Upconversion assisted self-pulsing in a high-concentration erbium doped fiber laser

We report results on experimental and theoretical characterisation of self-pulsing in high concentration erbium doped fibre laser which is free from erbium clusters. Unlike previous models of self-pulsing accounting for pair-induced quenching (PIQ) on the clustered erbium ions, new model has been developed with accounting for statistical nature of the excitation migration and upconversion and resonance-like pumpto-signal intensity noise transfer. The obtained results are in a good agreement with the experimental data

Determination of reference values for optical properties of liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink

A multi-center study has been set up to accurately characterize the optical properties of diffusive liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Nine research laboratories from six countries adopting different measurement techniques, instrumental set-ups, and data analysis methods determined at their best the optical properties and relative uncertainties of diffusive dilutions prepared with common samples of the two compounds. By exploiting a suitable statistical model, comprehensive reference values at three NIR wavelengths for the intrinsic absorption coefficient of India ink and the intrinsic reduced scattering coefficient of Intralipid-20% were determined with an uncertainty of about 2% or better, depending on the wavelength considered, and 1%, respectively. Even if in this study we focused on particular batches of India ink and Intralipid, the reference values determined here represent a solid and useful starting point for preparing diffusive liquid phantoms with accurately defined optical properties. Furthermore, due to the ready availability, low cost, long-term stability and batch-to-batch reproducibility of these compounds, they provide a unique fundamental tool for the calibration and performance assessment of diffuse optical spectroscopy instrumentation intended to be used in laboratory or clinical environment. Finally, the collaborative work presented here demonstrates that the accuracy level attained in this work for optical properties of diffusive phantoms is reliable

Steady-State and Switch-Off Behavior of Upconversion in Er-Doped Fibers

By measuring the metastable and the upconverted fluorescence in Er-doped fibers we determine rate of homogeneous upconversion as a function of the population inversion. The results confirm the prediction of our statistical model that at the same population inversion the upconversion rates under the steady-state and the switch-off conditions are different. The larger rate of the steady state upconversion is attributed to the pump enhanced redistribution of the excitation energy

Nonlinear Upconversion-Rate in Er-Doped Fibers

Energy transfer between excited rare-earth ions has been widely used for realizing upconversion lasers and also recognized as a gain limiting factor in high-concentration Er-doped amplifiers. The energy transfer leads to upconversion of the excitation which for randomly distributed (not clustered) ions is called homogeneous upconversion. It was commonly assumed that the rate of homogeneous upconversion is a linear function of the population inversion N$\text{}_{2}$. However, recently published Monte Carlo simulations predict that the homogeneous upconversion rate is a nonlinear function of N$\text{}_{2}$ and that it, moreover, depends on the pump and signals rates. In this paper we review some of our experimental results confirming those predictions. We also propose a statistical, analytical model describing the observed homogeneous upconversion behavior in Er-doped fibers

Nonlinear Upconversion-Rate in Er-Doped Fibers

Energy transfer between excited rare-earth ions has been widely used for realizing upconversion lasers and also recognized as a gain limiting factor in high-concentration Er-doped amplifiers. The energy transfer leads to upconversion of the excitation which for randomly distributed (not clustered) ions is called homogeneous upconversion. It was commonly assumed that the rate of homogeneous upconversion is a linear function of the population inversion N$\text{}_{2}$. However, recently published Monte Carlo simulations predict that the homogeneous upconversion rate is a nonlinear function of N$\text{}_{2}$ and that it, moreover, depends on the pump and signals rates. In this paper we review some of our experimental results confirming those predictions. We also propose a statistical, analytical model describing the observed homogeneous upconversion behavior in Er-doped fibers

Determination of reference values for optical properties of liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink

A multi-center study has been set up to accurately characterize the optical properties of diffusive liquid phantoms based on Intralipid and India ink at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Nine research laboratories from six countries adopting different measurement techniques, instrumental set-ups, and data analysis methods determined at their best the optical properties and relative uncertainties of diffusive dilutions prepared with common samples of the two compounds. By exploiting a suitable statistical model, comprehensive reference values at three NIR wavelengths for the intrinsic absorption coefficient of India ink and the intrinsic reduced scattering coefficient of Intralipid-20% were determined with an uncertainty of about 2% or better, depending on the wavelength considered, and 1%, respectively. Even if in this study we focused on particular batches of India ink and Intralipid, the reference values determined here represent a solid and useful starting point for preparing diffusive liquid phantoms with accurately defined optical properties. Furthermore, due to the ready availability, low cost, long-term stability and batch-to-batch reproducibility of these compounds, they provide a unique fundamental tool for the calibration and performance assessment of diffuse optical spectroscopy instrumentation intended to be used in laboratory or clinical environment. Finally, the collaborative work presented here demonstrates that the accuracy level attained in this work for optical properties of diffusive phantoms is reliable. (C) 2014 Optical Society of Americ