Long-wavelength monolithic mode-locked diode lasers

A detailed study of the design issues relevant to long-wavelength monolithic mode-locked lasers is presented. Following a detailed review of the field, we have devised a validated travelling wave model to explore the limits of mode-locking in monolithic laser diodes, not only in terms of pulse duration and repetition rate, but also in terms of stability. It is shown that fast absorber recovery is crucial for short pulse width, that the ratio of gain to absorption saturation is key in accessing ultrashort pulses and that low alpha factors give only modest benefit. Finally, optimized contact layouts are shown to greatly enhance pulse stability and the overall operational success. The design rules show high levels of consistency with published experimental data.

All-optical switching in a vertical coupler space switch employing photocarrier-induced nonlinearity

A novel compact integrated nonlinear optical switch is demonstrated. Using a high-power picosecond pulse of 5-ps pulsewidth and 250-MHz repetition rate, all-optical switching with a contrast ratio of 23 dB has been achieved using an in-fiber input power < 14 dBm (100 pJ/pulse). The switch speed depends on the carrier sweep-out time, which can be reduced to the 10 ps range by either applying a reverse bias or by introduction of carrier recombination centers in the active layer.

Ultrashort pulse generation in diode laser devices

The generation of ultrashort optical pulses by semiconductor lasers has been extensively studied for many years. A number of methods, including gain-/Q-switching and different types of mode locking, have been exploited for the generation of picosecond and sub-picosecond pulses [1]. However, the shortest pulses produced by diode lasers are still much longer and weaker than those that are generated by advanced mode-locked solid-state laser systems [2]. On the other hand, an interesting class of devices based on superradiant emission from multiple contact diode laser structures has also been recently reported [3]. Superradiance (SR) is a transient quantum optics phenomenon based on the cooperative radiative recombination of a large number of oscillators, including atoms, molecules, e-h pairs, etc. SR in semiconductors can be used for the study of fundamental properties of e-h ensembles such as photon-mediated pairing, non-equilibrium e-h condensation, BSC-like coherent states and related phenomena. Due to the intrinsic parameters of semiconductor media, SR emission typically results in the generation of a high-power optical pulse or pulse train, where the pulse duration can be much less than 1 ps, under optimised bias conditions. Advantages of this technique over mode locking in semiconductor laser structures include potentially shorter pulsewidths and much larger peak powers. Moreover, the pulse repetition rate of mode-locked pulses is fixed by the cavity round trip time, whereas the repetition rate of SR pulses is controlled by the current bias and can be varied over a wide range. © 2012 IEEE.

1.5 GHz picosecond pulse generation from a monolithic waveguide laser with a graphene-film saturable output coupler

We fabricate a saturable absorber mirror by coating a graphenefilm on an output coupler mirror. This is then used to obtain Q-switched mode-locking from a diode-pumped linear cavity channel waveguide laser inscribed in Ytterbium-doped Bismuthate Glass. The laser produces 1.06 ps pulses at ∼1039 nm, with a 1.5 GHz repetition rate, 48% slope efficiency and 202 mW average output power. This performance is due to the combination of the graphene saturable absorber and the high quality optical waveguides in the laser glass. © 2013 Optical Society of America.

High-density remote plasma sputtering of high-dielectric-constant amorphous hafnium oxide films

Hafnium oxide (HfOx) is a high dielectric constant (k) oxide which has been identified as being suitable for use as the gate dielectric in thin film transistors (TFTs). Amorphous materials are preferred for a gate dielectric, but it has been an ongoing challenge to produce amorphous HfOx while maintaining a high dielectric constant. A technique called high target utilization sputtering (HiTUS) is demonstrated to be capable of depositing high-k amorphous HfOx thin films at room temperature. The plasma is generated in a remote chamber, allowing higher rate deposition of films with minimal ion damage. Compared to a conventional sputtering system, the HiTUS technique allows finer control of the thin film microstructure. Using a conventional reactive rf magnetron sputtering technique, monoclinic nanocrystalline HfOx thin films have been deposited at a rate of ∼1.6nmmin-1 at room temperature, with a resistivity of 1013Ωcm, a breakdown strength of 3.5MVcm-1 and a dielectric constant of ∼18.2. By comparison, using the HiTUS process, amorphous HfOx (x=2.1) thin films which appear to have a cubic-like short-range order have been deposited at a high deposition rate of ∼25nmmin-1 with a high resistivity of 1014Ωcm, a breakdown strength of 3MVcm-1 and a high dielectric constant of ∼30. Two key conditions must be satisfied in the HiTUS system for high-k HfOx to be produced. Firstly, the correct oxygen flow rate is required for a given sputtering rate from the metallic target. Secondly, there must be an absence of energetic oxygen ion bombardment to maintain an amorphous microstructure and a high flux of medium energy species emitted from the metallic sputtering target to induce a cubic-like short range order. This HfOx is very attractive as a dielectric material for large-area electronic applications on flexible substrates. A remote plasma sputtering process (high target utilization sputtering, HiTUS) has been used to deposit amorphous hafnium oxide with a very high dielectric constant (∼30). X-ray diffraction shows that this material has a microstructure in which the atoms have a cubic-like short-range order, whereas radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering produced a monoclinic polycrystalline microstructure. This is correlated to the difference in the energetics of remote plasma and rf magnetron sputtering processes. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Curvature and wrinkling of premixed flame Kernels comparison between planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) and 3D direct numerical simulations (DNS)

