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Roiz M, Vainio M. Versatile optical frequency combs based on multi-seeded femtosecond optical parametric generation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 30:17789-17805. [PMID: 36221593 DOI: 10.1364/oe.456763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study proposes and demonstrates a versatile method for near- and mid-infrared optical frequency comb generation using multi-seeded femtosecond optical parametric generation. The method allows one to divide the repetition rate by an arbitrarily large integer factor, freely tune the offset frequency, and adjust the common phase offset of the comb modes. Since all possible degrees of freedom are adjustable, the proposed method manifests itself as versatile optical frequency synthesis.
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Roiz M, Lai JY, Karhu J, Vainio M. Mid-infrared frequency comb with 25 pJ threshold via CW-seeded optical parametric generation in nonlinear waveguide. OPTICS LETTERS 2021; 46:4037-4040. [PMID: 34388805 DOI: 10.1364/ol.434485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate efficient generation of mid-infrared frequency combs based on continuous-wave-seeded femtosecond optical parametric generation in nonlinear waveguides. Conversion of the near-infrared pump to signal and idler light takes place with very high efficiency (74%), and the threshold (25 pJ for 100 fs pulses) is over 300 times lower than in bulk analogs. Relative intensity noise of the mid-infrared comb is exceptionally low, below 5×10-5 (integrated from 10 Hz to 2 MHz). Furthermore, the mid-infrared bandwidth can be increased by driving the process with a broadband pump obtained via supercontinuum generation.
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Vyvlečka M, Novák O, Smrž M, Mocek T. High power picosecond parametric mid-IR source tunable between 1.7 and 2.6 μm. APPLIED OPTICS 2018; 57:8412-8417. [PMID: 30461796 DOI: 10.1364/ao.57.008412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A high-average-power wavelength-tunable picosecond mid-IR source based on parametric downconversion has been developed. The conversion system consists of two stages, optical parametric generator and optical parametric amplifier (OPA), which are pumped by an Yb:YAG thin-disk laser operated at 77 kHz repetition rate, 1030 nm wavelength, and pulse duration down to 1.3 ps. The signal beam is amplified up to 9.2 W and the idler up to 5.4 W at OPA pumping of 43 W. Tunability between 1.70 and 1.95 μm for the signal and between 2.2 and 2.6 μm for the idler has been achieved. The system is rather simple and power scalable.
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Ultrafast Mid-IR Laser Pulses Generation via Chirp Manipulated Optical Parametric Amplification. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/app8050744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Chen W, Fan J, Ge A, Song H, Song Y, Liu B, Chai L, Wang C, Hu M. Intensity and temporal noise characteristics in femtosecond optical parametric amplifiers. OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 25:31263-31272. [PMID: 29245803 DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.031263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We characterize the relative intensity noise (RIN) and relative timing jitter (RTJ) between the signal and pump pulses of optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) seeded by three different seed sources. Compared to a white-light continuum (WLC) seeded- and an optical parametric generator (OPG) seeded OPA, the narrowband CW seeded OPA exhibits the lowest root-mean-square (RMS) RIN and RTJ of 0.79% and 0.32 fs, respectively, integrated from 1 kHz to the Nyquist frequency of 1.25 MHz. An improved numerical model based on a forward Maxwell equation (FME) is built to investigate the transfers of the pump and seed's noise to the resulting OPAs' intensity and temporal fluctuation. Both the experimental and numerical study indicate that the low level of noise from the narrowband CW seeded OPA is attributed to the elimination of the RIN and RTJ coupled from the noise of seed source, being one of the important contributions to RIN and timing jitter in the other two OPAs. The approach to achieve lower level of noise from this CW seeded OPA by driving it close to saturation is also discussed with the same numerical model.
