|
|
Diffractive optics for spectral control of the supercontinuum generated in sapphire with femtosecond pulses |
Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 6, pp. 4977-4984 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.004977
Acrobat PDF (1113 KB)
Abstract
We propose the use of kinoform diffractive lenses to focus near infrared femtosecond pulses in sapphire crystals for supercontinuum generation. It is shown that a strongly peaked structure appears in the blue region of the supercontinuum spectra. The central wavelength of this peak can be easily controlled by simply changing the lens-crystal distance. Moreover, when compared with the supercontinuum generated with a refractive lens in analogous conditions, the spectral extension of the so-generated continuum is larger. Our results were corroborated for sapphire plates with different thicknesses as well as in other transparent dielectrics such as fused silica.
© 2011 OSA
1. Introduction
R. R. Alfano and S. L. Shapiro, “Emission in the region 4000 to 7000 A via four photon coupling in glass,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 24(11), 584–587 (1970). [CrossRef]
M. Bradler, P. Baum, and E. Riedle, “Femtosecond continuum generation in bulk laser host materials with sub-μJ pump pulses,” Appl. Phys. B 97(3), 561–574 (2009). [CrossRef]
V. I. Klimov and D. W. McBranch, “Femtosecond high-sensitivity, chirp-free transient absorption spectroscopy using kilohertz lasers,” Opt. Lett. 23(4), 277–279 (1998). [CrossRef]
Z. Wilkes, S. Varma, Y.-H. Chen, H. Milchberg, T. Jones, and A. Ting, “Direct measurements of the nonlinear index of refraction of water at 815 and 407 nm using single-shot supercontinuum spectral interferometry,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 94(21), 211102 (2009). [CrossRef]
M. Reed, M. Steiner-Shepard, M. Armas, and D. Negus, “Microjoule-energy ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 12(11), 2229–2236 (1995). [CrossRef]
G. Cerullo and S. De Silvestri, “Ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74(1), 1–18 (2003). [CrossRef]
A. Brodeur and S. L. Chin, “Band-gap dependence of the ultrafast white-light continuum,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 80(20), 4406–4409 (1998). [CrossRef]
Ch. Nagura, A. Suda, H. Kawano, M. Obara, and K. Midorikawa, “Generation and characterization of ultrafast white-light continuum in condensed media,” Appl. Opt. 41(18), 3735–3742 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
M. Kolesik, G. Katona, J. V. Moloney, and E. M. Wright, “Physical factors limiting the spectral extent and band gap dependence of supercontinuum generation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(4), 043905 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
J. B. Ashcom, R. R. Gattass, C. B. Schaffer, and E. Mazur, “Numerical aperture dependence of damage and supercontinuum generation from femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23(11), 2317–2322 (2006). [CrossRef]
X. Ni, C. Wang, X. Liang, M. AL-Rubaiee, and R. R. Alfano, “Fresnel diffraction supercontinuum generation,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 10(5), 1229–1232 (2004). [CrossRef]
G. Mínguez-Vega, C. Romero, O. Mendoza-Yero, J. R. Vázquez de Aldana, R. Borrego-Varillas, C. Méndez, P. Andrés, J. Lancis, V. Climent, and L. Roso, “Wavelength tuning of femtosecond pulses generated in nonlinear crystals by using diffractive lenses,” Opt. Lett. 35(21), 3694–3696 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Ch. Yang, K. Shi, H. Li, Q. Xu, V. Gopalan, and Z. Liu, “Chromatic second harmonic imaging,” Opt. Express 18(23), 23837–23843 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
V. Moreno, J. F. Román, and J. R. Salgueiro, “High efficiency diffractive lenses: deduction of kinoform profile,” Am. J. Phys. 65(6), 556–562 (1997). [CrossRef]
2. Experimental setup
3. Procedure and results
J. B. Ashcom, R. R. Gattass, C. B. Schaffer, and E. Mazur, “Numerical aperture dependence of damage and supercontinuum generation from femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23(11), 2317–2322 (2006). [CrossRef]
G. Mínguez-Vega, C. Romero, O. Mendoza-Yero, J. R. Vázquez de Aldana, R. Borrego-Varillas, C. Méndez, P. Andrés, J. Lancis, V. Climent, and L. Roso, “Wavelength tuning of femtosecond pulses generated in nonlinear crystals by using diffractive lenses,” Opt. Lett. 35(21), 3694–3696 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
| Sapphire | Fused silica | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 3 mm | 2 mm | 1 mm | 3 mm |
| Pulse energy | 0.97 μJ 0.46 μJ* | 0.97 μJ - | 1.66 μJ - | 1.24 μJ 0.50 μJ* |
G. Cerullo and S. De Silvestri, “Ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74(1), 1–18 (2003). [CrossRef]
G. Mínguez-Vega, C. Romero, O. Mendoza-Yero, J. R. Vázquez de Aldana, R. Borrego-Varillas, C. Méndez, P. Andrés, J. Lancis, V. Climent, and L. Roso, “Wavelength tuning of femtosecond pulses generated in nonlinear crystals by using diffractive lenses,” Opt. Lett. 35(21), 3694–3696 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
