Nm Of Bandwidth Research Articles

Intense optical parametric amplification in dispersion-engineered nanophotonic lithium niobate waveguides

Strong amplification in integrated photonics is one of the most desired optical functionalities for computing, communications, sensing, and quantum information processing. Semiconductor gain and cubic nonlinearities, such as four-wave mixing and stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering, have been among the most studied amplification mechanisms on chip. Alternatively, material platforms with strong quadratic nonlinearities promise numerous advantages with respect to gain and bandwidth, among which nanophotonic lithium niobate is one of the most promising candidates. Here, we combine quasi-phase matching with dispersion engineering in nanophotonic lithium niobate waveguides and achieve intense optical parametric amplification. We measure a broadband phase-sensitive on-chip amplification larger than 50 dB/cm in a 6-mm-long waveguide. We further confirm high gain operation in the degenerate and nondegenerate regimes by amplifying vacuum fluctuations to macroscopic levels, with on-chip gains exceeding 100 dB/cm over 600 nm of bandwidth around 2 µm. Our results unlock new possibilities for on-chip few-cycle nonlinear optics, mid-infrared photonics, and quantum photonics.

Spectral phase sensitivity of frequency resolved optical switching for broadband IR pulse characterization.

In this work, we demonstrate the sensitivity of the frequency-resolved optical switching (FROSt) technique to detect a small amount of spectral phase shift for the precise characterization of ultrashort laser pulses. We characterized fs pulses centered at 1.75 µm that are spectrally broadened up to 700 nm of bandwidth in a hollow-core fiber and subsequently compressed down to 2.3 optical cycle duration by propagation in the air at atmospheric pressure. By inserting thin fused silica windows of different thicknesses in the beam path, we accurately retrieve group delay dispersion (GDD) variations as small as 10 fs2. Such GDD variations correspond to a change of the pulse duration of only 0.2 fs for a Fourier transform limited 2-cycle pulse at 1.75 µm (i.e., 11.8 fs). The capability to measure such tiny temporal variations thus demonstrates that the FROSt technique has sufficient sensitivity to precisely characterize single-cycle pulses.

Synergetic enhancement in optical nonlinearity of Au nanoparticle decorated MoS2 via interaction between excitonic and surface plasmon resonances

Local intensive field by surface plasmon resonance on gold nanoparticles boosted the nonlinear property of MoS2. Au decorated MoS2 nanohybrid material was prepared using facile photo-chemical method with MoS2 dispersion and HAuCl4 to create Au nanoparticles specifically at the edge of MoS2 sheets. The prominent nonlinear features of samples was investigated by Z-scan measurement and supercontinuum generation. The Au and MoS2 nanohybrid provided outstanding nonlinear refractive index, n2, of 1.45 × 10−5 cm2/W and the third-order nonlinear susceptibility, χ(3), of 8.18 × 10−3 esu, which were about four times larger than those of intrinsic MoS2. The excitonic resonance in MoS2 shows the synergetic interaction with surface plasmon resonance of Au nanoparticles at the edge, which results in concentrated nonlinear process with strong plasmonic field by localization and polarity. The hollow core fiber with optical bandgap was employed to make the supercontinuum generation from sample materials. From the 3-cm short fiber filled with Au decorated MoS2, the broad spectrum covering whole visible and near-infrared range was obtained, while that with MoS2 only exhibited emission about 200 nm of bandwidth. Our nanohybrid material and filament will be an important aspect in exploring nonlinear optical properties for the combination of transition-metal dichalcogenides and metal nanoparticles.

Frequency-modulated diode laser frequency combs at 2 μm wavelength

Chip-scale electrically pumped optical frequency combs (OFCs) are expected to play a fundamental role in applications ranging from telecommunications to optical sensing. To date, however, the availability of such sources around 2 μm has been scarce. Here, we present a frequency-modulated OFC operating around 2060 nm of wavelength exploiting the inherent gain nonlinearity of single-section GaSb-based quantum well diode lasers. A 2 mm long device operating as a self-starting comb outputs 50 mW of optical power over more than 10 nm of bandwidth while consuming <1 W of electrical power. Using the shifted-wave interference Fourier transform spectroscopy technique, we characterize the generated frequency-modulated waveform and demonstrate a linearly chirped intermodal phase relationship among the entire emission optical bandwidth. Furthermore, by compensating for the linear chirp using a single-mode optical fiber with opposite dispersion, 6 ps long optical pulses are generated. The frequency stability of the devices with ∼19.3 GHz repetition rates allows us to perform mode-resolved free-running dual-comb spectroscopy. All rights reserved.

