Method and apparatus for compressing ultrashort optical pulses

摘要

An apparatus includes a spatial light modulator configured to receive an optical pulse train; and output a modulated optical pulse train; a non-linear optical system that receives the modulated optical pulse train and generates a non-linear optical signal; and a power detector that detects a power of the generated non-linear optical signal. A control system outputs a signal to the spatial light modulator to cause it to modulate the optical pulse train by modulating the spectral phase of the optical pulse at wavelengths within a current wavelength range subset and maintain the spectral phase of the optical pulse constant at wavelengths outside the current wavelength range subset; and based on the detected power, extracts values of the spectral phase for the optical pulse at wavelengths within the current wavelength range subset, the values extracted being those that compress the optical pulses.

主权项

1. A method for compressing ultrashort optical pulses of a train, the optical pulses having a range of wavelengths, the method comprising:
partitioning the wavelength range into a plurality of subsets of wavelength ranges; selecting one of the wavelength range subsets as the current wavelength range subset; modulating the optical pulse train based on the current wavelength range subset by:
maintaining the spectral phase of the optical pulse constant at wavelengths outside the current wavelength range subset; andmodulating the spectral phase of the optical pulse at wavelengths within the current wavelength range subset; generating a non-linear optical signal from the modulated optical pulse train by directing the modulated optical pulse train through a non-linear optical system; measuring the power of the generated non-linear optical signal; and based on the measured power, extracting values of the spectral phase for the optical pulse at wavelengths within the current wavelength range subset, the values extracted being those that compress the optical pulses.