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Dive into the research topics where Robert R. Thomson is active.

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Featured researches published by Robert R. Thomson.


Optics Express | 2011

Ultrafast laser inscription of an integrated photonic lantern

Robert R. Thomson; T. A. Birks; Sergio G. Leon-Saval; Ajoy K. Kar; Joss Bland-Hawthorn

We used ultrafast laser inscription to fabricate three-dimensional integrated optical transitions that efficiently couple light from a multimode waveguide to a two-dimensional array of single mode waveguides and back. Although the entire device has an average insertion loss of 5.7 dB at 1539 nm, only ≈0.7 dB is due to mode coupling losses. Based on an analysis which is presented in the paper, we expect that our device should convert a multimode input into an array of single modes with a loss of ≈2.0 dB, assuming the input coupling losses are zero. Such devices have applications in astrophotonics and remote sensing.


Applied Physics Letters | 2006

Optical waveguide fabrication in z-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO3) using femtosecond pulses in the low repetition rate regime

Robert R. Thomson; Stuart Campbell; I. J. Blewett; Ajoy K. Kar; Derryck T. Reid

Waveguide structures are fabricated in z-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO3) using focussed femtosecond pulses. Two different types of waveguide structure are fabricated depending on the pulse energy used. In the first, guiding occurs in regions directly surrounding a visible laser-damage region. In the second, guiding occurs in a material modification region created at the focus. High confinement guiding at 1550nm is demonstrated in the first type of waveguide but found to be temporary, thus indicating that at least part of the refractive index change is due to phenomena such as stress that are subject to relaxation. Finally, the polarization dependent guiding properties of the structures are investigated.


Optics Express | 2007

Ultrafast-laser inscription of a three dimensional fan-out device for multicore fiber coupling applications

Robert R. Thomson; Henry T. Bookey; Nicholas D. Psaila; Amanda Fender; Stuart Campbell; William N. MacPherson; James S. Barton; Derryck T. Reid; Ajoy K. Kar

A three dimensional fan-out device has been fabricated using ultrafast laser inscription. The device allows each core of a multicore fibre to be addressed individually by a single mode fiber held in an FVA.


Optics Letters | 2012

Three-dimensional mid-infrared photonic circuits in chalcogenide glass

Airan Rodenas; G. Martin; Brahim Arezki; Nicholas D. Psaila; Gin Jose; Animesh Jha; Lucas Labadie; Piern Kern; Ajoy K. Kar; Robert R. Thomson

We report the fabrication of single-mode buried channel waveguides for the whole mid-IR transparency range of chalcogenide sulphide glasses (λ ≤ 11 μm), by means of direct laser writing. We have explored the potential of this technology by fabricating a prototype three-dimensional three-beam combiner for future application in stellar interferometry that delivers a monochromatic interference visibility of 99.89% at 10.6 μm and an ultrahigh bandwidth (3-11 μm) interference visibility of 21.3%. These results demonstrate that it is possible to harness the whole transparency range offered by chalcogenide glasses on a single on-chip instrument by means of direct laser writing, a finding that may be of key significance in future technologies such as astrophotonics and biochemical sensing.


Physical Review Letters | 2015

Observation of a Localized Flat-Band State in a Photonic Lieb Lattice

Sebabrata Mukherjee; Alexander Spracklen; Debaditya Choudhury; Nathan Goldman; Patrik Ohberg; Erika Andersson; Robert R. Thomson

We demonstrate the first experimental realization of a dispersionless state, in a photonic Lieb lattice formed by an array of optical waveguides. This engineered lattice supports three energy bands, including a perfectly flat middle band with an infinite effective mass. We analyze, both experimentally and theoretically, the evolution of well-prepared flat-band states, and show their remarkable robustness, even in the presence of disorder. The realization of flat-band states in photonic lattices opens an exciting door towards quantum simulation of flat-band models in a highly controllable environment.


Optics Express | 2009

Ultrafast laser inscribed Yb:KGd(WO4)2 and Yb:KY(WO4)2 channel waveguide lasers.

