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Hu B, Yang X, Wu J, Lu S, Yang H, Long Z, He L, Luo X, Tian K, Wang W, Li Y, Wu H, Li W, Guo C, Yang H, Wang QJ, Liang H. Highly efficient octave-spanning long-wavelength infrared generation with a 74% quantum efficiency in a χ (2) waveguide. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7125. [PMID: 37932272 PMCID: PMC10628208 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42912-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The realization of compact and efficient broadband mid-infrared (MIR) lasers has enormous impacts in promoting MIR spectroscopy for various important applications. A number of well-designed waveguide platforms have been demonstrated for MIR supercontinuum and frequency comb generations based on cubic nonlinearities, but unfortunately third-order nonlinear response is inherently weak. Here, we propose and demonstrate for the first time a χ(2) micrometer waveguide platform based on birefringence phase matching for long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) laser generation with a high quantum efficiency. In a ZnGeP2-based waveguide platform, an octave-spanning spectrum covering 5-11 μm is generated through optical parametric generation (OPG). A quantum conversion efficiency of 74% as a new record in LWIR single-pass parametric processes is achieved. The threshold energy is measured as ~616 pJ, reduced by more than 1-order of magnitude as compared to those of MIR OPGs in bulk media. Our prototype micro-waveguide platform could be extended to other χ(2) birefringence crystals and trigger new frontiers of MIR integrated nonlinear photonics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Hu
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuemei Yang
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiangen Wu
- Sino-German College of Intelligent Manufacturing, Shenzhen Technology University, 518118, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Siyi Lu
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hang Yang
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhe Long
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Linzhen He
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xing Luo
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kan Tian
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Weizhe Wang
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Han Wu
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Wenlong Li
- Chengdu Dien PHOTOELECTRIC Technology Co., Ltd., 610100, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Guo
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, 518060, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huan Yang
- Sino-German College of Intelligent Manufacturing, Shenzhen Technology University, 518118, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Qi Jie Wang
- School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering & The Photonics Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Houkun Liang
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, 610064, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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2
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Granger G, Bailly M, Delahaye H, Jimenez C, Tiliouine I, Leventoux Y, Orlianges JC, Couderc V, Gérard B, Becheker R, Idlahcen S, Godin T, Hideur A, Grisard A, Lallier E, Février S. GaAs-chip-based mid-infrared supercontinuum generation. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2023; 12:252. [PMID: 37848458 PMCID: PMC10582246 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-023-01299-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The mid-infrared spectral region opens up new possibilities for applications such as molecular spectroscopy with high spatial and frequency resolution. For example, the mid-infrared light provided by synchrotron sources has helped for early diagnosis of several pathologies. However, alternative light sources at the table-top scale would enable better access to these state-of-the-art characterizations, eventually speeding up research in biology and medicine. Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in highly nonlinear waveguides pumped by compact fiber lasers represents an appealing alternative to synchrotrons. Here, we introduce orientation-patterned gallium arsenide waveguides as a new versatile platform for mid-infrared supercontinuum generation. Waveguides and fiber-based pump lasers are optimized in tandem to allow for the group velocities of the signal and the idler waves to match near the degeneracy point. This configuration exacerbates supercontinuum generation from 4 to 9 µm when waveguides are pumped at 2750 nm with few-nanojoule energy pulses. The brightness of the novel mid-infrared source exceeds that of the third-generation synchrotron source by a factor of 20. We also show that the nonlinear dynamics is strongly influenced by the choice of waveguide and laser parameters, thus offering an additional degree of freedom in tailoring the spectral profile of the generated light. Such an approach then opens new paths for high-brightness mid-infrared laser sources development for high-resolution spectroscopy and imaging. Furthermore, thanks to the excellent mechanical and thermal properties of the waveguide material, further power scaling seems feasible, allowing for the generation of watt-level ultra-broad frequency combs in the mid-infrared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffroy Granger
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France
| | - Myriam Bailly
- Thales Research & Technology, 1 Av. Augustin Fresnel, 91767, Palaiseau Cedex, France
| | - Hugo Delahaye
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France
| | - Cristian Jimenez
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France
| | - Idris Tiliouine
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France
| | - Yann Leventoux
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France
| | | | - Vincent Couderc
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France
| | - Bruno Gérard
- III-V Lab, 1 Av. Augustin Fresnel, 91767, Palaiseau Cedex, France
| | - Rezki Becheker
- CORIA (UMR 6614), CNRS-INSA Rouen-Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Saint-Etienne du Rouvray, France
| | - Said Idlahcen
- CORIA (UMR 6614), CNRS-INSA Rouen-Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Saint-Etienne du Rouvray, France
| | - Thomas Godin
- CORIA (UMR 6614), CNRS-INSA Rouen-Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Saint-Etienne du Rouvray, France
| | - Ammar Hideur
- CORIA (UMR 6614), CNRS-INSA Rouen-Université de Rouen Normandie, Normandie Université, Saint-Etienne du Rouvray, France
| | - Arnaud Grisard
- Thales Research & Technology, 1 Av. Augustin Fresnel, 91767, Palaiseau Cedex, France
| | - Eric Lallier
- Thales Research & Technology, 1 Av. Augustin Fresnel, 91767, Palaiseau Cedex, France
| | - Sébastien Février
- Université de Limoges XLIM UMR CNRS 7252, 123 Av. A. Thomas, 87060, Limoges, France.
