Low Threshold and High Conversion Efficiency Nanosecond Mid-Infrared KTA OPO

Based on a Type II non-critically phase-matched KTA crystal, a low-threshold and high conversion efficiency mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator （OPO） pumped by a diode-end-pumped Nd：YVO4 laser is demonstrated. The OPO threshold is only 0.825W. The maximum output power of 435mW at 3.47μm is achieved with the repetition rate of 30kHz, corresponding to an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 4.4%. The photon conversion efficiency is as high as about 64%. The pulse width is 3.5ns with a peak power of 4kW for the maximum output power.

Wideband switchable dual-functional terahertz polarization converter based on vanadium dioxide-assisted metasurface

The terahertz technology has attracted considerable attention because of its potential applications in various fields.However,the research of functional devices,including polarization converters,remains a major demand for practical applications.In this work,a reflective dual-functional terahertz metadevice is presented,which combines two different polarization conversions through using a switchable metasurface.Different functions can be achieved because of the insulator-to-metal transition of vanadium dioxide(VO_(2)).At room temperature,the metadevice can be regarded as a linear-to-linear polarization convertor containing a gold circular split-ring resonator(CSRR),first polyimide(PI)spacer,continuous VO_(2) film,second PI spacer,and gold substrate.The converter possesses a polarization conversion ratio higher than 0.9 and a bandwidth ratio of 81%in a range from 0.912 THz to 2.146 THz.When the temperature is above the insulator-to-metal transition temperature(approximately 68℃)and VO_(2) becomes a metal,the metasurface transforms into a wideband linear-to-circular polarization converter composed of the gold CSRR,first PI layer,and continuous VO_(2) film.The ellipticity is close to-1,while the axis ratio is lower than 3 dB in a range of 1.07 THz-1.67 THz.The metadevice also achieves a large angle tolerance and large manufacturing tolerance.

Anti-Stokes Frequency Shift and Evolution in Polarization-Maintaining Photonic Crystal Fiber with Two-Zero Dispersion Wavelengths

Using the tunable pump pulses with about lOO fs pulse duration and 1064 nm central wavelength; the polarization-, wavelength- and power-dependent anti-Stokes lines are generated and modulated simultaneously in a polarization-maintaining photonie crystal fiber （PM-PCF） with two zero-dispersion wavelengths. By accurately controlling the polarization directions, the wavelength and the power of the pump pulse in the fiber anomalous region close to the second zero-dispersion wavelength of the PM-PCF, the output anti-Stokes pulse spectra can be tuned between 563 nm and 603 nm, which is in good agreement with the theoretical simulation. The color conversion of the mode image from yellow to orange is also observed with the different polarization pump pulses. These results can be attributed to the combined interaction between the fiber birefringence （including linear- and nonlinear- birefringence） and dispersion, and are attributed to phase-matching parametric four-wave mixing.

Influence of lattice symmetry and hole shape on the light enhanced transmission through the subwavelength hole arrays

The golden films with various subwavelength hole arrays on the film surface are designed and fabricated on glass substrate by electron beam lithograply(EBL),focused ion beam(FIB),and reactive ion etching(RIE),respectively.The influences of the hole array symmetry and the hole shape on the light-enhanced transmission through the films are observed and simulated.The experimental results show that when the array lattice constant and the hole diameter are the same in the different array structures which are 1 μm and 350 nm respectively,the square hole arrays exhibit two transmission peaks at 1170 nm and 1580 nm with the transmissivities of 3% and 6%,respectively,while the hexagonal hole arrays exhibit an enhanced peak of 14% at 1340 nm;when the lattice constant and the duty cycle are the same for different array stucture,the transmission peaks are different for different hole shapes,which are at 763 nm with transmissivity of 12% for rectangular holes and at 703 nm with the one of 9%,respectively.The numerical simulation results by using the transfer matrix method(TMM) are consistent with the observed results.

A Simple Birefringent Terahertz Waveguide Based on Polymer Elliptical Tube

We propose a simple birefringent terahertz （THz） waveguide which is a polymer elliptical tube with a cross section of elliptical ring structure. It can be achieved by stretching a normal circular-tube in one direction. Simulations based on the full-vector finite element method （FEM） show that this kind of waveguides exhibits high birefringenee on a level of 10- 2 over a wide THz frequency range. Moreover, as a majority of modal power is trapped in the air core inside the polymer elliptical tube, the THz waveguide guiding loss caused by material absorption can be reduced effectively.

Editorial:special issue on medical detection technology

Medical detection technology-from biochemical analysis to medical imaging has witnessed tremendous progress in the past decades,driven by the breakthrough of biomedical and scientific theories,the innovation of engineering techniques,as well as the discovery of new contrast mechanisms.These substantial progresses have significantly promoted

Tunable and coherent nanosecond 7.2-12.2 μm mid-infrared generation based on difference frequency mixing in ZnGeP_2 crystal

A coherent mid-infrared laser source,which can be tuned from 7.2 μm to 12.2 μm based on the type-Ⅰ phase-matched difference frequency generation(DFG) in an uncoated ZnGeP2(ZGP) crystal,is reported.The two pump waves are from a type-Ⅱ phase-matched dual-wavelength KTP optical parametric oscillator(OPO) of which the signal and idler waves are tuned during 1.85-1.96 μm(extraordinary wave) and 2.5-2.33 μm(ordinary wave),respectively.The maximum energy of the generated mid-infrared laser is 10 μJ at 9.22 μm,corresponding to the peak power of 2.2 kW.

