Method and device for creating supercontinuum light pulses

US9160137B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Föderung der Wissenschaften e.V. · US

Inventors

• Amir ABDOLVAND · Erlangen, DE
• Federico Belli · Edinburgh, GB
• John Travers · Goldberg, DE
• Philip St. John Russell · Winchester, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: May 9, 2014
• Grant date: Oct 13, 2015
• Expiry date: May 9, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/305
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of spectrally broadening light pulses includes the steps of providing the light pulses with a laser source, said light pulses having a pulse duration below 1 ps, in-coupling the light pulses into a hollow optical waveguide device, and spectrally broadening the light pulses propagating along the pulse guiding medium by subjecting them to a Raman nonlinearity via excitation of a Raman polarization having a first Raman period, wherein the optical waveguide device subjects the light pulses to anomalous group velocity dispersion which combines with the spectral broadening of the light pulses to result in a Raman-enhanced self-compression of the light pulses, and the light pulses further propagate along the optical waveguide device such that the Raman-enhanced self compression results in a further excitation of a Raman polarization having a second Raman period which is faster than the first Raman period.