Dynamic control of cascaded four-wave mixing via re-configurable dispersion.

We integrate a spatial light modulator-based dispersion controller into a cascaded four-wave mixing (CFWM) system. By tuning the group delay dispersion (GDD) and fourth-order dispersion (FOD) terms, we control the CFWM phase matching and demonstrate an output bandwidth tuning of over 3.3×. At the maximum bandwidth, our system covers the telecommunications S-, C-, and L-bands (1466-1641 nm) with an average output power of 300 mW, which is contained in 52 individual lines spaced 374 GHz apart. This method represents a reconfigurable alternative to photonic crystal fibers for dispersion engineering and allows for the use of step-index fiber and customizable power spectral density (PSD) profiles.

Self-similar propagation of optical pulses in fibers with positive quartic dispersion.

We study the propagation of ultrashort pulses in optical fiber with gain and positive (or normal) quartic dispersion by self-similarity analysis of the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We find an exact asymptotic solution, corresponding to a triangle-like T4/3 intensity profile, with a T1/3 chirp, which is confirmed by numerical simulations. This solution follows different amplitude and width scaling compared to the conventional case with quadratic dispersion. We also suggest, and numerically investigate, a fiber laser consisting of components with positive quartic dispersion that emits quartic self-similar pulses.

Towards subdiffraction imaging with wire array metamaterial hyperlenses at MIR frequencies.

We describe the fabrication of metamaterial magnifying hyperlenses with subwavelength wire array structures for operation in the mid-infrared (around 3 µm). The metadevices are composed of approximately 500 tin wires embedded in soda-lime glass, where the metallic wires vary in diameter from 500 nm to 1.2 µm along the tapered structure. The modeling of the hyperlenses indicates that the expected overall losses for the high spatial frequency modes in such metadevices are between 20 dB to 45 dB, depending on the structural parameters selected, being promising candidates for far-field subdiffraction imaging in the mid-infrared. Initial far-field subdiffraction imaging attempts are described, and the problems encountered discussed.

Optimized laser-written ZBLAN fiber Bragg gratings with high reflectivity and low loss.

We report the direct femtosecond laser inscription of type-I fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) into the core of soft-glass ZBLAN fibers. We investigate and compare various fabrication methods such as single pass (line by line), double pass, and stacking (plane by plane) to create the highest reflectivity FBGs (99.98%) for mid-infrared (mid-IR) applications. In addition, we experimentally demonstrate how the parameters that influence the coupling coefficient, i.e., refractive index modulation and overlap factor, can be controlled in these gratings to specifically tailor the FBG properties. The performance of the direct-written type-I gratings after 6 h of annealing is further analyzed, and the reflectivity increases by approximately 10 dB. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of temperature-stable mid-IR FBGs with highest coupling coefficient (464 m-1) and lowest loss (<0.5 dB/cm) without the use of an expensive phase mask.

Direct inscription of Bragg gratings into coated fluoride fibers for widely tunable and robust mid-infrared lasers.

We report the development of a widely tunable all-fiber mid-infrared laser system based on a mechanically robust fiber Bragg grating (FBG) which was inscribed through the polymer coating of a Ho3+-Pr3+ co-doped double clad ZBLAN fluoride fiber by focusing femtosecond laser pulses into the core of the fiber without the use of a phase mask. By applying mechanical tension and compression to the FBG while pumping the fiber with an 1150 nm laser diode, a continuous wave (CW) all-fiber laser with a tuning range of 37 nm, centered at 2870 nm, was demonstrated with up to 0.29 W output power. These results pave the way for the realization of compact and robust mid-infrared fiber laser systems for real-world applications in spectroscopy and medicine.

Mid-IR absorption sensing of heavy water using a silicon-on-sapphire waveguide.

