Young-Chul Noh

All-optical AND and NAND gates based on cascaded second-order nonlinear processes in a Ti-diffused periodically poled LiNbO(3) waveguide.

All-optical AND and NAND gates have been demonstrated in a Ti-diffused periodically poled LiNbO(3) channel waveguide which has two second-harmonic phase-matching peaks by cascaded sum-frequency-generation/difference-frequency-generation (cSFG/DFG) and sum-frequency-generation (SFG) processes. The conversion efficiency of signal to idler (AND gate signal) was approximately 0 dB in cSFG/DFG process. In the second SFG process, more than 15 dB extinction ratio between signal and dropped signal (NAND gate signal) has been observed.

Second-harmonic generation in periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides fabricated by femtosecond laser pulses

The authors have demonstrated the second-harmonic generation (SHG) in optical channel waveguides which were fabricated in periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) by tightly focused femtosecond laser (781nm) pulses. The measured quasi-phase-matched wavelength and 3dB bandwidth for SHG in a 44.8-mm-long PPLN waveguide which has a domain period of 16.6μm were about 1563 and 0.25nm, respectively. The value of the index difference between the fundamental and harmonic wavelengths in laser written waveguide was inferred to be 0.047.

All-optical wavelength conversion and tuning by the cascaded sum- and difference frequency generation (cSFG/DFG) in a temperature gradient controlled Ti:PPLN channel waveguide.

All-optical single and multiple wavelength conversion and tuning by the cascaded sum- and difference frequency generation (cSFG/DFG) have been demonstrated in a temperature gradient controlled periodically poled Ti:LiNbO3 (Ti:PPLN) channel waveguide. Up to 4 channels of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) signals which have 100 GHz channel spacing were simultaneously wavelength converted at a 16.8 degrees C temperature difference between both end faces in a Ti:PPLN waveguide. The 3 dB signal conversion bandwidth was measured to be as broad as 48 nm at single channel conversion. The maximum wavelength conversion efficiency and optical signal to noise ratio of wavelength converted channel were approximately -16 dB and -20 dB at a total pump power level of 810 mW.

Efficient production of a collimated MeV proton beam from a polyimide target driven by an intense femtosecond laser pulse

High-flux energetic protons whose maximum energies are up to 4MeV are generated by an intense femtosecond titanium:sapphire laser pulse interacting with 7.5, 12.5, and 25μm thick polyimide tape targets. Laser pulse with an energy of 1.7J and with a duration of 34fs is focused with an f/3.4 parabolic mirror giving an intensity of 3×1019Wcm−2. The main pulse to amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) intensity contrast ratio is 2.5×107. The conversion efficiency from the laser energy into the proton kinetic energies is achieved to be ∼3%, which is comparable to or even higher than those achieved in the previous works; using nanometer-thick targets, in combination with the short-pulse lasers that have almost the same pulse width and the intensity but different main pulse to ASE intensity contrast of ∼1010 [Neely et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 021502 (2006)], in which the authors claim that the main mechanism is target normal sheath acceleration; or using the 7.5μm thick polyimide target, in combination with the ...

Bandwidth-tunable band-rejection filter based on helicoidal fiber grating pair of opposite helicities

We propose a new type of all-fiber bandwidth tunable rejection filter using cascaded helicoidal long-period fiber gratings in single-mode optical fiber and report controllable broadband rejection characteristic with low insertion loss and polarization dependent loss.

Broadening of the second-harmonic phase-matching bandwidth in a temperature-gradient-controlled periodically poled Ti:LiNbO3 channel waveguide.

We have demonstrated broadening of the phase-matching bandwidth in a periodically poled Ti:LiNbO3 (Ti:PPLN) channel waveguide Lambda = 16.6 microm) by using a temperature-gradient-control technique. With this technique, we have achieved a second-harmonic phase-matching bandwidth of more than 13 nm in a 74-mm-long Ti:PPLN waveguide, which has a 0.21-nm phase-matching bandwidth at a uniform temperature.

Channel-selective wavelength conversion and tuning in periodically poled Ti:LiNbO 3 waveguides

All-optical wavelength-selective single- and dual-channel wavelength conversion and tuning has been demonstrated in a periodically poled Ti:LiNbO(3) waveguide that has two second-harmonic phase-matching peaks by cascaded sum and difference frequency generation (cSFG/DFG). The wavelength conversion efficiency was measured to be -7 dB with coupled pump power of 233 mW.

Dependence of the electron beam parameters on the stability of laser propagation in a laser wakefield accelerator

Characteristics of electron beams produced by the laser wakefield acceleration are presented. The dependence of the electron beam parameters on the laser focal spot size is investigated. The experimental result shows the generation of quasimonoenergetic electron beam although the laser spot size was several times larger than the plasma wavelength. Stable electron beam generation at large laser spots was owing to the stable laser propagation in plasma channels. At a small laser spot, the beam quality is poor and this is attributed to the the filamentation instability of the laser beam.

Single-body lensed photonic crystal fibers as side-viewing probes for optical imaging systems

We report the fabrication and performance of a lensed photonic crystal fiber (PCF) designed as a compact but effective side-viewing optical imaging probe. The lensed-PCF probe was implemented in a single body without using any other fibers or additional optics. The beam expansion region and a focusing ball lens, necessary for a focuser, were simultaneously formed along a small piece of PCF by applying arc discharges. The side-viewing ability was provided by polishing the ball lens with a femtosecond laser to form a total internal reflection surface. The working distance and the transverse resolution of the fabricated single-body lensed-PCF were experimentally measured to be 570 and 6.8 microm, respectively. With the proposed lensed-PCF probe, optical coherence tomography images of an in vitro biological sample were successfully obtained.

Femtosecond laser and arc discharge induced microstructuring on optical fiber tip for the multidirectional firing

Most optical fibers are designed for forward firing i.e. the light is emitted at the distal end along the optical axis of the fiber. In some applications such as the laser surgery and laser scanners, side firing of the optical fiber is required. In this paper, we present the microstructuring of an optical fiber tip using the femtosecond laser and an arc discharging process for the multidirectional firing of the beam. The distal end of the optical fiber with diameter of 125 μm was machined into a conical structure using a femtosecond laser. The surface of the machined tip was exposed to the arc discharge using a fiber splicer. The arc discharge leads to the melting and re-solidification of the fiber tip. This results in a smoothing of laser-induced conical microstructure at the tip of the fiber. We were able to demonstrate the multidirectional (circumferential) emission of the light from the developed fiber tip.