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3
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Cui Y, Huang H, Bai Y, Du W, Chen M, Zhou B, Jovanovic I, Galvanauskas A. Long-wave-infrared pulse production at 11 µm via difference-frequency generation driven by femtosecond mid-infrared all-fluoride fiber laser. OPTICS LETTERS 2023; 48:1890-1893. [PMID: 37221792 DOI: 10.1364/ol.480010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We present an ultrafast long-wave infrared (LWIR) source driven by a mid-infrared fluoride fiber laser. It is based on a mode-locked Er:ZBLAN fiber oscillator and a nonlinear amplifier operating at 48 MHz. The amplified soliton pulses at ∼2.9 µm are shifted to ∼4 µm via the soliton self-frequency shifting process in an InF3 fiber. LWIR pulses with an average power of 1.25-mW centered at 11 µm with a spectral bandwidth of ∼1.3 µm are produced through difference-frequency generation (DFG) of the amplified soliton and its frequency-shifted replica in a ZnGeP2 crystal. Soliton-effect fluoride fiber sources operating in the mid-infrared for driving DFG conversion to LWIR enable higher pulse energies than with near-infrared sources, while maintaining relative simplicity and compactness, relevant for spectroscopy and other applications in LWIR.
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4
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Yang X, Hu B, Tian K, He L, Xiang M, Wang Z, Wang W, Wu H, Li Y, Liang H. Tunable phase-mismatched mid-infrared difference-frequency generation between 6 and 17 µm in CdTe. OPTICS LETTERS 2023; 48:1786-1789. [PMID: 37221766 DOI: 10.1364/ol.482347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
In parametric conversion, phase-matching techniques such as birefringence and quasi phase-matching (PM) with the designed crystal angle or periodically poled polarities are employed to fulfill the requirement of momentum conservation. However, directly using phase-mismatched interactions in nonlinear media with large quadratic nonlinear coefficient remains unheeded. Here, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, we study the phase-mismatched difference-frequency generation (DFG) in an isotropic cadmium telluride (CdTe) crystal, with the comparison of other DFG processes based on birefringence-PM, quasi-PM, and random-quasi-PM. Long-wavelength mid-infrared (LWMIR) phase-mismatched DFG with an ultra-broadband spectral tuning range of 6-17 µm based on CdTe is demonstrated. Thanks to the giant quadratic nonlinear coefficient (∼109 pm/V) and good figure of merit in the parametric process, the output power up to 100 µW is obtained, which is comparable to or even better than the DFG output from a polycrystalline ZnSe with the same thickness facilitated by random-quasi-PM. A proof-of-concept demonstration in gas sensing of CH4 and SF6 is conducted based on the phase-mismatched DFG as a typical application. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of phase-mismatched parametric conversion in producing useful LWMIR power and ultra-broadband tunability in a simple and convenient way without the necessity of controlling the polarization, phase-matching angle, or pole periods, which could find applications in the fields of spectroscopy and metrology.