We demonstrate a compact silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) strip waveguide sensor for mid-IR absorption spectroscopy. This device can be used for gas and liquid sensing, especially to detect chemically similar molecules and precisely characterize extremely absorptive liquids that are difficult to detect by conventional infrared transmission techniques. We reliably measure concentrations up to 0.25% of heavy water (D2O) in a D2O-H2O mixture at its maximum absorption band at around 4 µm. This complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible SOS D2O sensor is promising for applications such as measuring body fat content or detection of coolant leakage in nuclear reactors.

Silicon-on-sapphire pillar waveguides for Mid-IR supercontinuum generation.

We propose pillar integrated silicon waveguides to exploit the entire transparent window of silicon. These geometries posses a broad and flat dispersion (from 2 to 6 µm) with four zero dispersion wavelengths. We calculate supercontinuum generation spanning over two octaves (2 to >8 µm) with long wavelengths interacting weakly with the lossy substrate. These structures have higher mode confinement in the silicon - away from the substrate, which makes them substrate independent and are promising for exploring new nonlinear phenomena and highly sensitive molecular sensing over the entire silicon's transparency range.

Positive and negative phototunability of chalcogenide (AMTIR-1) microdisk resonator.

We demonstrate externally photo-induced partially-reversible tuning of the resonance of a microdisk made of AMTIR-1 (Ge(33)As(12)Se(55)). We have achieved for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, both positive and negative shift in a microresonator with external tuning. A positive resonance shift of 1 nm and a negative resonance shift of 0.5 nm on a single microdisk has been measured. We have found that this phenomenon is due to initial photo-expansion of the microdisk followed by the photo-bleaching of the AMTIR-1. The observed shifts and the underlying phenomenon is controllable by varying the illumination power (i.e. the low power illumination suppresses the photobleaching process). We measure a loaded quality factor of 1.2x10(5) at 1550nm (limited by the measuring instrument). This holds promise for non-contact low power reversible-tunning of photonic circuit elements.

Ultrafast pulses from a mid-infrared fiber laser.

Ultrafast laser pulses at mid-infrared wavelengths (2-20 µm) interact strongly with molecules due to the resonance with their vibration modes. This enables their application in frequency comb-based sensing and laser tissue surgery. Fiber lasers are ideal to achieve these pulses, as they are compact, stable, and efficient. We extend the performance of these lasers with the production of 6.4 kW at a wavelength of 2.8 µm with complete electric field retrieval using frequency-resolved optical gating techniques. Contrary to the problems associated with achieving a high average power, fluoride fibers have now shown the capability of operating in the ultrafast, high-peak-power regime.

Hybrid Brillouin/thulium multiwavelength fiber laser with switchable single- and double-Brillouin-frequency spacing.

We demonstrate a multiwavelength laser at 2 µm based on a hybrid gain scheme consisting of a Brillouin gain medium and a thulium-doped fiber. The laser has switchable frequency spacing, corresponding to the single and double Brillouin frequency shifts. In the 20 dB bandwidth, seven lasing channels with a frequency spacing of 0.1 nm (7.62 GHz) and eleven channels with a double-spacing of 0.2 nm (15.24 GHz) are obtained. A wavelength tunability of 1.3 nm is realized for both laser configurations by shifting the pump wavelength. Strong four wave mixing is observed in the double-spacing laser resulting in an improved performance: larger number of channels and better temporal stability.

Stable, self-starting, passively mode-locked fiber ring laser of the 3 µm class.

We report a passively mode-locked Ho(3+)Pr(3+)-doped fluoride fiber laser, producing 6 ps pulses at a repetition rate of 24.8 MHz, with a peak power of 465 W. For the first time, a ring cavity was demonstrated in a fluoride fiber laser arrangement which was essential to the generation of stable and self-starting mode-locked pulses.

1.9 octave supercontinuum generation in a As2S3 step-index fiber driven by mid-IR OPCPA.

Using a 3.1-µm optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA), we generate a supercontinuum in a step-index chalcogenide fiber that spans from 1.6 to 5.9 µm at the -20 dB points. The rugged step-index geometry allows for long-term operation, while the spectral bandwidth is limited by the transmission of the As2S3 fiber.