X. Fang and T. Kobayashi, “Evolution of a super-broadened spectrum in a filament generated by an ultrashort intense laser pulse in fused silica,” Appl. Phys. B 77(2-3), 167–170 (2003). [CrossRef]
J. B. Ashcom, R. R. Gattass, C. B. Schaffer, and E. Mazur, “Numerical aperture dependence of damage and supercontinuum generation from femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23(11), 2317–2322 (2006). [CrossRef]
G. Cerullo and S. De Silvestri, “Ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74(1), 1–18 (2003). [CrossRef]
4. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References and links
R. R. Alfano and S. L. Shapiro, “Emission in the region 4000 to 7000 A via four photon coupling in glass,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 24(11), 584–587 (1970). [CrossRef] | |
R. R. Alfano, The Supercontinuum Laser Source (Springer, 2006). | |
M. Bradler, P. Baum, and E. Riedle, “Femtosecond continuum generation in bulk laser host materials with sub-μJ pump pulses,” Appl. Phys. B 97(3), 561–574 (2009). [CrossRef] | |
V. I. Klimov and D. W. McBranch, “Femtosecond high-sensitivity, chirp-free transient absorption spectroscopy using kilohertz lasers,” Opt. Lett. 23(4), 277–279 (1998). [CrossRef] | |
Z. Wilkes, S. Varma, Y.-H. Chen, H. Milchberg, T. Jones, and A. Ting, “Direct measurements of the nonlinear index of refraction of water at 815 and 407 nm using single-shot supercontinuum spectral interferometry,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 94(21), 211102 (2009). [CrossRef] | |
M. Reed, M. Steiner-Shepard, M. Armas, and D. Negus, “Microjoule-energy ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 12(11), 2229–2236 (1995). [CrossRef] | |
G. Cerullo and S. De Silvestri, “Ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74(1), 1–18 (2003). [CrossRef] | |
A. Brodeur and S. L. Chin, “Band-gap dependence of the ultrafast white-light continuum,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 80(20), 4406–4409 (1998). [CrossRef] | |
Ch. Nagura, A. Suda, H. Kawano, M. Obara, and K. Midorikawa, “Generation and characterization of ultrafast white-light continuum in condensed media,” Appl. Opt. 41(18), 3735–3742 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
M. Kolesik, G. Katona, J. V. Moloney, and E. M. Wright, “Physical factors limiting the spectral extent and band gap dependence of supercontinuum generation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(4), 043905 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
J. B. Ashcom, R. R. Gattass, C. B. Schaffer, and E. Mazur, “Numerical aperture dependence of damage and supercontinuum generation from femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23(11), 2317–2322 (2006). [CrossRef] | |
X. Ni, C. Wang, X. Liang, M. AL-Rubaiee, and R. R. Alfano, “Fresnel diffraction supercontinuum generation,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 10(5), 1229–1232 (2004). [CrossRef] | |
G. Mínguez-Vega, C. Romero, O. Mendoza-Yero, J. R. Vázquez de Aldana, R. Borrego-Varillas, C. Méndez, P. Andrés, J. Lancis, V. Climent, and L. Roso, “Wavelength tuning of femtosecond pulses generated in nonlinear crystals by using diffractive lenses,” Opt. Lett. 35(21), 3694–3696 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
Ch. Yang, K. Shi, H. Li, Q. Xu, V. Gopalan, and Z. Liu, “Chromatic second harmonic imaging,” Opt. Express 18(23), 23837–23843 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
V. Moreno, J. F. Román, and J. R. Salgueiro, “High efficiency diffractive lenses: deduction of kinoform profile,” Am. J. Phys. 65(6), 556–562 (1997). [CrossRef] | |
X. Fang and T. Kobayashi, “Evolution of a super-broadened spectrum in a filament generated by an ultrashort intense laser pulse in fused silica,” Appl. Phys. B 77(2-3), 167–170 (2003). [CrossRef] |
OCIS Codes
(050.0050) Diffraction and gratings : Diffraction and gratings
(120.6200) Instrumentation, measurement, and metrology : Spectrometers and spectroscopic instrumentation
(320.7110) Ultrafast optics : Ultrafast nonlinear optics
(320.6629) Ultrafast optics : Supercontinuum generation
ToC Category:
Ultrafast Optics
History
Original Manuscript: January 20, 2011
Revised Manuscript: February 16, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: February 18, 2011
Published: March 1, 2011
Citation
Carolina Romero, Rocío Borrego-Varillas, Acner Camino, Gladys Mínguez-Vega, Omel Mendoza-Yero, Juan Hernández-Toro, and Javier R. Vázquez de Aldana, "Diffractive optics for spectral control of the supercontinuum generated in sapphire with femtosecond pulses," Opt. Express 19, 4977-4984 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-6-4977
Sort: Year | Journal | Reset
References
- R. R. Alfano and S. L. Shapiro, “Emission in the region 4000 to 7000 A via four photon coupling in glass,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 24(11), 584–587 (1970). [CrossRef]
- R. R. Alfano, The Supercontinuum Laser Source (Springer, 2006).
