Upconversion-enabled array spectrometer for the mid-infrared, featuring kilohertz spectra acquisition rates

Wolf, Sebastian; Kießling, Jens; Kunz, M.; Popko, Gregor; Buse, K.; Kühnemann, Frank

doi:10.1364/oe.25.014504

Cited by 32 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Recently a low noise MIR frequency upconversion based detector (UCD) at room temperature with a quantum efficiency of up to 20% has been successfully demonstrated [2]. Imaging [2,15] and spectroscopy [3], narrowband [16] and broadband [17][18][19] UCDs have been demonstrated over substantial parts of the MIR range.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal noise in mid-infrared broadband upconversion detectors

2018

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Low noise detection with state-of-the-art mid-infrared (MIR) detectors (e.g., PbS, PbSe, InSb, HgCdTe) is a primary challenge owing to the intrinsic thermal background radiation of the low bandgap detector material itself. However, researchers have employed frequency upconversion based detectors (UCD), operable at room temperature, as a promising alternative to traditional direct detection schemes. UCD allows for the use of a low noise silicon-CCD/camera to improve the SNR. Using UCD, the noise contributions from the nonlinear material itself should be evaluated in order to estimate the limits of the noise-equivalent power of an UCD system. In this article, we rigorously analyze the optical power generated by frequency upconversion of the intrinsic black-body radiation in the nonlinear material itself due to the crystals residual emissivity, i.e. absorption. The thermal radiation is particularly prominent at the optical absorption edge of the nonlinear material even at room temperature. We consider a conventional periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) based MIR-UCD for the investigation. The UCD is designed to cover a broad spectral range, overlapping with the entire absorption edge of the PPLN (3.5 - 5 µm). Finally, an upconverted thermal radiation power of ~30 pW at room temperature (~30°C) and a maximum of ~70 pW at 120°C of the PPLN crystal are measured for a CW mixing beam of power ~60 W, supporting a good quantitative agreement with the theory. The analysis can easily be extended to other popular nonlinear conversion processes including OPO, DFG, and SHG.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal noise in mid-infrared broadband upconversion detectors

2018

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“…It is possible to decouple the crystal acceptance parameters from the spectral resolution. In ref 13 a grating system was inserted as a part of a 2-f set-up. The upconverted light emerges from a virtual pinhole formed by the overlap of the focused pump laser beam and the incident mid-IR light inside the nonlinear crystal.…”

Section: Upconversion Spectrometermentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonlinear crystals for imaging and detection of mid-IR radiation

Pedersen¹,

Ashik²,

Tidemand-Lichtenberg³

2020

Smart Photonic and Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits XXII

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The mid-IR wavelength range, i.e. 2-25 µm, houses the vibrational spectra of most gasses and large molecules found in complex structures such as tissue, plastics or food. When designing an upconversion system for imaging or mid-IR detection, several aspects should be considered. Upconversion has several advantageous features which makes it an interesting option to consider for many mid-IR applications. Main advantages include, low-noise detection even at elevated temperatures, an almost instantaneous response time, phase preservation, and the ability to perform upconversion imaging. The χ (2) crystal properties impact the performance of the system significantly. Design aspects related to the choice of crystal as well as different applications is presented.

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“…This can be seen as intensity variations in the monochromatic images (Visualization 3). In Visualization 3, size scaling of the monochromatic images can be observed depending on the wavelength, dictated by the scaling factor related to the transverse phase matching equation [17]. The spectral bandwidth of the upconversion process is dependent on the center wavelength, and the incoming MIR angle, which is conserved in the post-processing step, hence, the spectral bandwidth in the monochromatic image increase slightly radially in the image.…”

Section: ( )mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Upconversion detection has already been employed for both spectroscopy and imaging, used in both pulsed and continuous wave applications. Most work has been based on lithium niobate (LN) as the nonlinear medium, using either bulk [9][10][11] or periodically poled [12][13][14][15][16][17] crystals, however, applications of LN is limited by the transparency range of the material. Above 5 µm upconversion spectroscopy [18] and polychromatic imaging [19,20] has been demonstrated based on Ag3AsS3 or AgGaS 2 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mid-infrared upconversion based hyperspectral imaging

Junaid¹,

Tomko²,

Semtsiv³

et al. 2018

Opt. Express

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Mid-infrared hyperspectral imaging has in the past decade emerged as a promising tool for medical diagnostics. In this work, nonlinear frequency upconversion based hyperspectral imaging in the 6 to 8 µm spectral range is presented for the first time, using both broadband globar and narrowband quantum cascade laser illumination. AgGaS is used as the nonlinear medium for sum frequency generation using a 1064 nm mixing laser. Angular scanning of the nonlinear crystal provides broad spectral coverage at every spatial position in the image. This study demonstrates the retrieval of series of monochromatic images acquired by a silicon based CCD camera, using both broadband and narrowband illumination and a comparison is made between the two illumination sources for hyperspectral imaging.

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Upconversion-enabled array spectrometer for the mid-infrared, featuring kilohertz spectra acquisition rates

Cited by 32 publications

References 20 publications

Thermal noise in mid-infrared broadband upconversion detectors

Thermal noise in mid-infrared broadband upconversion detectors

Nonlinear crystals for imaging and detection of mid-IR radiation

Mid-infrared upconversion based hyperspectral imaging

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