Optical parametric amplifiers using chirped quasi-phase-matching gratings I: practical design formulas

Charbonneau-Lefort, Mathieu; Afeyan, Bedros; Fejer, M. M.

doi:10.1364/josab.25.000463

Cited by 102 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…The broad bandwidth response is in particular importance for frequency conversion of ultrashort pulses. Chirped QPM gratings have been utilized to manipulate short pulses both in second harmonic generation (SHG) [9,10,11], difference frequency generation (DFG) [12], and in parametric amplification [10,13]. Recent application showed that by using a disordered material (random QPM), an extreme broad bandwidth was obtained, although at a price of severe reduction of the conversion efficiencies [14].…”

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confidence: 99%

Geometrical representation of sum frequency generation and adiabatic frequency conversion

et al. 2008

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We present a geometrical representation of sum frequency generation process in the undepleted pump approximation. The analogy of such dynamics with the known optical Bloch equations is discussed. We use this analogy to present a novel technique for the achievement of both high efficiency and large bandwidth in a sum frequency conversion processes using adiabatic inversion scheme, adapted from NMR and light-matter interaction. The adiabatic constraints are derived in this context. Last, this adiabatic frequency conversion scheme is realized experimentally by a proper design of adiabatic aperiodically poled KTP device, using quasi phased matched method. In the experiments we achieved high efficiency signal to idler conversion over a bandwidth of 140nm.PACS numbers: 42.65. Ky, 42.25.Fx, 42.70.Qs The generation of tunable frequency optical radiation typically relies on nonlinear frequency conversion in crystals. In this process, light of two frequencies is mixed in a nonlinear crystal, resulting in the generation of a third color with their sum or difference frequency. These three-wave mixing processes, also known as frequency up-conversion or frequency down-conversion are typically very sensitive to the incoming frequencies, owing to lack of phase matching of the propagating waves. Thus, angle, temperature or other tuning mechanisms are needed to support efficient frequency conversion. This difficulty is of particular importance when trying to efficiently convert broadband optical signals, since simultaneous phase matching of a broad frequency range is difficult.Solving the general form of the wave equations governing three wave mixing processes in nonlinear process is not an easy task. Under certain conditions these can be simplified to three nonlinear coupled equations. Further simplification can be applied when one incoming wave (termed pump) is much stronger than the other two. In the "undepleted pump" approximation, two linear coupled equation are obtained rather than three nonlinear ones [1]. In the case of sum frequency generation (SFG) process, this simplified system possesses SU(2) symmetry, sharing its dynamical behavior with other two states systems, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or the interaction of coherent light with a two-level atom. In this letter we explore the dynamical symmetry of SFG process in analogy with the well known two level system dynamics [2]. We also apply a geometrical visualization using the approach presented by Bloch [3] and Feynman et al. [4] in NMR and light-matter interaction, respectively. The simple vector form of the coupling equation allows for new physical insight into the problem of fre- * Electronic address: Haim.suchowski@weizmann.ac.il quency conversion, enabling a more intuitive understanding of the effects of spatially varying coupling and phase mismatch. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by introducing a robust, highly efficient broadband color conversion scheme, based on an equivalent mechanism for achieving full population inversion in at...

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confidence: 99%

Geometrical representation of sum frequency generation and adiabatic frequency conversion

et al. 2008

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“…Our results also demonstrate that this technique can be combined with APPLN amplifiers in a practical "hybrid" OPCPA system configuration. Furthermore, we showed in section 5.1 how the combination of non-collinear beam geometry and chirped QPM devices enables octave-spanning amplification; the use of nonlinear chirp profiles would even enable customizable gain profiles across this amplification bandwidth [30,35]. This approach, together with further power scaling achievable by the use of wide-aperture QPM devices as the gain medium [36], thus provides a route to amplification of high-energy single-cycle pulses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…(3). Noting that the small-gain is given, for a linearly chirped QPM grating, by G ss =exp(2πΛ) [30], where Λ=γ 2 /|Δk'| and Δk'=d(Δk)/dz=-dK g /dz is the QPM chirp rate, we arrive at the following:…”

Section: Aperiodic Qpm Devicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mid-infrared pulse generation via achromatic quasi-phase-matched OPCPA

Mayer¹,

Phillips²,

Gallmann³

et al. 2014

Opt. Express

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Abstract:We demonstrate a new regime for mid-infrared optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) based on achromatic quasi-phase-matching. Our midinfrared OPCPA system is based on collinear aperiodically poled lithium niobate (APPLN) pre-amplifiers and a non-collinear PPLN power amplifier. 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 can enable octave-spanning OPCPA in a single device when combined with an aperiodic QPM grating.

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“…(3) as a sum of the contributions from the relevant QPM orders, whose individual Fourier spectra may have simple closed-form solutions. For example, these individual Fourier spectra correspond to sinc functions for periodic gratings, and to error functions for linearly chirped gratings [31,34]. Writing g z z from Eq.…”

Section: B Ensemble-averaged Noise Pedestal and Efficiency Reductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parametric processes in quasi-phasematching gratings with random duty cycle errors

Phillips¹,

Pelc²,

Fejer³

2013

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

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Random duty cycle (RDC) errors in quasi-phase-matching (QPM) gratings lead to a pedestal in the spatialfrequency spectrum that increases the conversion efficiency for nominally phase-mismatched processes. Here, we determine the statistical properties of the Fourier spectrum of the QPM grating in the presence of RDC errors. We illustrate these properties with examples corresponding to periodic gratings with parameters typical for continuous-wave interactions, and chirped gratings with parameters typical for devices involving broad optical bandwidths. We show how several applications are sensitive to RDC errors by calculating the conversion efficiency of relevant nonlinear-optical processes. Last, we propose a method to efficiently incorporate RDC errors into coupled-wave models of nonlinear-optical interactions while still retaining only a small number of QPM grating orders.

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Optical parametric amplifiers using chirped quasi-phase-matching gratings I: practical design formulas

Cited by 102 publications

References 38 publications

Geometrical representation of sum frequency generation and adiabatic frequency conversion

Geometrical representation of sum frequency generation and adiabatic frequency conversion

Mid-infrared pulse generation via achromatic quasi-phase-matched OPCPA

Parametric processes in quasi-phasematching gratings with random duty cycle errors

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