Darryl Naidoo

Mode analysis with a spatial light modulator as a correlation filter

A procedure for the real-time analysis of laser modes using a phase-only spatial light modulator is outlined. The procedure involves encoding into digital holograms by complex amplitude modulation a set of orthonormal basis functions into which the initial field is decomposed. This approach allows any function to be encoded and refreshed in real time (60 Hz). We implement a decomposition of guided modes propagating in optical fibers and show that we can successfully reconstruct the observed field with very high fidelity.

All-Digital Holographic Tool for Mode Excitation and Analysis in Optical Fibers

A procedure for the multiplexing and demultiplexing of modes in optical fibers with digital holograms is presented. By using a spatial light modulator (SLM) to encode a digital hologram, the desired complex field is shaped and injected into the fiber. The SLMs ability to rapidly refresh the encoded transmission function enables one to excite pure single modes, as well as arbitrary coherent mode superpositions, in real-time. The modes from the output of the fiber are subsequently demultipexed by applying a correlation filter for modal decomposition, thus allowing for an all-digital-hologram approach to modal analysis of fibers. The working principle is tested using conventional step-index large mode area fibers being excited with higher-order single modes and superpositions.

Wavefront reconstruction by modal decomposition

We propose a new method to determine the wavefront of a laser beam based on modal decomposition by computer-generated holograms. The hologram is encoded with a transmission function suitable for measuring the amplitudes and phases of the modes in real-time. This yields the complete information about the optical field, from which the Poynting vector and the wavefront are deduced. Two different wavefront reconstruction options are outlined: reconstruction from the phase for scalar beams, and reconstruction from the Poynting vector for inhomogeneously polarized beams. Results are compared to Shack-Hartmann measurements that serve as a reference and are shown to reproduce the wavefront and phase with very high fidelity.

The generation of flat-top beams by complex amplitude modulation with a phase-only spatial light modulator

Phase-only spatial light modulators are now ubiquitous tools in modern optics laboratories, and are often used to generate so-called structured light. In this work we outline the use of a phase-only spatial light modulator to achieve full complex amplitude modulation of the light, i.e., in amplitude and phase. We outline the theoretical concept, and then illustrate its use with the example of the laser beam shaping of Gaussian beams into flat-top beams. We quantify the performance of this approach for the creation of such fields, and compare the results to conventional lossless approaches to flat-top beam generation.

Spatial properties of coaxial superposition of two coherent Gaussian beams

In this paper, we explore theoretically and experimentally the laser beam shaping ability resulting from the coaxial superposition of two coherent Gaussian beams (GBs). This technique is classified under interferometric laser beam shaping techniques contrasting with the usual ones based on diffraction. The experimental setup does not involve the use of some two-wave interferometer but uses a spatial light modulator for the generation of the necessary interference term. This allows one to avoid the thermal drift occurring in interferometers and gives a total flexibility of the key parameter setting the beam transformation. In particular, we demonstrate the reshaping of a GB into a bottle beam or top-hat beam in the focal plane of a focusing lens.

Radially polarized cylindrical vector beams from a monolithic microchip laser

Abstract. Monolithic microchip lasers consist of a thin slice of laser crystal where the cavity mirrors are deposited directly onto the end faces. While this property makes such lasers very compact and robust, it prohibits the use of intracavity laser beam shaping techniques to produce complex light fields. We overcome this limitation and demonstrate the selection of complex light fields in the form of vector-vortex beams directly from a monolithic microchip laser. We employ pump reshaping and a thermal gradient across the crystal surface to control both the intensity and polarization profile of the output mode. In particular, we show laser oscillation on a superposition of Laguerre–Gaussian modes of zero radial and nonzero azimuthal index in both the scalar and vector regimes. Such complex light fields created directly from the source could find applications in fiber injection, materials processing and in simulating quantum processes.

Constructing petal modes from the coherent superposition of Laguerre-Gaussian modes

An experimental approach in generating Petal-like transverse modes, which are similar to what is seen in porro-prism resonators, has been successfully demonstrated. We hypothesize that the petal-like structures are generated from a coherent superposition of Laguerre-Gaussian modes of zero radial order and opposite azimuthal order. To verify this hypothesis, visually based comparisons such as petal peak to peak diameter and the angle between adjacent petals are drawn between experimental data and simulated data. The beam quality factor of the Petal-like transverse modes and an inner product interaction is also experimentally compared to numerical results.

Mode analysis using the correlation filter method

We introduce the correlation filter method for measuring the modal power spectrum of multi-mode beams. The method is based on an optical filter performing the integral relation of correlation. This filter is realized as a computer-generated hologram with a specifically designed transmission function based on the spatial distribution of the set of modes under test. The beam that is illuminating the hologram is generating a diffraction pattern containing information about modal amplitudes and intermodal phase differences. We will show that a simple single-shot intensity measurement is sufficient to gain the information about modal amplitudes and phases from the diffraction pattern which result in the ability to reconstruct the optical field under test. Beside a detailed presentation of the measurement process, the setup and the design of the correlation filters, the major advantage of the method, the ability to perform real-time measurements is introduced. As a test system, we investigate the guided modes of a few mode multi-mode fiber and show fast changing modal coupling processes. Thereby, we show measurement results of online-monitoring the reconstructed optical field of the beam under test.

Observing mode propagation inside a laser cavity

The mode inside a laser cavity may be understood as the interference of two counter-propagating waves, referred to as the forward and backward waves, respectively. We outline a simple experimental procedure, which does not require any additional components, to study the forward and backward propagating waves everywhere inside a laser cavity. We verify the previous theoretical-only prediction that the two fields may differ substantially in their amplitude profile, even for stable resonator systems, a result that has implications for how laser resonators are conceptualized and how the disparate traveling waves interact with nonlinear intra-cavity elements, for example, passive Q- switches and gain media.

Brightness enhancement in a solid-state laser by mode transformation

Laser brightness is a measure of the ability to deliver intense light to a target and encapsulates both the energy content and the beam quality. High-brightness lasers require that both parameters be maximized, yet standard laser cavities do not allow this. For example, multimode beams, a mix of many transverse modes, have a high energy content but low beam quality, while single transverse mode Gaussian beams have a good beam quality, but their small mode volume means a low energy extraction. Here we overcome this fundamental limitation and demonstrate an optimal approach to realizing high-brightness lasers. We employ intra-cavity beam shaping to produce a single transverse mode that changes profile inside the cavity, Gaussian at the output end and flattop at the gain end, such that both energy extraction and beam quality are simultaneously optimized. This work should have a significant influence on the design of future high-brightness laser cavities.