- M. Bradler, P. Baum, and E. Riedle, “Femtosecond continuum generation in bulk laser host materials with sub-μJ pump pulses,” Appl. Phys. B 97(3), 561–574 (2009). [CrossRef]
- V. I. Klimov and D. W. McBranch, “Femtosecond high-sensitivity, chirp-free transient absorption spectroscopy using kilohertz lasers,” Opt. Lett. 23(4), 277–279 (1998). [CrossRef]
- Z. Wilkes, S. Varma, Y.-H. Chen, H. Milchberg, T. Jones, and A. Ting, “Direct measurements of the nonlinear index of refraction of water at 815 and 407 nm using single-shot supercontinuum spectral interferometry,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 94(21), 211102 (2009). [CrossRef]
- M. Reed, M. Steiner-Shepard, M. Armas, and D. Negus, “Microjoule-energy ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 12(11), 2229–2236 (1995). [CrossRef]
- G. Cerullo and S. De Silvestri, “Ultrafast optical parametric amplifiers,” Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74(1), 1–18 (2003). [CrossRef]
- A. Brodeur and S. L. Chin, “Band-gap dependence of the ultrafast white-light continuum,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 80(20), 4406–4409 (1998). [CrossRef]
- Ch. Nagura, A. Suda, H. Kawano, M. Obara, and K. Midorikawa, “Generation and characterization of ultrafast white-light continuum in condensed media,” Appl. Opt. 41(18), 3735–3742 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- M. Kolesik, G. Katona, J. V. Moloney, and E. M. Wright, “Physical factors limiting the spectral extent and band gap dependence of supercontinuum generation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 91(4), 043905 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- J. B. Ashcom, R. R. Gattass, C. B. Schaffer, and E. Mazur, “Numerical aperture dependence of damage and supercontinuum generation from femtosecond laser pulses in bulk fused silica,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 23(11), 2317–2322 (2006). [CrossRef]
- X. Ni, C. Wang, X. Liang, M. AL-Rubaiee, and R. R. Alfano, “Fresnel diffraction supercontinuum generation,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 10(5), 1229–1232 (2004). [CrossRef]
- G. Mínguez-Vega, C. Romero, O. Mendoza-Yero, J. R. Vázquez de Aldana, R. Borrego-Varillas, C. Méndez, P. Andrés, J. Lancis, V. Climent, and L. Roso, “Wavelength tuning of femtosecond pulses generated in nonlinear crystals by using diffractive lenses,” Opt. Lett. 35(21), 3694–3696 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Ch. Yang, K. Shi, H. Li, Q. Xu, V. Gopalan, and Z. Liu, “Chromatic second harmonic imaging,” Opt. Express 18(23), 23837–23843 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- V. Moreno, J. F. Román, and J. R. Salgueiro, “High efficiency diffractive lenses: deduction of kinoform profile,” Am. J. Phys. 65(6), 556–562 (1997). [CrossRef]
- X. Fang and T. Kobayashi, “Evolution of a super-broadened spectrum in a filament generated by an ultrashort intense laser pulse in fused silica,” Appl. Phys. B 77(2-3), 167–170 (2003). [CrossRef]
Cited By |
OSA is able to provide readers links to articles that cite this paper by participating in CrossRef's Cited-By Linking service. CrossRef includes content from more than 3000 publishers and societies. In addition to listing OSA journal articles that cite this paper, citing articles from other participating publishers will also be listed.





OSA is a member of 