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5
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Liu Y, Zhao J, Wei Z, Kärtner FX, Chang G. High-power, high-repetition-rate tunable longwave mid-IR sources based on DFG in the OPA regime. OPTICS LETTERS 2023; 48:1052-1055. [PMID: 36791008 DOI: 10.1364/ol.482461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate high-power longwave mid-IR ultrafast sources based on a high-power Er-fiber laser system at 1.55 µm with a 32-MHz repetition rate. Compared with previous 1.03-µm-driven difference frequency generation (DFG), our current configuration allows tighter focusing in the GaSe crystal thanks to an increased damage threshold at 1.55 µm. Consequently, the 1.55-µm-driven DFG can operate in the regime of optical parametric amplification (OPA), in which the mid-IR power grows exponentially with respect to the square root of the pumping power. We experimentally demonstrate this operation regime and achieve broadband mid-IR pulses that are tunable in the 7.7-17.3 µm range with a maximum average power of 58.3 mW, which is also confirmed by our numerical simulation.
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6
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Becheker R, Bailly M, Idlahcen S, Godin T, Gerard B, Delahaye H, Granger G, Fèvrier S, Grisard A, Lallier E, Hideur A. Optical parametric generation in OP-GaAs waveguides pumped by a femtosecond fluoride fiber laser. OPTICS LETTERS 2022; 47:886-889. [PMID: 35167550 DOI: 10.1364/ol.443896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We report on mid-infrared optical parametric generation in the 4-5 μm and 9-12 μm bands by pumping custom-designed orientation-patterned gallium arsenide (OP-GaAs) rib waveguides with an ultrafast femtosecond fiber laser system. This pump source is seeded by a mode-locked fluoride fiber laser with 59 MHz repetition rate and can be tuned between 2.8 and 3.2 μm using a soliton self-frequency shifting stage. The single TE and TM modes OP-GaAs crystals feature quasi-phase-matched grating periods of 85 and 90 μm and different transverse sizes thus allowing a wide spectral tunability.
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7
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Cao Q, Kärtner FX, Chang G. Towards high power longwave mid-IR frequency combs: power scalability of high repetition-rate difference-frequency generation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:1369-1384. [PMID: 32121849 DOI: 10.1364/oe.28.001369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Frequency combs in the mid-IR wavelength are usually implemented by difference-frequency generation (DFG) that mixes pump pulses and signal pulses. Different from most optical parametric amplifiers that operate at a typical low repetition rate of <0.1 MHz, mid-IR frequency combs require that pump/signal pulse repetition rate must be at least as high as tens of MHz (normally >30 MHz). The DFG mixing high repetition rate (HRR) pulses limits the allowed pulse energy to prevent crystal damage. In this paper, we numerically investigate HRR DFG with a focus on the energy scalability of idler pulses. We show that HRR DFG-unlike optical parametric amplifiers-may operate in the linear regime, in which the idler pulse energy scales linearly with respect to the pump/signal pulse energy. Our simulation results suggest an efficient approach to energy scaling the idler mid-IR pulses in a HRR DFG: increase the signal pulse energy to the same level as the pump pulse energy. We also show that DFG seeded by pump/signal pulses at ∼2-µm range benefits from reduced group-velocity mismatch and exhibits better idler energy scalability. For example, 44.2-nJ pulses at 9.87 µm can be achieved by mixing 500-nJ, 2.0-µm pump pulses and 100-nJ, 2.508-µm signal pulses in a 2-mm-thick GaSe crystal. At the end of this paper, we show that such high-energy signal pulses can be derived from the pump pulses using a recently invented fiber-optic method. Therefore, implementation of high-power (>2 W) longwave mid-IR frequency combs is practically feasible.
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8
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Krzempek K, Tomaszewska D, Głuszek A, Martynkien T, Mergo P, Sotor J, Foltynowicz A, Soboń G. Stabilized all-fiber source for generation of tunable broadband fCEO-free mid-IR frequency comb in the 7 - 9 µm range. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:37435-37445. [PMID: 31878523 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.037435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A compact and robust all-fiber difference frequency generation-based source of broadband mid-infrared radiation is presented. The source emits tunable radiation in the range between 6.5 µm and 9 µm with an average output power up to 5 mW at 125 MHz repetition frequency. The all-in-fiber construction of the source along with active stabilization techniques results in long-term repetition rate stability of 3 Hz per 10 h and a standard deviation of the output power better than 0.8% per 1 h. The applicability of the presented source to laser spectroscopy is demonstrated by measuring the absorption spectrum of nitrous oxide (N2O) around 7.8 µm. The robustness and good long- and short-term stability of the source opens up for applications outside the laboratory.