F. M. Bain; A.A. Lagatsky; Robert R. Thomson; Nicholas D. Psaila; N. V. Kuleshov; Ajoy K. Kar; W. Sibbett; C.T.A. Brown

We demonstrate laser action in diode-pumped microchip monolithic cavity channel waveguides of Yb:KGd(WO(4))(2) and Yb:KY(WO(4))(2) that were fabricated by ultrafast laser writing. The maximum output power achieved was 18.6 mW with a threshold of approximately 100 mW from an Yb:KGd(WO(4))(2) waveguide laser operating at 1023 nm. The propagation losses for this waveguide structure were measured to be 1.9 dBcm(-1).


Advances in Optics and Photonics | 2015

The photonic lantern

T. A. Birks; Itandehui Gris-Sánchez; S. Yerolatsitis; Sergio G. Leon-Saval; Robert R. Thomson

Photonic lanterns are made by adiabatically merging several single-mode cores into one multimode core. They provide low-loss interfaces between single-mode and multimode systems where the precise optical mapping between cores and modes is unimportant.


Applied Physics Letters | 2007

Er:Yb-doped oxyfluoride silicate glass waveguide amplifier fabricated using femtosecond laser inscription

Nicholas D. Psaila; Robert R. Thomson; Henry T. Bookey; Ajoy K. Kar; N. Chiodo; Roberto Osellame; Giulio Cerullo; Animesh Jha; Shaoxiong Shen

The authors report net gain from a channel waveguide fabricated in an Er:Yb-doped oxyfluoride silicate glass substrate using femtosecond laser waveguide inscription. To fabricate waveguides exhibiting low propagation and coupling losses, they used the recently demonstrated multiscan technique that allows the waveguide cross section and refractive index contrast to be controlled independently of each other. By doing so, the best waveguide exhibited a total background insertion loss, excluding absorption, of only 1.2dB at 1537nm. As a result, a fiber-fiber net gain of 0.72dB at 1537nm was measured for a 10mm long waveguide.The authors report net gain from a channel waveguide fabricated in an Er:Yb-doped oxyfluoride silicate glass substrate using femtosecond laser waveguide inscription. To fabricate waveguides exhibiting low propagation and coupling losses, they used the recently demonstrated multiscan technique that allows the waveguide cross section and refractive index contrast to be controlled independently of each other. By doing so, the best waveguide exhibited a total background insertion loss, excluding absorption, of only 1.2dB at 1537nm. As a result, a fiber-fiber net gain of 0.72dB at 1537nm was measured for a 10mm long waveguide.


Optics Express | 2010

70% slope efficiency from an ultrafast laser-written Nd:GdVO4 channel waveguide laser.

Yang Tan; Airan Rodenas; Feng Chen; Robert R. Thomson; Ajoy K. Kar; Daniel Jaque; Qingming Lu

We report high efficiency continuous wave laser oscillations at 1063.6 nm from an ultrafast laser written Nd(3+):GdVO4 channel waveguide under the 808 nm optical excitation. A record 17 mm·s(-1) writing speed was used while the low propagation loss of the waveguide (~0.5 dB·cm(-1)) enabled laser performance with a threshold pump power as low as 52 mW and a near to quantum defect limited laser slope efficiency of 70%.


Nature Communications | 2015

Single-photon sensitive light-in-flight imaging

Genevieve Gariepy; Nikola Krstajić; Robert Henderson; Chunyong Li; Robert R. Thomson; Gerald S. Buller; Barmak Heshmat; Ramesh Raskar; Jonathan Leach; Daniele Faccio

The ability to record images with extreme temporal resolution enables a diverse range of applications, such as fluorescence lifetime imaging, time-of-flight depth imaging and characterization of ultrafast processes. Recently, ultrafast imaging schemes have emerged, which require either long acquisition times or raster scanning and have a requirement for sufficient signal that can only be achieved when light is reflected off an object or diffused by a strongly scattering medium. Here we present a demonstration of the potential of single-photon detector arrays for visualization and rapid characterization of events evolving on picosecond time scales. The single-photon sensitivity, temporal resolution and full-field imaging capability enables the observation of light-in-flight in air, as well as the measurement of laser-induced plasma formation and dynamics in its natural environment. The extreme sensitivity and short acquisition times pave the way for real-time imaging of ultrafast processes or visualization and tracking of objects hidden from view.

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Ajoy K. Kar

Heriot-Watt University

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