirped pulse compression in fibers

We demonstrate a simple approach for broadening and compression of intense pulses at megahertz repetition rates by self-phase modulation in nonlinear photonic crystal fibers. In order to avoid damage by self-focusing, we positively chirp the input pulses, which allows coupling of significantly more energy into the fiber, while maintaining the same spectral bandwidth and compression as compared to the Fourier-limited case at lower energy. Using a commercial long-cavity Ti:sapphire oscillator with 55 fs, 400 nJ pulses at 5 MHz, we generate 16 fs, 350 nJ pulses, which is a factor of 4 more energy than possible with unchirped input pulses. Self-phase-modulated spectra supporting 11 fs duration are also shown with 350 nJ pulse energy. Excellent stability is recorded over at least 1 h.     

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     

Nonlinear femtosecond pulse compression at high average power levels by use of a large-mode-area holey fiber

We demonstrate that nonlinear fiber compression is possible at unprecedented average power levels by use of a large-mode-area holey (microstructured) fiber and a passively mode-locked thin disk Yb:YAG laser operating at 1030 nm. We broaden the optical spectrum of the 810-fs pump pulses by nonlinear propagation in the fiber and remove the resultant chirp with a dispersive prism pair to achieve 18 W of average power in 33-fs pulses with a peak power of 12 MW and a repetition rate of 34 MHz. The output beam is nearly diffraction limited and is linearly polarized.     

滤波对8字腔掺铒光纤激光器锁模运转的影响

构建了基于损耗非对称非线性光学环镜的8字腔掺铒光纤锁模激光器,并讨论了腔内滤波带宽对腔内脉冲演化和激光器输出特性的影响.在非线性光学环镜中引入双向输出耦合器,耦合器和传输光纤位置的不对称产生非互易性,实现锁模运转.利用自制的可调谐滤波器实验研究了滤波带宽对激光器的影响.当滤波带宽为2.1 nm时,腔内脉冲的演化过程受滤波和孤子效应的共同作用,激光器顺时针和逆时针输出脉冲半高全宽分别为583.7fs和2.94 ps.随着滤波带宽增大,滤波的作用逐渐减弱,激光器两路输出脉冲参数逐渐接近,并接近傅里叶变换极限脉冲.当滤波带宽较大时,腔内脉冲的演化过程受增益谱和孤子效应的共同作用,激光器顺时针和逆时针输出脉冲均为变换极限脉冲,半高全宽约为440 fs.通过调节滤波器中心波长实现了对激光器输出脉冲光谱的连续调谐,调节范围大于30 nm.     

Widely tunable sub-30-fs pulses from a compact erbium-doped fiber source

Coupling femtosecond light pulses from an all-fiber Er:laser system into a dispersion-shifted and highly non-linear fiber, we generate output spectra exhibiting two broadband and mutually coherent maxima. Depending on the chirp of the input pulse, the spectral separation is easily tunable over a wide range up to values exceeding 100 THz. In this way, the source provides access to an ultrabroadband wavelength interval from 1130 to 1950 nm. Because of soliton effects, the long-wave component exhibits a transform-limited pulse width of 40 fs directly after the nonlinear element. The high-frequency part propagating in the dispersive regime is recompressed to pulse durations as short as 24 fs with an optimized prism sequence.     

Fiber optical parametric oscillator for sub-50 fs pulse generation: optimization of fiber length

We demonstrate generation of 48fs pulses with linear chirp using a short (27mm) fiber optical parametric oscillator (FOPO), which is synchronously pumped by a mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber laser. We also study the pulse quality for both the short- and long-wavelength operation where the fiber length inside of the oscillator varies from 17 to 61mm. The optimal pulse duration is observed only in the short-wavelength operation. Furthermore, we model the FOPO system as a single-pass parametric amplifier including dispersive pulse broadening and walk-off between the pump and output. The optimal condition arises from the minimization of the walk-off and dispersion. When walk-off is large, the parametric amplification process is most efficient over some reduced effective fiber length, leading to an upper limit in the amount of the observed pulse broadening.     

基于高能量耗散型脉冲掺铒光纤激光器的实验研究

在正色散掺铒光纤激光器中,利用非线性偏振旋转技术实现自启动锁模,得到了具有极大光谱宽度的高能量、无波分裂耗散型脉冲.该耗散型脉冲的形成是腔内增益、损耗、非线性偏振旋转、正色散和其他非线性效应等共同作用的结果,其形成机理与传统的负色散激光器完全不同.当抽运功率为500mW时,该类型脉冲的光谱覆盖了1530—1660nm范围,半高全宽光谱宽度可达42nm以上.脉冲具有极大的正啁啾,其时间带宽积为483,而单脉冲总能量最大可达34.4nJ.     

57 W, 27 fs pulses from a fiber laser system using nonlinear compression

We report on the generation of 27 fs pulses with an average output power of 57 W and a repetition rate of 78 MHz. The pulses are generated by combining a high average power fiber chirped pulse amplification (FCPA) system with a microstructured large-mode-area fiber for nonlinear compression. The FCPA system delivers 270 fs pulses in a linearly polarized beam with diffraction-limited quality. Nonlinear compression is achieved by launching the pulses into a short (few cm) piece of microstructured fiber and subsequent compression by a pair of chirped mirrors. PACS  42.55.Wd; 42.55.Xi, 42.65.Re