Thomas R. Schibli

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF DOUBLE-CHIRPED MIRRORS

We present an analytic design method for the reproducible fabrication of double-chirped mirrors to achieve simultaneously a high reflectivity and dispersion compensation over an extended bandwidth compared with those of standard quarter-wave Bragg mirrors. The mirrors are fabricated by ion beam sputtering. Use of these mirrors in a Ti:sapphire laser leads to 6.5-fs pulses directly out of the laser. The method can also be applied to the design of chirped-fiber gratings and general optical filters.

Ultrashort pulse-generation by saturable absorber mirrors based on polymer-embedded carbon nanotubes.

We demonstrate passive mode locking of solid-state lasers by saturable absorbers based on carbon nanotubes (CNT). These novel absorbers are fabricated by spin-coating a polymer doped with CNTs onto commercial dielectric laser-mirrors. We obtain broadband artificial saturable absorber mirrors with ultrafast recovery times without the use of epitaxial growth techniques and the well-established spin-coating process allows the fabrication of devices based on a large variety of substrate materials. First results on passive mode locking of Nd:glass and Er/Yb:glass lasers are discussed. In the case of Er/Yb:glass we report the to our knowledge shortest pulse generated in a self-starting configuration based on Er/Yb:bulk-glass: 68 fs (45 fs Fourier-limit) at 1570 nm wavelength at a pulse-repetition rate of 85 MHz.

Long-term measurement of optical frequencies using a simple, robust and low-noise fiber based frequency comb

We have developed a fiber-based frequency comb system consisting of a simple mode-locked fiber laser and a backward pumping amplifier combined with a highly nonlinear fiber with a short zerodispersion wavelength. As a result, the signal to noise ratio of the obtained carrier-envelope-offset frequency beat is larger than 45 dB at a bandwidth of 100 kHz. Furthermore, we have succeeded in measuring the optical frequencies of a 1542-nm acetylene-stabilized laser and a 532-nm iodinestabilized Nd:YAG laser continuously for more than one week using the fiber-based comb system. The long-term measurement revealed that the frequency stability of the iodine-stabilized laser was 5.7 x 10(-15) with 100 000 s averaging.

Ultrabroadband double-chirped mirror pairs for generation of octave spectra

The problem of matching double-chirped mirrors to the ambient medium, which currently limits the design of ultrabroadband dispersion-compensating mirrors is reconsidered. A design of double-chirped mirror pairs that exhibit high reflectivity and a controlled group-delay dispersion in combination over 1 octave is presented. These mirrors permit the generation of octave-spanning spectra directly from a Ti:sapphire laser oscillator.

Broadband graphene electro-optic modulators with sub-wavelength thickness

Graphenes featureless optical absorption, ultrahigh carrier mobility, and variable optical absorption by an applied gate voltage enable a new breed of optical modulators with broad optical and electrical bandwidths. Here we report on an electro-optic modulator that integrates single-layer graphene in a sub-wavelength thick, reflective modulator structure. These modulators provide a large degree of design freedom, which allows tailoring of their optical properties to specific needs. Current devices feature an active aperture ~100 µm, and provide uniform modulation with flat frequency response from 1 Hz to >100 MHz. These novel, low insertion-loss graphene-based modulators offer solutions to a variety of high-speed amplitude modulation tasks that require optical amplitude modulation without phase distortions, a flat frequency response, or ultra-thin geometries, such as for controlling monolithic, high-repetition rate mode-locked lasers or active interferometers.

Two-photon absorption in semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors

The nonlinear reflectivity of semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors has been investigated as a function of incident energy fluence. The presence of two-photon absorption in commonly used structures was confirmed via time-resolved differential reflectivity measurements. Theoretical calculations predict that two-photon absorption will expand the continuous-wave mode-locking stability regime against Q-switched mode-locking, yet may simultaneously induce multiple pulses in a laser cavity.

Vacuum-ultraviolet frequency combs from below-threshold harmonics

Frequency combs have revolutionized frequency metrology. High-harmonic generation in atoms has led to fast sources of short-wavelength photons. Combining these two technologies enables the transfer of frequency combs to the vacuum-ultraviolet with potential applications in spectroscopy.

Efficient output coupling of intracavity high-harmonic generation

We demonstrate a novel technique for coupling extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) harmonic radiation out of a femtosecond enhancement cavity. We use a small-period diffraction grating etched directly into the surface of a dielectric mirror. For the fundamental light, this element acts as a high reflector. For harmonic wavelengths, it acts as a diffraction grating, coupling XUV radiation out of the cavity. Using this method, we observed the third through twenty-first odd harmonics with a dramatic increase in usable power over previous results of high-harmonic generation at high repetition rates.

Frequency metrology with a turnkey all-fiber system

The repetition-rate and carrier envelope offset frequency of a turnkey, all-fiber-based continuum generator are phase-locked to a highly-stable atomic clock, H-maser. The performance of the system is evaluated and compared to a traditional Ti:sapphire-based comb.

Direct frequency comb generation from an octave-spanning, prismless Ti:sapphire laser

An octave spanning prismless Ti:sapphire laser is demonstrated. The octave is reached at 20 dB below the average power level. A highly stable carrier-envelope beat note with 30 dB signal to noise in a 100 kHz detection bandwidth is observed.