Keywords

Ultrafast optics, laser, optical amplifiers, pulse shaping, high power oscillators, fiber lasers

Abstract

The topic of this proposal is the development of high peak power laser sources with a focus on linearly chirped pulse laser sources. In the past decade chirped optical pulses have found a plethora of applications such as photonic analog-to-digital conversion, optical coherence tomography, laser ranging, etc. This dissertation analyzes the aforementioned applications of linearly chirped pulses and their technical requirements, as well as the performance of previously demonstrated parabolic pulse shaping approaches. The experimental research addresses the topic of parabolic pulse generation in two distinct ways. First, pulse shaping technique involving a time domain approach is presented, that results in stretched pulses with parabolic profiles with temporal duration of 15 ns. After pulse is shaped into a parabolic intensity profile, the pulse is compressed with DCF fiber spool by 100 times to 80 ps duration at FWHM. A different approach of pulse shaping in frequency domain is performed, in which a spectral processor based on Liquid Crystal on Silicon technology is used. The pulse is stretched to 1.5 ns before intensity mask is applied, resulting in a parabolic intensity profile. Due to frequency to time mapping, its temporal profile is also parabolic. After pulse shaping, the pulse is compressed with a bulk compressor, and subsequently analyzed with a Frequency Resolved Optical Gating (FROG). The spectral content of the compressed pulse is feedback to the spectral processor and used to adjust the spectral phase mask applied on the pulse. The resultant pulse iv after pulse shaping with feedback mechanism is a Fourier transform, sub-picosecond ultrashort pulse with 5 times increase in peak power. The appendices in this dissertation provide additional material used for the realization of the main research focus of the dissertation. Specification and characterization of major components of equipments and devices used in the experiment are present. The description of Matlab algorithms that was used to calculate required signals for pulse shaping are shown. A brief description of the Labview code used to control the spectral processor will also be illustrated.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2013

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Delfyett, Peter

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Physics

Degree Program

Physics

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0004899

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0004899

Language

English

Release Date

August 2013

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences, Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic

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