MXene-based saturable absorber for femtosecond mode-locked fiber lasers.

We report simple and compact all-fiber erbium-doped soliton and dispersion-managed soliton femtosecond lasers mode-locked by the MXene Ti3C2Tx. A saturable absorber device fabricated by optical deposition of Ti3C2Tx onto a microfiber exhibits strong saturable absorption properties, with a modulation depth of 11.3%. The oscillator operating in the soliton regime produces 597.8 fs-pulses with 5.21 nm of bandwidth, while the cavity with weak normal dispersion (~0.008 ps2) delivers 104 fs pulses with 42.5 nm of bandwidth. Our results contribute to the growing body of work studying the nonlinear optical properties of MXene that underpin new opportunities for ultrafast photonic technology.

Interleaved Silicon Nitride AWG Spectrometers

Interleaved arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) have a great potential in providing large channel counts and narrower channel spacings for many applications, including optical communication, spectroscopy, and imaging. Here, a 75-channel silicon nitride-based interleaved AWG was experimentally demonstrated. The design is comprised of a 3-channel primary AWG with 1 nm of resolution and three 25-channel secondary AWGs each with 3 nm of resolution. The final device has a spectral resolution of 1 nm over 75-nm bandwidth centered at 1550 nm. Its performance is compared with a conventional AWG spectrometer with 75 nm of bandwidth and 1 nm of resolution. The interleaved AWG demultiplexer showed lower crosstalk and better uniformity in addition to being two times smaller than the conventional design.

Non-invasive through-skull brain vascular imaging and small tumor diagnosis based on NIR-II emissive lanthanide nanoprobes beyond 1500 nm

Optical bioimaging by using the new short-wavelength infrared window (SWIR, also named as NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) is emerged as a next generation imaging technique for disease diagnosis owing to the unprecedented improvements in imaging sensitivity and spatial resolution. However, it is challenging to search new imaging agents with highly biocompatible and bright narrow-band emission located in the 1500–1700 nm (referred as NIR-IIb) region. Here we developed high quality polyacrylic acid (PAA) modified NaYF4:Gd/Yb/Er nanorods (PAA-NRs) with remarkably enhanced NIR-IIb emission and decent bio-compatibility for in vivo cerebral vascular bioimaging and small tumor visualization. These PAA-NRs present efficient narrow-band NIR-IIb emission centered at 1520 with 182 nm of band-width. Owing to the highly efficient NIR-IIb emission, NIR-IIb imaging-guided small tumor (4 mm in diameter) detection is achieved. More importantly, non-invasive optical brain vessel bioimaging with high spatial (∼43.65 μm) and temporal resolution through scalp and skull is obtained without craniotomy. These findings open up the opportunity of designing non-invasive approach for visualization the brain vasculature and tumor in biomedical application.

Super-luminescence and spectral hole burning effect in ultra-short length Er/Yb-doped phosphate fiber

We demonstrate super-broad luminescence over 70 nm of bandwidth and spectral hole-burning effect obtained in just a few cm of novel air-clad, highly concentrated Er/Yb-doped phosphate fiber. The fiber is drawn from preforms of glasses within the P2O5 – SrO – Na2O composition. The fabrication process, thermal, structural, and optical properties of the fiber are described.

Broadband Silicon-On-Insulator directional couplers using a combination of straight and curved waveguide sections

Broadband Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) directional couplers are designed based on a combination of curved and straight coupled waveguide sections. A design methodology based on the transfer matrix method (TMM) is used to determine the required coupler section lengths, radii, and waveguide cross-sections. A 50/50 power splitter with a measured bandwidth of 88 nm is designed and fabricated, with a device footprint of 20 μm × 3 μm. In addition, a balanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer is fabricated showing an extinction ratio of >16 dB over 100 nm of bandwidth.

Visible spectrum extended-focus optical coherence microscopy for label-free sub-cellular tomography.

We present a novel extended-focus optical coherence microscope (OCM) attaining 0.7 μm axial and 0.4 μm lateral resolution maintained over a depth of 40 μm, while preserving the advantages of Fourier domain OCM. Our system uses an ultra-broad spectrum from a supercontinuum laser source. As the spectrum spans from near-infrared to visible wavelengths (240 nm in bandwidth), we call the system visOCM. The combination of such a broad spectrum with a high-NA objective creates an almost isotropic 3D submicron resolution. We analyze the imaging performance of visOCM on microbead samples and demonstrate its image quality on cell cultures and ex-vivo brain tissue of both healthy and alzheimeric mice. In addition to neuronal cell bodies, fibers and plaques, visOCM imaging of brain tissue reveals fine vascular structures and sub-cellular features through its high spatial resolution. Sub-cellular structures were also observed in live cells and were further revealed through a protocol traditionally used for OCT angiography.