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9
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Zhou G, Cao Q, Kärtner FX, Chang G. Energy scalable, offset-free ultrafast mid-infrared source harnessing self-phase-modulation-enabled spectral selection. OPTICS LETTERS 2018; 43:2953-2956. [PMID: 29905732 DOI: 10.1364/ol.43.002953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a high-power offset-free ultrafast mid-infrared (IR) laser source based on difference-frequency generation (DFG). Powerful signal pulses are obtained by filtering the rightmost spectral lobe of the optical spectra broadened by fiber-optic nonlinearities dominated by self-phase modulation. The resulting mid-IR pulses are tunable from 7 to 18 μm with up to 5.4 mW average power. We experimentally and numerically investigate power scaling of this DFG source and demonstrate that increasing the signal power is an efficient approach for generating high-power mid-IR pulses.
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10
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Sotor J, Martynkien T, Schunemann PG, Mergo P, Rutkowski L, Soboń G. All-fiber mid-infrared source tunable from 6 to 9 μm based on difference frequency generation in OP-GaP crystal. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:11756-11763. [PMID: 29716094 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.011756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We report the first fully fiberized difference frequency generation (DFG) source, delivering a broadly tunable idler in the 6 to 9 μm spectral range, using an orientation-patterned gallium phosphide (OP-GaP) crystals with different quasi-phase matching periods (QPM). The mid-infrared radiation (MIR) is obtained via mixing of the output of a graphene-based Er-doped fiber laser at 1.55 μm with coherent frequency-shifted solitons at 1.9 μm generated in a highly nonlinear fiber using the same seed. The presented setup is the first truly all-fiber, all-polarization maintaining, alignment-free DFG source reported so far. Its application to laser spectroscopy was demonstrated by the absorption spectrum measurement of ν4 band of methane in 7.5 - 8.3 µm spectral range. The system simplicity and compactness paves the way for applications in field-deployable optical frequency comb spectroscopy systems for gas sensing.
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11
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Yu M, Okawachi Y, Griffith AG, Lipson M, Gaeta AL. Microresonator-based high-resolution gas spectroscopy. OPTICS LETTERS 2017; 42:4442-4445. [PMID: 29088183 DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.004442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We report the first demonstration of a microresonator-based tunable mode-locked frequency comb source. We achieve a mode-hop-free tuning range of 16 GHz by simultaneously tuning both the pump laser and the cavity resonance while keeping the system in a multi-soliton mode-locked state. The optical spectrum spans 2520-4125 cm-1 (2.425-3.970 μm) pumping at 3508 cm-1 (2.850 μm) in a silicon microresonator with a comb line spacing of 4.23 cm-1 (127 GHz). Our scanning technique can be used to increase the effective resolution of the microresonator-based comb spectroscopy. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, we record the absorption spectrum of the rovibrational transitions of the υ3 and υ2+(υ4+υ5)+0 bands of acetylene. We measure absorption features as narrow as 0.21 cm-1 (6.4 GHz) full width at half-maximum at a frequency sampling step of 80 MHz.
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12
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Wang P, Shi H, Tan F, Wang P. Enhanced tunable Raman soliton source between 1.9 and 2.36 μm in a Tm-doped fiber amplifier. OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 25:16643-16651. [PMID: 28789165 DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.016643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate generation of widely tunable femtosecond pulses by utilizing the soliton self-frequency shift effect in a Tm-doped fiber amplifier, seeded by dispersion managed mode-locked Tm oscillator. The monochromatic soliton pulses with a duration of the order of 100 fs have been obtained and its wavelength can be adjusted continuously in the range of 1.9-2.36 μm by varying the pump power. The efficiency of Raman conversion is as high as 97% with output power up to 1.16 W. The experimental results are in good agreement with numerical simulations of pulse propagation in Tm-doped fiber amplifier.
