No. 1-2 (2000)
Published:
30-06-2000
Articles
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The present and future of nonlinear optics applications in photonic telecommunication networks
A state-of-the art of photonic telecommunication technology is reviewed and possible directions of future developments are outlined. In particular, the impact of nonlinear optical phenomena inherent to silica glass on the transmission performance of wavelength-division multiplexed optical signal through fibres is discussed. Also potential applications of nonlinear photonic devices for the purposes of optical signal processing that is foreseen in future all-optical networks are pointed out.
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New pico- and femtosecond laser based sources: from the Infra-Red to the XUV
In this paper, we review a number of recent developments concerning laser or laser-based sources generating pico- or subpicosecond pulses of light at wavelengths now ranging from the mid Infra-Red (50 um) to the XUV (11.9 nm). Those include the new generation of ,,Chirp Pulse Amplification`` laser systems, Free Electron Lasers operating in the IR or visible range, and a number of laser driven sources covering the XUV range, generally based on the high intensity irradiation of solid or gaseous targets. The main perspectives, applications and essential issues concerning such sources are discussed.
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Control of the effects of crystal dispersion at different orders in the mixing of three phase-matched waves on a 5- to 100-fs time scale
A number of manners to obtain first-order achromatic phase matching of both type I and type II are presented and the most advantageous ones are identified to generate high-spectral quality 100-fs pulses by either parametric generation or frequency up-conversion. In the case of frequency-doubling high-energy 5-fs Ti:sapphire pulses, a non-collinear phase-matching I geometry in a b-barium borate crystal cut at 44 deg is devised that should allow high conversion efficiency, virtually without pulse lengthening and intra-pulse frequency chirp due to group-velocity dispersion.
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Nonlinear optics of the thin-film quasiwaveguide amplifier: applications to directional switching in the optical communication systems
We examine nonlinear optical effects in the active medium of the thin-film quasiwaveguide amplifier-oscillator with injection of the external signal. The injection locking has been obtained in the case when both the frequency and the direction of propagation of the injected signal differ from those for a free-running thin-film laser which offers a possibility for the frequency and directional switching of the output of the thin-film laser. The effects of four wave mixing and phase conjugation have been discussed in the active medium of the thin-film laser when additional mirrors forming an external resonator have been used.