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Fan J, Chen W, Gu C, Song Y, Chai L, Wang C, Hu M. Noise characteristics of high power fiber-laser pumped femtosecond optical parametric generation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 25:24594-24603. [PMID: 29041404 DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.024594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We study, both numerically and experimentally, the relative intensity noise (RIN) and timing jitter characteristics of optical parametric generation (OPG) process in MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO3 (MgO:PPLN) pumped by fiber femtosecond laser. We directly characterize the RIN, and measure timing jitter spectral density of the OPG process based on the balanced optical cross-correlator (BOC) technique for the first time as well, which are both in a fairly good agreement with numerical simulation. Both the numerical and experimental study reveals that OPG can suffer from a smaller intensity fluctuation but a lager temporal jitter when it is driven into saturation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that with a 30 mW CW diode laser injection seeding the OPG output results in superior noise performance compared to the vacuum fluctuations seeded OPG.
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Aadhi A, Samanta GK. High power, high repetition rate, tunable broadband mid-IR source based on single-pass optical parametric generation of a femtosecond laser. OPTICS LETTERS 2017; 42:2886-2889. [PMID: 28957199 DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.002886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We report on single-pass optical parametric generation for high power, high repetition rate (RR), ultrafast broadband optical radiation in the mid-IR. Taking advantage of broad phase-matching bandwidth (BW) of the crystals for the interacting waves having zero group velocity mismatch, we have used a 50 mm long MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO3 crystal to develop a single-pass, parametric source producing femtosecond output pulses at a RR of 78 MHz. Pumping with a femtosecond Yb-fiber laser at 1064 nm, the source produces signal and idler radiation tunable across 1422-1561 nm and 4229-3342 nm, respectively. The signal radiation has a pulse and spectral BW of 296 fs and 9.2 nm centered at 1492 nm, respectively, with a time-BW product ∼0.37, close to the transform limit. The idler radiation has spectral BW as high as 123 nm centered at 3709 nm. The source produces a signal (idler) beam of power of 2.07 W (0.54 W) at 1492 nm (3709 nm) in a Gaussian spatial profile with peak-to-peak passive power fluctuation better than 5% (4%) over 4 h at a single-pass conversion efficiency as high as ∼55%.
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Krauth J, Steinle T, Liu B, Floess M, Linnenbank H, Steinmann A, Giessen H. Low drift cw-seeded high-repetition-rate optical parametric amplifier for fingerprint coherent Raman spectroscopy. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:22296-22302. [PMID: 27661963 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.022296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We introduce a broadly tunable robust source for fingerprint (170 - 1620 cm-1) Raman spectroscopy. A cw thulium-doped fiber laser seeds an optical parametric amplifier, which is pumped by a 7-W, 450-fs Yb:KGW bulk mode-locked oscillator with 41 MHz repetition rate. The output radiation is frequency doubled in a MgO:PPLN crystal and generates 0.7 - 1.3-ps-long narrowband pump pulses that are tunable between 885 and 1015 nm with >80 mW average power. The Stokes beam is delivered by a part of the oscillator output, which is sent through an etalon to create pulses with 1.7 ps duration. We demonstrate a stimulated Raman gain measurement of toluene in the fingerprint spectral range. The cw seeding intrinsically ensures low spectral drift.
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Linnenbank H, Steinle T, Giessen H. Narrowband cw injection seeded high power femtosecond double-pass optical parametric generator at 43 MHz: Gain and noise dynamics. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:19558-19566. [PMID: 27557233 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.019558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate narrowband cw injection seeding of a femtosecond double-pass optical parametric generator at 43 MHz repetition rate with a simple, low power external cavity diode laser. Up to 2.5 W of near-IR radiation (1.5 - 1.66 µm) as well as 800 mW of tunable mid-IR radiation (2.75 - 3.15 µm) with pulse durations below 300 fs are generated with a remarkable pulse-to-pulse and long term power stability. Compared to conventional, vacuum noise seeded optical parametric generators, the presented frequency conversion scheme does not only exhibit superior gain and noise dynamics, but also a high degree of flexibility upon control parameters such as pump power, seed power, or spectral position of the seed.