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13
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Soboń G, Martynkien T, Mergo P, Rutkowski L, Foltynowicz A. High-power frequency comb source tunable from 2.7 to 4.2 μm based on difference frequency generation pumped by an Yb-doped fiber laser. OPTICS LETTERS 2017; 42:1748-1751. [PMID: 28454151 DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.001748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a broadband mid-infrared (MIR) frequency comb source based on difference frequency generation (DFG) in periodically poled lithium niobate crystal. MIR radiation is obtained via mixing of the output of a 125 MHz repetition rate Yb-doped fiber laser with Raman-shifted solitons generated from the same source in a highly nonlinear fiber. The resulting idler is tunable in the range of 2.7-4.2 μm, with average output power reaching 237 mW and pulses as short as 115 fs. The coherence of the MIR comb is confirmed by spectral interferometry and heterodyne beat measurements. Applicability of the developed DFG source for laser spectroscopy is demonstrated by measuring absorption spectrum of acetylene at 3.0-3.1 μm.
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14
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Murari K, Cankaya H, Kroetz P, Cirmi G, Li P, Ruehl A, Hartl I, Kärtner FX. Intracavity gain shaping in millijoule-level, high gain Ho:YLF regenerative amplifiers. OPTICS LETTERS 2016; 41:1114-1117. [PMID: 26977647 DOI: 10.1364/ol.41.001114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate intracavity gain shaping inside a 2 μm Ho:YLF regenerative amplifier with a spectral bandwidth of 2.9 nm broadened to 5.4 nm, corresponding to Fourier-limited pulses of 1 ps duration. The intracavity gain shaping is achieved by using a simple etalon, which acts as a frequency-selective filter. The output of the regenerative amplifier is amplified by a single-pass amplifier, and we achieve total energy of 2.2 mJ and pulse duration of 2.4 ps at 1 kHz with pulse fluctuations <1%. The amplifier chain is seeded by a home-built mode-locked holmium-doped fiber oscillator.
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15
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Vainio M, Halonen L. Mid-infrared optical parametric oscillators and frequency combs for molecular spectroscopy. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:4266-94. [DOI: 10.1039/c5cp07052j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Review of mid-infrared optical parametric oscillators and frequency combs for high-resolution spectroscopy, including applications in trace gas detection and fundamental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Vainio
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Helsinki
- Finland
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd
| | - L. Halonen
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Helsinki
- Finland
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16
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Abstract
Dual-comb spectroscopy is an emerging new spectroscopic tool that exploits the frequency resolution, frequency accuracy, broad bandwidth, and brightness of frequency combs for ultrahigh-resolution, high-sensitivity broadband spectroscopy. By using two coherent frequency combs, dual-comb spectroscopy allows a sample's spectral response to be measured on a comb tooth-by-tooth basis rapidly and without the size constraints or instrument response limitations of conventional spectrometers. This review describes dual-comb spectroscopy and summarizes the current state of the art. As frequency comb technology progresses, dual-comb spectroscopy will continue to mature and could surpass conventional broadband spectroscopy for a wide range of laboratory and field applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- IAN CODDINGTON
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - NATHAN NEWBURY
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - WILLIAM SWANN
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
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17
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Zhou G, Xin M, Kaertner FX, Chang G. Timing jitter of Raman solitons. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:5105-5108. [PMID: 26512530 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.005105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We study the relative intensity noise (RIN) and timing jitter of a Raman soliton. We demonstrate that the RIN of an excitation pulse causes center-wavelength fluctuations of the resulting Raman soliton which translates by fiber dispersion into relative timing jitter (RTJ) between the Raman soliton and the excitation pulse. The Raman soliton's absolute timing jitter is dominated by the excitation pulse's timing jitter at low frequency and by the RTJ at high frequency. The experimental study reveals that RTJ can be significantly reduced by reducing the accumulated fiber dispersion (e.g., using less dispersive fibers with shorter length) experienced by the Raman soliton.
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18
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Savchenkov AA, Ilchenko VS, Di Teodoro F, Belden PM, Lotshaw WT, Matsko AB, Maleki L. Generation of Kerr combs centered at 4.5 μm in crystalline microresonators pumped with quantum-cascade lasers. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:3468-3471. [PMID: 26258334 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.003468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We report on the generation of mid-infrared Kerr frequency combs in high-finesse CaF2 and MgF2 whispering-gallery-mode resonators pumped with continuous-wave room-temperature quantum cascade lasers. The combs were centered at 4.5 μm, the longest wavelength to date. A frequency comb wider than one half of an octave was demonstrated when approximately 20 mW of pump power was coupled to an MgF2 resonator characterized with quality factor exceeding 10(8).