Aim at the bottom: directly exciting the lower level of a laser transition for additional functionality.

We introduce the concept of directly exciting the lower level of a laser transition in addition to the upper laser level for the provision of new possibilities for light emission from a fiber. In a first demonstration, using diode laser light at 1150 and 1950 nm, we respectively excite the upper and lower laser level of the 5I(6)→5I(7) transition (2.9 µm) of Ho3+-doped ZBLAN, demonstrating a power-scalable arrangement that can switch between free-running and superluminescent spectral output. The spectral composition of the gain-switched pulse derived from modulating the upper laser level pump light depends entirely on the degree of lower laser level excitation at 1950 nm.

Low-threshold Brillouin laser at 2 µm based on suspended-core chalcogenide fiber.

We present, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of a 2 µm Brillouin laser based on a thulium-doped fiber pump and a chalcogenide fiber. A short 1.5 m piece of suspended-core chalcogenide As38Se62 fiber is employed as a gain medium, taking advantage of its small effective mode area and high Brillouin gain coefficient. A record-low lasing threshold of 52 mW is achieved, which is about 10 times lower than previously demonstrated in silica fiber cavities.

Single-frequency fiber laser operating at 2.9 µm.

We report the demonstration of a single-longitudinal-mode fiber laser operating at 2914 nm, which exhibits a spectrometer-limited linewidth of <0.4 nm, in a 49 mm long holmium/praseodymium co-doped ZBLAN fiber. Narrow-linewidth feedback is provided by a fiber Bragg grating inscribed directly in the ZBLAN fiber using the femtosecond laser point-by-point technique. Measurements of the temporal stability and coherence confirm that the laser is operating on a single longitudinal mode.

Spatial distribution clamping of discrete spatial solitons due to three photon absorption in AlGaAs waveguide arrays.

We observe clamping of the output spatial light distribution of a waveguide array. Using a chirped pulse amplifier we reach peak intensities in the waveguides of ~24 GW/cm2. At this level, three photon absorption in the AlGaAs material clamps the discrete spatial soliton to a set distribution. Further increase in intensity does not change the distribution.

Multi-wavelength gratings formed via cascaded stimulated Brillouin scattering.

We present the experimental observation of multi-wavelength fiber Bragg gratings in As2Se3 fiber. The gratings are internally written via two-photon absorption of 1550 nm pump light and its first and second order Stokes waves generated by cascaded stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). We demonstrate a parameter regime that allows for 4 dB grating enhancement by suppression of SBS.

Actively Q-switched 2.9 µm Ho(3+)Pr(3+)-doped fluoride fiber laser.

We report an efficient Q-switched Ho(3+)Pr(3+)-doped fluoride fiber laser, producing a peak power of 77 W, with pulse width of 78 ns. A slope efficiency of 20% with respect to the launched pump power was achieved. A TeO(2) acousto-optic modulator allowed continuous tunability of the pulse repetition frequency from 40 to 300 kHz.

Efficient 2.87 µm fiber laser passively switched using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.

A passively switched Ho(3+), Pr(3+) codoped fluoride fiber laser using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) is demonstrated. Q-switching and partial mode-locking were observed with the output power produced at a slope efficiency of 24% with respect to the absorbed pump power. The partially mode-locked 2.87 µm pulses operated at a repetition rate of 27.1 MHz with an average power of 132 mW, pulse energy of 4.9 nJ, and pulse width of 24 ps.

Multicore, tapered optical fiber for nonlinear pulse reshaping and saturable absorption.

We present a new method to create a coupled waveguide array via tapering a seven-core telecommunications fiber. The fiber based waveguide array is demonstrated to exhibit the novel physics associated with coupled waveguide arrays, such as discrete diffraction and discrete self-focusing. The saturable absorber characteristics of the device are characterized and an autocorrelation measurement reveals significant single-pass pulse reshaping.