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Trägårdh J, Murtagh M, Robb G, Parsons M, Lin J, Spence DJ, McConnell G. Two-Color, Two-Photon Imaging at Long Excitation Wavelengths Using a Diamond Raman Laser. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2016; 22:803-807. [PMID: 27492283 DOI: 10.1017/s143192761601151x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate that the second-Stokes output from a diamond Raman laser, pumped by a femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser, can be used to efficiently excite red-emitting dyes by two-photon excitation at 1,080 nm and beyond. We image HeLa cells expressing red fluorescent protein, as well as dyes such as Texas Red and Mitotracker Red. We demonstrate the potential for simultaneous two-color, two-photon imaging with this laser by using the residual pump beam for excitation of a green-emitting dye. We demonstrate this for the combination of Alexa Fluor 488 and Alexa Fluor 568. Because the Raman laser extends the wavelength range of the Ti:Sapphire laser, resulting in a laser system tunable to 680-1,200 nm, it can be used for two-photon excitation of a large variety and combination of dyes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Trägårdh
- 1Centre for Biophotonics,Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences,University of Strathclyde,161 Cathedral Street,Glasgow,G4 0RE,UK
| | - Michelle Murtagh
- 1Centre for Biophotonics,Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences,University of Strathclyde,161 Cathedral Street,Glasgow,G4 0RE,UK
| | - Gillian Robb
- 1Centre for Biophotonics,Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences,University of Strathclyde,161 Cathedral Street,Glasgow,G4 0RE,UK
| | - Maddy Parsons
- 3Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics,King's College London,Guy's Campus,London,SE11UL,UK
| | - Jipeng Lin
- 2MQ Photonics,Department of Physics and Astronomy,Macquarie University,NSW 2109,Australia
| | - David J Spence
- 2MQ Photonics,Department of Physics and Astronomy,Macquarie University,NSW 2109,Australia
| | - Gail McConnell
- 1Centre for Biophotonics,Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences,University of Strathclyde,161 Cathedral Street,Glasgow,G4 0RE,UK
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Linnenbank H, Grynko Y, Förstner J, Linden S. Second harmonic generation spectroscopy on hybrid plasmonic/dielectric nanoantennas. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2016; 5:e16013. [PMID: 30167115 PMCID: PMC6059846 DOI: 10.1038/lsa.2016.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plasmonic nanoantennas provide unprecedented opportunities to concentrate light fields in subwavelength-sized volumes. By placing a nonlinear dielectric nanoparticle in such a hot spot, one can hope to take advantage of both the field enhancement provided by nanoantennas and the large, nonlinear optical susceptibility of dielectric nanoparticles. To test this concept, we combine gold gap nanoantennas with second-order, nonlinear zinc sulfide nanoparticles, and perform second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy on the combined hybrid dielectric/plasmonic nanoantennas as well as on the individual constituents. We find that SHG from the bare gold nanoantennas, even though it should be forbidden due to symmetry reasons, is several orders of magnitude larger than that of the bare zinc sulfide nanoparticles. Even stronger second harmonic signals are generated by the hybrid dielectric/plasmonic nanoantennas. Control experiments with nanoantennas containing linear lanthanum fluoride nanoparticles reveal; however, that the increased SHG efficiency of the hybrid dielectric/plasmonic nanoantennas does not depend on the nonlinear optical susceptibility of the dielectric nanoparticles but is an effect of the modification of the dielectric environment. The combination of a hybrid dielectric/plasmonic nanoantenna, which is only resonant for the incoming pump light field, with a second nanoantenna, which is resonant for the generated second harmonic light, allows for a further increase in the efficiency of SHG. As the second nanoantenna mediates the coupling of the second harmonic light to the far field, this double-resonant approach also provides us with control over the polarization of the generated light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Linnenbank
- Physikalisches Institut, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Yevgen Grynko
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Universität Paderborn, Paderborn 33102, Germany
| | - Jens Förstner
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Universität Paderborn, Paderborn 33102, Germany
| | - Stefan Linden
- Physikalisches Institut, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, Bonn 53115, Germany
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Mörz F, Steinle T, Steinmann A, Giessen H. Multi-Watt femtosecond optical parametric master oscillator power amplifier at 43 MHz. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:23960-23967. [PMID: 26368486 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.023960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We present a high repetition rate mid-infrared optical parametric master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) scheme, which is tunable from 1370 to 4120nm. Up to 4.3W average output power are generated at 1370nm, corresponding to a photon conversion efficiency of 78%. Bandwidths of 6 to 12nm with pulse durations between 250 and 400fs have been measured. Strong conversion saturation over the whole signal range is observed, resulting in excellent power stability. The system consists of a fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator that seeds an optical parametric power amplifier. Both systems are pumped by the same Yb:KGW femtosecond oscillator.