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19
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Li P, Ruehl A, Grosse-Wortmann U, Hartl I. Sub-100 fs passively mode-locked holmium-doped fiber oscillator operating at 2.06 μm. OPTICS LETTERS 2014; 39:6859-6862. [PMID: 25503015 DOI: 10.1364/ol.39.006859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a simple and compact Holmium-doped fiber femtosecond oscillator, in-band pumped by a commercial Tm-doped fiber laser. The oscillator operates in the dispersion managed soliton regime at net zero intracavity dispersion and delivers >1 nJ pulse energy at 35 MHz repetition rate. The pulse duration directly at the oscillator output is 160 fs FWHM, close to the Fourier-limit of 145 fs FWHM. Using an additional nonlinear compressor stage, sub-100 fs FWHM pulse durations could be achieved. The nonlinear fiber compressor is implemented by a solid core highly nonlinear fiber for spectral broadening and a single mode fiber for pulse compression.
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Mayer BW, Phillips CR, Gallmann L, Keller U. Mid-infrared pulse generation via achromatic quasi-phase-matched OPCPA. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:20798-20808. [PMID: 25321283 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.020798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a new regime for mid-infrared optical parametric chirped- pulse amplification (OPCPA) based on achromatic quasi-phase-matching. Our mid-infrared OPCPA system is based on collinear aperiodically poled lithium niobate (APPLN) pre-amplifiers and a non-collinear PPLN power amplifier which is operated in an achromatic phase-matching configuration. The idler output has a bandwidth of 800 nm centered at 3.4 µm. After compression, we obtain a pulse duration of 44.2 fs and a pulse energy of 21.8 µJ at a repetition rate of 50 kHz. We explain the wide applicability of the non-collinear QPM amplification scheme we used, including how it could enable octave-spanning OPCPA in a single device when combined with an aperiodic QPM grating.
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21
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Nomura Y, Fuji T. Sub-50-fs pulse generation from thulium-doped ZBLAN fiber laser oscillator. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:12461-12466. [PMID: 24921363 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.012461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
An ultrafast, passively mode-locked fiber laser oscillator has been realized using thulium-doped ZBLAN fibers. Very low dispersion of ZBLAN glass fibers enabled generation of pulses with broad spectra extending from 1730 nm to 2050 nm. Pulses are obtained with the average power of 13 mW at the repetition rate of 67.5 MHz when the pump power is 140 mW. The output pulses are compressed with a pair of SF10 prisms and their durations are measured with SHG FROG, from which we obtained the pulse duration as short as 45 fs.
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22
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Ulvila V, Phillips CR, Halonen L, Vainio M. High-power mid-infrared frequency comb from a continuous-wave-pumped bulk optical parametric oscillator. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:10535-10543. [PMID: 24921755 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.010535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate that it is possible to obtain a mid-infrared optical frequency comb (OFC) experimentally by using a continuous-wave-pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The comb is generated without any active modulation. It is based on cascading quadratic nonlinearities that arise from intra-cavity phase mismatched second harmonic generation of the signal wave that resonates in the OPO. The generated OFC is transferred from the signal wavelength (near-infrared) to the idler wavelength (mid-infrared) by intracavity difference frequency generation between the OPO pump wave and the signal comb. We have produced a mid-infrared frequency comb which is tunable from 3.0 to 3.4 µm with an average output power of up to 3.1 W.
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Phillips CR, Mayer BW, Gallmann L, Fejer MM, Keller U. Design constraints of optical parametric chirped pulse amplification based on chirped quasi-phase-matching gratings. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:9627-9658. [PMID: 24787850 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.009627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Chirped quasi-phase-matching (QPM) gratings offer efficient, ultra-broadband optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) in the mid-infrared as well as other spectral regions. Only recently, however, has this potential begun to be realized [1]. In this paper, we study the design of chirped QPM-based OPCPA in detail, revealing several important constraints which must be accounted for in order to obtain broad-band, high-quality amplification. We determine these constraints in terms of the underlying saturated nonlinear processes, and explain how they were met when designing our mid-IR OPCPA system. The issues considered include gain and saturation based on the basic three-wave mixing equations; suppression of unwanted non-collinear gain-guided modes; minimizing and characterizing nonlinear losses associated with random duty cycle errors in the QPM grating; avoiding coincidentally-phase-matched nonlinear processes; and controlling the temporal/spectral characteristics of the saturated nonlinear interaction in order to maintain the chirped-pulse structure required for OPCPA. The issues considered place constraints both on the QPM devices as well as the OPCPA system. The resulting experimental guidelines are detailed. Our results represent the first comprehensive discussion of chirped QPM devices operated in strongly nonlinear regimes, and provide a roadmap for advancing and experimentally implementing OPCPA systems based on these devices.