E-band Nd3+ amplifier based on wavelength selection in an all-solid micro-structured fiber.

A Nd3+ fiber amplifier with gain from 1376 nm to 1466 nm is demonstrated. This is enabled by a wavelength selective waveguide that suppresses amplified spontaneous emission between 850 nm and 1150 nm. It is shown that while excited state absorption (ESA) precludes net gain below 1375 nm with the exception of a small band from 1333 nm to 1350 nm, ESA diminishes steadily beyond 1375 nm allowing for the construction of an efficient fiber amplifier with a gain peak at 1400 nm and the potential for gain from 1375 nm to 1500 nm. A peak small signal gain of 13.3 dB is measured at 1402 nm with a noise figure of 7.6 dB. Detailed measurements of the Nd3+ emission and excited state absorption cross sections suggest the potential for better performance in improved fibers. Specifically, reduction of the fiber mode field diameter from 10.5 µm to 5.25 µm and reduction of the fiber background loss to <10 dB/km at 1400 nm should enable construction of an E-band fiber amplifier with a noise figure < 5 dB and a small signal gain > 20 dB over 30 nm of bandwidth. Such an amplifier would have a form factor and optical properties similar to current erbium fiber amplifiers, enabling modern fiber optic communication systems to operate in the E-band with amplifier technology similar to that employed in the C and L bands.

All-polarization maintaining, graphene-based femtosecond Tm-doped all-fiber laser.

We report an all-fiber, all-polarization maintaining (PM) ultrafast Tm-doped fiber laser mode-locked by a multilayer graphene-based saturable absorber (SA). The laser emits 603 fs-short pulses centered at 1876 nm wavelength with 6.6 nm of bandwidth and 41 MHz repetition rate. Graphene used as saturable absorber was obtained via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on copper substrate and immersed in a poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) support, forming a stable, free-standing foil containing 12 graphene layers, suitable for the use in a fiber laser. The generated 603 fs pulses are the shortest reported pulses achieved from a Tm-doped laser mode-locked by graphene saturable absorber so far. Additionally, this is the first demonstration of an all-PM Tm-doped fiber laser incorporating a graphene-based SA. Such cost-effective, compact and stable fiber lasers might be considered as sources usable in nonlinear frequency conversion, mid-infrared spectroscopy and remote sensing.

Double Brillouin frequency shifted L-band multi-wavelength Brillouin Raman fiber laser utilizing dual laser cavity

We experimentally demonstrated a multi-wavelength Brillouin Raman fiber laser with 20 GHz spacing utilizing a dual laser cavity that operated in the L-band wavelength region. In this laser configuration, 11 km long dispersion compensating fiber provided Brillouin gain medium. At Brillouin pump (BP) wavelength of 1580 nm, BP power of 7 dBm and Raman pump power of 1259 mW, 102 Brillouin stokes signals were produced over 14.3 nm of bandwidth. By adjusting appropriate BP wavelength within 1580–1600 nm a tuning range over 20 nm was obtained. In additional, average OSNR of 21.7, 17.8, 16.9, 15.5 and 16.9 dB are recorded for wavelength at 1580, 1585, 1590, 1595 and 1600 nm respectively.

Mapping the Vibronic Structure of a Molecule by Few-Cycle Continuum Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy in a Single Pulse.

Accurate mapping of the electronic and vibrational structure of a molecular system is a basic goal of chemistry as it underpins reactivity and function. Experimentally, the challenge is to uncover the intramolecular interactions and ensuing dynamics that define this structure. Multidimensional coherent spectroscopy can map such interactions analogous to the way in which nuclear magnetic resonance provides access to the nuclear spin structure. Here we present two-dimensional coherent spectra measured using few-cycle continuum light. Critically, our approach instantaneously maps the energy landscape of a complex molecular system in a single laser pulse across 350 nm of bandwidth, thereby making it suitable for rapid molecular fingerprinting. We envision few-cycle supercontinuum spectroscopy based on the nonlinear optical response as a powerful tool to examine molecules in the condensed phase at the extremes of time, space, and energy.