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Trägårdh J, Robb G, Gadalla KKE, Cobb S, Travis C, Oppo GL, McConnell G. Label-free imaging of thick tissue at 1550 nm using a femtosecond optical parametric generator. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:3484-7. [PMID: 26258338 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.003484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
We have developed a simple wavelength-tunable optical parametric generator (OPG), emitting broadband ultrashort pulses with peak wavelengths at 1530-1790 nm, for nonlinear label-free microscopy. The OPG consists of a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal, pumped at 1064 nm by a ultrafast Yb:fiber laser with high pulse energy. We demonstrate that this OPG can be used for label-free imaging, by third-harmonic generation, of nuclei of brain cells and blood vessels in a >150 μm thick brain tissue section, with very little decay of intensity with imaging depth and no visible damage to the tissue at an incident average power of 15 mW.
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Xu L, Chan HY, Alam SU, Richardson DJ, Shepherd DP. Fiber-laser-pumped, high-energy, mid-IR, picosecond optical parametric oscillator with a high-harmonic cavity. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:3288-3291. [PMID: 26176451 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.003288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate the generation of high-energy, mid-IR, picosecond pulses in a high-harmonic-cavity optical parametric oscillator (OPO) that has a relatively compact cavity with a length that is a small fraction of that required to match the pump repetition rate. The OPO, based on an MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO3 crystal, is pumped by a fiber master-oscillator-power-amplifier system employing direct amplification and delivering 11-μJ, 150-ps pulses at 1035 nm. For a 1.554-m-long OPO cavity, resonating near-infrared signal pulses with a repetition rate that is the 193rd harmonic of the 1-MHz pump are demonstrated. The mid-infrared idler output pulses, tunable from 2300 nm to 3500 nm, are generated at a 1-MHz repetition rate and have energies as high as 1.5 μJ.
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Xu L, Chan HY, Alam SU, Richardson DJ, Shepherd DP. High-energy, near- and mid-IR picosecond pulses generated by a fiber-MOPA-pumped optical parametric generator and amplifier. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:12613-12618. [PMID: 26074516 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.012613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We report a high-energy picosecond optical parametric generator/amplifier (OPG/A) based on a MgO:PPLN crystal pumped by a fiber master-oscillator-power-amplifier (MOPA) employing direct amplification. An OPG tuning range of 1450-3615 nm is demonstrated with pulse energies as high as 2.6 μJ (signal) and 1.2 μJ (idler). When seeded with a ~100 MHz linewidth diode laser, damage-limited pulse energies of 3.1 μJ (signal) and 1.3 μJ (idler) have been achieved and the signal pulse time-bandwidth product is improved to ~2 times transform-limited. When seeded with a 0.3 nm-bandwidth filtered amplified spontaneous emission source, crystal damage is avoided and maximum pulse energies of 3.8 μJ (signal) and 1.7 μJ (idler) are obtained at an overall conversion efficiency of 45%.
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