Igor V. Mel'nikov

Anomalous transmission of Ag/ZnO nanocomposites prepared by a magnetron sputtering

Single layer and double layer thin ZnO films with Ag nano-clusters on top and between them are fabricated by magnetron sputtering with subsequent annealing procedures. Transmission spectra measurements of the Ag/ZnO nanocomposite shows that a disordering (yet controllable) annealing modification, leads to a high transmission in the near- to the mid-IR spectral regimes. The spectra also show oscillations in the visible wavelength regime due to the excitation of surface plasmons that propagate along the surface of the nano-cluster. The behavior reported here is of interest for future implementation of new sub-wavelength, nanoplasmonic devices.

Low-threshold supercontinuum generation for a gain-switched 1126-nm fiber laser

It has come to the attention of The Optical Society that this article should not have been submitted because: (1) not all co-authors had consented to its presentation; and (2) owing to its substantial replication, without appropriate attribution, of significant elements found in the previously published paper: A. V. Kiryanov, V. P. Minkovich, I. V. Mel’nikov, and A. B. Sotsky,

Linear and nonlinear optics in photonic crystals

The history of resonance photonic crystals started with the pursuit for control over spontaneous decay in a photonic bandgap structure. Initiated by Bykov in optics, it was however implemented for the first time in the microwave domain by Yablonovitch et al. in 1991. This prediction of suppression of spontaneous emission of photons by a two-level atom turned into enhancement of optical nonlinearities, optical soliton generation and transport, and addressable light localization that is due to both structure and optically active defect created inside the crystal. This article reviews both fundamental theoretical ideas in the resonance photonic crystal with defect inside and selected experimental developments in the sense that reflects interests and expertise of the author.

Compact mid-IR source based on a DFB diode, fiber amplifier, and PPLN

The PPLN crystal is combined with a set of DFB diodes and fiber amplifier to come up with a compact device that demonstrates high-stability output through near- to mid-IR range at repetition rate up to 500 kHz.

Few-Cycle Optical Solitons in Nonlinear Media: Spatiotemporal Collapse vs Bullet Cast

The spatiotemporal dynamics of few-cycle optical scalar and vector solitons in nonlinear Kerr media is studied outside the traditional framework of the SVEA. The pulse interactions, collapse threshold, and light bullets are calculated both analytically and numerically.

Kinetics of ZnO nanowire array grown on a fiber end face and reflection modification

The modification of the end-face reflection for a single-mode fiber is observed and that is due to an array of ZnO nanowires with 40- to 50-nm diameter and 1-micron length deposited there.

Compact laser system with a ~1-mJ, 1-ns output at a multi-kHz repetition rate

We demonstrate and optimize, for a mJ/ns release, the operation of a compact laser system designed in the form of a hybrid Q-switched Nd3+:YAG/Cr4+:YAG microchip laser seeding an Yb-doped specialty (GTWave-based) fiber amplifier. A gain factor as high as ~25 dB is achieved for nanosecond single-mode pulses at a 1-10-kHz repetition rate as the result of optimization

Speed of light control via resonant nonlinearity and disorder in a photonic crystal

We demonstrate and explain interesting dynamics of both a pair of gap solitons or a single gap soliton in a resonant photonic crystal whusing both analytical and numerical methods. The most important result is the fact that we are able to show that the oscillating gap soliton created either by the presence of an inversion inside the crystal or by the Bragg resonance mismatch can be manipulated by means of a proper choice of bit rate, phase and amplitude modulation, or even by the resonance detuning We manage to obtain qualitatively different regimes of the resonance photonic crystal operation. A noticeable observation is that both the delay time and amplitude difference must exceed a certain level to ensure effective control over soliton dynamics. The modification of the defect that accomplishes the soliton trapping can make the dynamics of N soliton trains in the resonant photonic crystal with defects even more interesting and is a subject of the future work.

Slow light generation in a resonance photonic crystal

We demonstrate interesting and previously unforeseen properties of a pair of gap solitons in a resonant photonic crystal which can be predicted and explained in a physically transparent form using both analytical and numerical methods. The most important result is the fact that we are able to show that the oscillating gap soliton created by the presence of an inversion inside the crystal can be manipulated by means of a proper choice of bit rate, phase and amplitude modulation. Using this approach, we were able to obtain qualitatively different regimes of the resonant photonic crystal operation. A noticeable observation is that both the delay time and amplitude difference must exceed a certain level to ensure effective control over soliton dynamics. The modification of the defect that accomplishes the soliton trapping can make the dynamics of N soliton trains in the resonant photonic crystal with defects even more interesting and is a subject of the future work.

Few-cycle solitons in a two-component medium

Using Maxwell-Bloch equations, we analyze the response of a two-component medium of two-level atoms driven by a two-cycle optical pulse beyond the traditional approach of slowly varying amplitudes and phases. We show that the notions of carrier, envelope, phase and group velocities can be generalized to this situation, and that for optical pulses of a given duration, the optical field can evolve into temporal few-cycle solitons.