Self-Focusing Dynamics of Coupled Optical Beams

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the mutual collapse dynamics of two spatially separated optical beams in a Kerr medium. Depending on the initial power, beam separation, and the relative phase, we observe repulsion or attraction, which in the latter case reveals a sharp transition to a single collapsing beam. This transition to fusion of the beams is accompanied by an increase in the collapse distance, indicating the effect of the nonlinear coupling on the individual collapse dynamics. Our results shed light on the basic nonlinear interaction between self-focused beams and provide a mechanism to control the collapse dynamics of such beams.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Femtosecond Transient Bragg Gratings

Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) have found numerous applications in fiber lasers, sensors, telecommunication, and many other fields. Traditionally, they are fabricated using UV laser sources and a phase mask or other interferometric techniques. In the past two decades, FBGs have been fabricated with femtosecond lasers in either the point-by-point method or by using a phase mask, in a similar configuration as with UV laser sources. In the following, we briefly review the advantages of femtosecond fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings. We then focus on transient FBGs; these are FBGs that exist for a short duration only, for the purpose of all-optical, in-fiber switching and modulation and the possible mechanism to implement them with a high-power femtosecond laser. The theory behind transient grating switching is outlined, and we discuss related experimental results achieved by our group on both permanent grating inscription and the generation of transient (dynamic) fiber Braggs gratings

Toward a high concentration Yb-Er phosphate glass optical amplifier for eye-safe compact LIDAR

LIDAR systems offer a powerful remote sensing technique that has been successfully employed for several applications. The key component of a LIDAR system is the laser source whose main parameters contributes to overall system performance. An advantageous approach to realize a high power LIDAR source is the MOPA configuration, in which a master oscillator produces a highly coherent beam and an optical amplifier is used to boost the beam output power while preserving its main spectral properties. The NATO SPS project “CALIBER” (CompAct eye safe Lidar source for AirBorne lasER scanning) aims to develop a compact, lightweight and low cost version of a LIDAR source that can be placed on small UAVs or in specific locations of premises where a small footprint equipment is required. Following the requests of a high degree of compactness while maintaining high performance and low cost, the choice for the optical amplifier fell on an Yb/Er co doped phosphate glass based waveguide. Phosphates are recognized to be an ideal host material for engineering the amplification stage of a pulsed MOPA thanks to their ability to maximize energy extraction and minimize the nonlinearities. They enable extremely high doping levels of rare--earth ions to be incorporated in the glass matrix without clustering, thus allowing the fabrication of compact active devices with high gain per unit length (> 5 dB/cm). In this work we report on the design and fabrication of a series of Yb/Er--doped phosphate glasses to be used as active materials for the core of a fiber amplifier. The fabricated glasses were thoroughly characterized and the best composition selected for the fabrication of the first amplifier prototype. Suitable cladding compositions were explored and the final core/cladding glass pair was used to realize a multi--mode optical fiber. Preliminary results of optical amplification are presented using a CW source as seed laser

Rare earth doped phosphate fibre amplifier at 1.5 μm for LIDAR

The research work reports on the design and fabrication of a compact optical fibre amplifier operating at 1.5 μm. A novel Yb/Er co-doped phosphate glass was developed and the optical fibre preform fabricated by rod-in-tube technique

Characterization of sub-nanosecond pulsed laser amplification with Er:Yb co-doped phosphate glass fibers

We present an experimental characterization of the amplification of sub-nanosecond duration laser pulses at a wavelength of 1538 nm in short custom-made Er:Yb phosphate glass fibers with different core diameters. The fibers vary in their diameter from 100 µm (highly multi-mode) down to 12 µm (single-mode). The peak power, energy per pulse, and spectral shape of the amplified signal are presented. With our input pulses, the measurements show that the large core diameter fibers do not increase the amplification of the 1538 nm signal. We believe this is due to the high re-absorption of the Er3+ ions in the phosphate fiber. The optimal fiber geometry was found to have a core diameter of 20 µm with a length of 14 cm. The maximum peak power is 8.25 kW, corresponding to a net gain of 10.9 dB, with a pulse duration of 0.7 ns and a repetition rate of 40 kHz

Characterization of sub-nanosecond pulsed laser amplification with Er:Yb co-doped phosphate glass fibers

We present an experimental characterization of the amplification of sub-nanosecond duration laser pulses at a wavelength of 1538 nm in short custom-made Er:Yb phosphate glass fibers with different core diameters. The fibers vary in their diameter from 100 µm (highly multi-mode) down to 12 µm (single-mode). The peak power, energy per pulse, and spectral shape of the amplified signal are presented. With our input pulses, the measurements show that the large core diameter fibers do not increase the amplification of the 1538 nm signal. We believe this is due to the high re-absorption of the Er3+ ions in the phosphate fiber. The optimal fiber geometry was found to have a core diameter of 20 µm with a length of 14 cm. The maximum peak power is 8.25 kW, corresponding to a net gain of 10.9 dB, with a pulse duration of 0.7 ns and a repetition rate of 40 kHz. © 2020 Optical Society of Americ

Highly doped multicomponent phosphate glass fibers for compact pulsed optical amplifiers

In recent years, there has been a growing interest towards compact high peak-power pulsed laser sources for applications such as LIDAR, range findings, remote sensing, communications and material processing. A common laser architecture used to realize these sources is the Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA), in which a master oscillator produces a highly coherent beam and a fiber amplifier boosts the output power, while preserving its main spectral properties. Phosphate glasses are recognized to be an ideal host material for engineering the amplification stage of a pulsed MOPA since they enable extremely high doping levels of rare-earth ions to be incorporated in the glass matrix without clustering, thus allowing the fabrication of compact active devices with high gain per unit length. With the aim of realizing compact optical fiber amplifiers operating at 1 and 1.5 µm, a series of highly Yb3+- and Yb3+/Er3+-doped custom phosphate glass compositions were designed and fabricated to be used as active materials for the core of the amplifiers. Suitable cladding glass compositions were explored and final core/cladding glass pairs were selected to realize single-mode and multi-mode optical fibers. Core and cladding glasses were synthesized by melt-quenching technique. The core glass was then cast into a cylindrical mold to form a rod, while the cladding glass was shaped into a tube by rotational casting method or extrusion technique. The latter has been extensively employed for the manufacturing of tellurite and germanate glass preforms, but only recently the first example of active phosphate fiber preform fabricated by this method has been reported by our research team. Phosphate fibers were then manufactured by preform drawing, with the preform being obtained by the rod-in-tube technique. Preliminary results of pulsed optical amplification at 1 and 1.5 µm are presented for a single-stage MOPA