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Koptev MY, Anashkina EA, Andrianov AV, Muravyev SV, Kim AV. Two-color optically synchronized ultrashort pulses from a Tm/Yb-co-doped fiber amplifier. OPTICS LETTERS 2014; 39:2008-2011. [PMID: 24686661 DOI: 10.1364/ol.39.002008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A method of producing high quality, optically synchronized two-color ultrashort pulses in an active thulium-doped fiber is proposed. We show that sech-shaped femtosecond pulses with essentially different wavelengths can be generated directly from a Tm/Yb-co-doped amplifier: one pulse at about 2 μm and the second pulse with a tunable wavelength up to 2.3 μm, which covers the pump and gain regions of Cr:ZnSe and Cr:ZnS amplifiers. The shortest pulses with durations of 145 fs at 2.25 μm and 125 fs at 2 μm were measured by the FROG (frequency-resolved optical gating) technique.
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Coluccelli N, Cassinerio M, Gambetta A, Laporta P, Galzerano G. High-power frequency comb in the range of 2-2.15 μm based on a holmium fiber amplifier seeded by wavelength-shifted Raman solitons from an erbium-fiber laser. OPTICS LETTERS 2014; 39:1661-1664. [PMID: 24690863 DOI: 10.1364/ol.39.001661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a room-temperature high-power frequency comb source covering the spectral region from 2 to 2.15 μm. The source is based on a femtosecond erbium-fiber laser operating at 1.55 μm with a repetition rate of 250 MHz, wavelength-shifted up to 2.06 μm by the solitonic Raman effect, seeding a large-mode-area holmium (Ho) fiber amplifier pumped by a thulium (Tm) fiber laser emitting at 1.94 μm. The frequency comb has an integrated power of 2 W, with overall power fluctuations as low as 0.3%. The beatnote between the comb and a high-spectral-purity, single-frequency Tm-Ho laser has a linewidth of 32 kHz over 1 ms observation time, with a signal-to-noise ratio in excess of 30 dB.
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Sotor J, Sobon G, Tarka J, Pasternak I, Krajewska A, Strupinski W, Abramski KM. Passive synchronization of erbium and thulium doped fiber mode-locked lasers enhanced by common graphene saturable absorber. OPTICS EXPRESS 2014; 22:5536-5543. [PMID: 24663894 DOI: 10.1364/oe.22.005536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this work we present for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a passively synchronized thulium (Tm) and erbium (Er) doped fiber laser mode-locked by a common graphene saturable absorber (GSA). The laser consists of two ring resonators combined with a 90 cm long common fiber branch incorporating the saturable absorber (SA). Such laser generates optical solitons centered at 1558.5 nm and 1938 nm with pulse durations of 915 fs and 1.57 ps, respectively. Both laser loops were passively synchronized at repetition frequency of 20.5025 MHz by nonlinear interaction (cross phase modulation, XPM) in common fiber branch between generated pulses. The maximum cavity mismatch of the Er-laser in synchronization regime was 0.78 mm. The synchronization mechanism was also investigated. We demonstrate that the third order nonlinearities of graphene enhance the synchronization range. In our case the range was increased about 85%. The integrated RMS timing jitter between the synchronized pulses was 67 fs.
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Logan DF, Giguere M, Villeneuve A, Helmy AS. Widely tunable mid-infrared generation via frequency conversion in semiconductor waveguides. OPTICS LETTERS 2013; 38:4457-4460. [PMID: 24177118 DOI: 10.1364/ol.38.004457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Phase matching in a multilayer AlGaAs waveguide is used to generate mid-IR (7.5-8.5 μm) light through difference frequency generation (DFG) between a 1550 nm pump and 1950 nm signal. This represents the longest wavelength generated through DFG in a 2D waveguide mode in a semiconductor waveguide. It was produced with an efficiency of 1.2×10(-4) %/W in a 1 mm long sample. The process is shown to be tunable across >2 μm through appropriate tuning of the input pump and signal wavelengths and/or waveguide geometry, and is therefore a viable platform for monolithic, tunable, mid-IR sources.