A direct comparison between time resolved PLIF measurements of OH and two dimensional slices from a full three dimensional DNS data set of turbulent premixed flame kernels in lean methane/air mixture was presented. The local flame structure and the degree of flame wrinkling were examined in response to differing turbulence intensities and turbulent Reynolds numbers. Simulations were performed using the SEGA DNS code, which is based on the solution of the compressible Navier Stokes, species, and energy equations for a lean hydrocarbon mixture. For the OH PLIF measurements, a cluster of four Nd:YAG laser was fired sequentially at high repetition rates and used to pump a dye laser. The frequency doubled laser beam was formed into a sheet of 40 mm height using a cylindrical telescope. The combination of PLIF and DNS has been demonstrated as a powerful tool for flame analysis. This research will form the basis for the development of sub-grid-scale (SGS) models for LES of lean-premixed combustion systems such as gas turbines. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 30th International Symposium on Combustion (Chicago, IL 7/25-30/2004).

Passive mode-locking of bow-tie lasers

The passive mode-locking in novel double tapered Bow-Tie lasers is investigated. This investigation aims to determine the possible GHz repetition rate at which passive mode-locking is derived, in addition, the record power levels will also be demonstrated. Alternative drive schemes and contact configurations to achieve optimized performance are discussed.

Wear of hardfacing white cast irons by solid particle erosion

The response of three commercial weld-hardfacing alloys to erosive wear has been studied. These were high chromium white cast irons, deposited by an open-arc welding process, widely used in the mineral processing and steelmaking industries for wear protection. Erosion tests were carried out with quartz sand, silicon carbide grit and blast furnace sinter of two different sizes, at a velocity of 40 m s-1 and at impact angles in the range 20° to 90°. A monolithic white cast iron and mild steel were also tested for comparison. Little differences were found in the wear rates when silica sand or silicon carbide grit was used as the erodent. Significant differences were found, however, in the rankings of the materials. Susceptibility to fracture of the carbide particles in the white cast irons played an important role in the behaviour of the white cast irons. Sinter particles were unable to cause gross fracture of the carbides and so those materials with a high volume fraction of carbides showed the greatest resistance to erosive wear. Silica and silicon carbide were capable of causing fracture of the primary carbides. Concentration of plastic strain in the matrix then led to a high wear rate for the matrix. At normal impact with silica or silicon carbide erodents mild steel showed a greater resistance to erosive wear than these alloys. © 1995.

Numerical modelling of dynamic response of loss modulated monolithic multisection mode-locked semiconductor lasers

Monolithic multisection mode-locked semiconductor lasers with an integrated distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) have recently been demonstrated to generate stable picosecond pulses at high repetition rates suitable for optical communication systems. However, there has been very little theoretical work on understanding the physical mechanisms of the device and on optimisation of the absorber modulator design. This article presents numerical modeling of the loss modulated mode-locking process in these lasers. The model predicts most aspects experimentally observed within this type of device, and the results show the output waveform, optical spectrum, instantaneous frequency chirp, and stable operating range.

Ultrafast all-optical wavelength conversion using an integrated amplifier/DFB laser

Wavelength conversion in the 1550 nm regime was achieved in an integrated semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)/DFB laser by modulating the output power of the laser with a light beam of a different wavelength externally injected into the SOA section. A 12 dB output extinction ratio was obtained for an average coupled input power of 75 μW with the laser section driven at 65 mA and the amplifier section at 180 mA. The response time achieved was as low as 13 ps with the laser biased at 175 mA even with low extinction ratios. The laser exhibits a similar recovery time allowing potentially very high bit-rate operation.

Multi-wavelength picosecond pulse generation using a monolithically integrated Multi-wavelength Grating Cavity (MGC) laser

Multi-wavelength picosecond pulses are demonstrated using a single monolithically integrated Multi-wavelength Grating Cavity (MGC) laser. This is achieved on two WDM wavelength channels at a repetition rate of 7.63 GHz.

Recent developments of the Laser-assisted Cold Spray process and deposit characterisation

Laser-assisted Cold Spray (LCS) is a new coating and fabrication process which combines the supersonic powder beam found in Cold Spray (CS) with laser heating of the deposition zone. LCS retains the advantages of CS; solid-state deposition, high build rate and the ability to deposit onto a range of substrates, while reducing operating costs by removing the need to use gas heating and helium as the process gas. Recent improvements in powder delivery and laser energy coupling to workpiece have been undertaken to improve deposition efficiency (DE) and build rate, while real-time temperature logging allows greater management of deposition conditions and deposit characteristics.

Impact response of polyethylene nanocomposites

The quasi-static and dynamic behaviour of Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) and two LLDPE nanocomposites were studied. Nanocomposites consisting of LLDPE filled with 1% carbon black and 0.5% nanoclay fillers, by weight, were considered. Under quasi-static tensile loading, an improvement in the energy absorbing capability was achieved by adding 1% carbon black fillers. However, during quasi-static puncture and dynamic impact loading, the advantage provided by the fillers was lost. Thermal softening due to adiabatic heating under high strain rate deformation and difference s in the state of stress are considered as reasons for this reduction. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.