Random lasing in a dye-doped polymer thin film waveguide deposited on a Si surface microstructured by femtosecond laser ablation

Random laser action with ~8 nm of bandwidth from a special waveguide structure is reported. The waveguide structure is composed of a layer of rhodamine 6G-doped PMMA film and a silicon substrate with a microstructured surface induced by a femtosecond laser. The silicon substrate featured two-dimensional island-like microstructures with average sizes ranging from 0.8 μm to 3 μm and average heights at about 0.7 μm. A red-shift of laser peak positions and decrease of threshold were observed with decreasing size of silicon surface microstructures. The spectra at different probe directions were also measured, and the results reveal that the waveguide laser action is strongly confined within ±10° from the direction of the edge. The lasing modes emitted from the edge of the waveguide are found to be mainly transverse electric-polarized. Our experiments demonstrate a promising method to achieve waveguide random lasers.

Thulium-doped all-fiber laser mode-locked by CVD-graphene/PMMA saturable absorber

We report an all-fiber Tm-doped fiber laser mode-locked by graphene saturable absorber. The laser emits 1.2 ps pulses at 1884 nm center wavelength with 4 nm of bandwidth and 20.5 MHz mode spacing. The graphene layers were grown on copper foils by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and transferred onto the fiber connector end. Up to date this is the shortest reported pulse duration achieved from a Tm-doped laser mode-locked by graphene saturable absorber. Such cost-effective and stable fiber lasers might be considered as sources for mid-infrared spectroscopy and remote sensing.

A Broadband Negative Index Metamaterial at Optical Frequencies

A broadband metamaterial presenting negative indices across hundreds of nanometers in the visible and near‐infrared spectral regimes is demonstrated theoretically, using transformation optics to design the metamaterial constituents. The approach begins with an infinite plasmonic waveguide that supports a broadband but dark (i.e, not easily optically accessed) negative index mode. Conformal mapping of this waveguide to a finite split‐ring‐resonator‐type structure transforms this mode into a bright (i.e, efficiently excited) resonance composed of degenerate electric and magnetic dipoles. A periodic array of such resonators exhibits negative refractive indices at optical frequencies in multiple regions exceeding 200 nm in bandwidth. The metamaterial response is confirmed through simulations of plane‐wave refraction through a metamaterial prism. These results illustrate the power of transformation optics for new metamaterial designs and provide a foundation for future broadband metamaterial devices.

Optimization of Quantum-Dot Molecular Beam Epitaxy for Broad Spectral Bandwidth Devices

The optimization of the key growth parameters for broad spectral bandwidth devices based on quantum dots is reported. A combination of atomic force microscopy, photoluminescence of test samples, and optoelectronic characterization of superluminescent diodes (SLDs) is used to optimize the growth conditions to obtain high-quality devices with large spectral bandwidth, radiative efficiency (due to a reduced defective-dot density), and thus output power. The defective-dot density is highlighted as being responsible for the degradation of device performance. An SLD device with 160 nm of bandwidth centered at 1230 nm is demonstrated.

Visualization of hair follicles using high-speed optical coherence tomography based on a Fourier domain mode locking laser

In this study, a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) system with a Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) laser is proposed for a dermatology study. The homemade FDML laser is one kind of frequency-sweeping light source, which can provide output power of >20 mW and an output spectrum of 65 nm in bandwidth centered at 1300 nm, enabling imaging with an axial resolution of 12 μm in the OCT system. To eliminate the forward scans from the laser output and insert the delayed backward scans, a Mach-Zehnder configuration is implemented. Compared with conventional frequency-sweeping light sources, the FDML laser can achieve much higher scan rates, as high as ∼240 kHz, which can provide a three-dimensional imaging rate of 4 volumes/s. Furthermore, the proposed high-speed SS-OCT system can provide three-dimensional (3D) images with reduced motion artifacts. Finally, a high-speed SS-OCT system is used to visualize hair follicles, demonstrating the potential of this technology as a tool for noninvasive diagnosis of alopecia.

Formation of Hyperspectral Near-Infrared Images from Artworks

ABSTRACTIn this paper, a novel hyperspectral image acquisition system able to obtain a set of narrowband images (~2,25 nm of bandwidth) and the related composition of monochrome images in the near-infrared is described. The aim of this system is to discriminate the materials by their optical spectral response in the range of 900-1700 nm. This system has been developed in the framework of a collaborative project that includes the improvement of the automatic composition of reflectographic mosaics in order to study the underdrawing of large formats big artworks in real-time. The main features of this project are detailed in this paper. Furthermore, a few enlightening results of the hyperspectral system and new lines of research are shown.