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Coluccelli N, Cassinerio M, Laporta P, Galzerano G. Single-clad Tm-Ho:fiber amplifier for high-power sub-100-fs pulses around 1.9 μm. OPTICS LETTERS 2013; 38:2757-2759. [PMID: 23903133 DOI: 10.1364/ol.38.002757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A Tm-Ho:fiber amplifier based on single-clad geometry is demonstrated for the generation of high-power femtosecond pulses around 1.9 μm. The amplifier is seeded by the low-power Raman soliton generated by an Er:fiber femtosecond laser. Pulse trains at a repetition rate of 250 MHz tunable from 1.84 to 1.92 μm with corresponding powers from 2.6 to 3 W and durations from 80 to 105 fs have been obtained. Beating with a single-frequency Tm laser has shown that the pulse coherence is highly preserved. The overall power fluctuations have been measured to be as low as 0.6%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Coluccelli
- Dipartimento di Fisica-Politecnico di Milano and Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie-CNR, Milano, Italy.
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Zhu F, Hundertmark H, Kolomenskii AA, Strohaber J, Holzwarth R, Schuessler HA. High-power mid-infrared frequency comb source based on a femtosecond Er:fiber oscillator. OPTICS LETTERS 2013; 38:2360-2362. [PMID: 23811928 DOI: 10.1364/ol.38.002360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We report on a high-power mid-infrared (MIR) frequency comb source based on a femtosecond (fs) Er:fiber oscillator with a stabilized repetition rate of 250 MHz. The MIR frequency comb is produced through difference frequency generation in a periodically poled MgO-doped lithium niobate crystal. The output power is about 120 mW, with a pulse duration of about 80 fs and spectrum coverage from 2.9 to 3.6 μm, and the single comb mode power is larger than 0.3 μW over the range of 700 nm. The coherence properties of the produced high-power broadband MIR frequency comb are maintained, which was verified by heterodyne measurements. As the first application, the spectrum of a ~200 ppm methane-air mixture in a short 20 cm glass cell at ambient atmospheric pressure and temperature was measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-4242, USA.
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Krauth J, Steinmann A, Hegenbarth R, Conforti M, Giessen H. Broadly tunable femtosecond near- and mid-IR source by direct pumping of an OPA with a 41.7 MHz Yb:KGW oscillator. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:11516-11522. [PMID: 23670008 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.011516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We generate over half a watt of tunable near-IR (1380-1830 nm) and several hundred milliwatts in the mid-IR (2.4-4.2 µm) as well as milliwatt level mid-IR (4.85-9.33 µm) femtosecond radiation by pumping an optical parametric amplifier directly with a 7.4 W Yb:KGW oscillator at 41.7 MHz repetition rate. We use 5 mm PPLN and 2 mm GaSe as downconversion crystals and seed this process by a supercontinuum from a tapered fiber. The system is extremely simple and very stable and could replace more complex OPOs as tunable light sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Krauth
- 4th Physics Institute and Research Center SCOPE, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany.
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Gambetta A, Coluccelli N, Cassinerio M, Gatti D, Laporta P, Galzerano G, Marangoni M. Milliwatt-level frequency combs in the 8-14 μm range via difference frequency generation from an Er:fiber oscillator. OPTICS LETTERS 2013; 38:1155-7. [PMID: 23546275 DOI: 10.1364/ol.38.001155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We report on the generation of mid-infrared (mid-IR) pulses with a maximum average optical power of 4 mW and wide tunability in the 8-14 μm range via difference frequency generation (DFG) in GaSe from an Er:fiber laser oscillator. The DFG process is seeded with self-frequency shifted Raman solitons that are shown to be phase coherent within the whole tuning range, from 1.76 to 1.93 μm. Interference measurements between adjacent pulses at the idler wavelengths attest coherence transfer to the mid-IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Gambetta
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie-CNR and Dipartimento di Fisica-Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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