C_2H_2 sensing at V_1+V_3 band with a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber

In this paper, we demonstrate the acetylehe (C2H2) sensor with high sensitivity using a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber (HC-PCF). Experiments for measuring C2H2 concentrations in gas mixture are performed. Using a 2 m-long HC-PCF as gas cell, the spectrum of acetylene at n1+n3 band has been measured, and the P11-branch has been selected for the purpose of sensing. A minimum detectivity of 143 parts per million by volume (ppmv) for the system configuration is estimated.

Numerical simulation of the thermal response of continuous-wave terahertz irradiated skin

We report a two-layer model to describe the thermal response of continuous-wave (CW) terahertz (THz) irradiated skin. Based on the Pennes bio-heat conduction equation, the finite element method (FEM) is utilized to calculate the temperature distribution. The THz wave with a Gaussian beam profile is used to simulate the photo-thermal mechanism. The simulation results show the dynamic process of temperature increasing with irradiation time and possible thermal damage. The factors which can affect temperature distribution, such as beam radius, incident power and THz frequency, are investigated. With a beam radius of 0.5 mm, the highest temperature increase is 3.7 K/mW.

Thermal distribution analysis of multi-core photonic crystal fiber laser

The thermal properties of photonic crystal fiber(PCF) laser with 18 circularly distributed cores are investigated by using full-vector finite element method(FEM).The results show that the 18-core PCF has a more effective thermal dispersion construction compared with the single core PCF and 19-core PCF.In addition,the temperature distribution of 18-core PCF laser with different thermal loads is simulated.The results show that the core temperature approaches the fiber drawing value of 1800 K approximately when the thermal load is above 80 W/m which corresponds to the pumping power of 600 W approximately,while the coating temperature approaches the damage value of about 550 K when the thermal load is above 15 W/m which corresponds to the pumping power of 110 W approximately.Therefore the fiber cooling is necessary to achieve power scaling.Compared with other different cooling systems,the copper cooling scheme is found to be an effective method to reduce the thermal effects.

THz modulator based on the Drude model

An amplitude modulator for the terahertz(THz) range is designed.The Drude model is adopted,in which the collision damping is independent of the carrier energy.The Si block with 808 nm laser is illustrated,and it will generate the photocarriers.The injected photo-carriers will change the conductivity and dielectric of the sample,which have direct relationship with the absorption coefficient of the THz wave,hence to control the characteristics of the THz wave in the sample.By changing the light intensity,due to the different photon-generated carrier concentrations,the single transmission of the THz wave in the silicon substrate is changed remarkably.

A ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride-coated porous fiber based surface-plasmon-resonance-like gas sensor in the terahertz region

In this paper, a ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-coated porous polymer fiber based surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-like gas sensor is proposed theoretically in the terahertz (THz) region based on the total internal reflection (TIR). In such a sensor, the phase matching is achieved by changing the fiber parameters and the plasmon-like phenomenon at the interface between the ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) layer and the gaseous analyte is discussed. Using a fullvector finite-element method, the core-mode loss of the fiber is calculated to measure the resolution of the sensor. The amplitude resolution is demonstrated to be as low as 1.45 × 10-4 RIU, and the spectral resolution is 1.30 × 10-4 RIU in THz region, where RIU means the refractive index unit.

A low-threshold efficient KTA OPO by a fiber-coupled diode-end-pumped Nd:YVO_4 laser

A low-threshold efficient high-repetition-rate eye-safe optical parametric oscillator(OPO) is presented.The OPO is based on an x-cut non-critically phase-matched(NCPM) KTA intra-cavity pumped by an acousto-optically(A-O) Q-switched Nd:YVO4 laser.At 10 kHz,the lowest threshold of 0.75 W and the signal power of 0.6 W are got,corresponding to the single pulse energy of 60 μJ and the peak power of 20 kW.Tuning the frequency,the maximum output power at 1536 nm is 1.03 W at 30 kHz with an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 12.26%.The fluctuation of the output power is 2.1% during 2 h operation.

Research on the transverse mode competition in a Yb-doped 18-core photonic crystal fiber laser

A model based on propagation rate equations is built up for analyzing the multicore Iransverse mode gain distribution in an 18-core photonic crystal fiber （PCF） laser. The two kinds of feedback cavities are used for the fiber laser, which are the buttcontact mirror and the Talbot cavity. According to the model, the transverse mode competitions in different feedback cavities are simulated numerically. The results show that the Talbot cavity can improve in-phase supermode gain, while sunnress other sunerrnodes.