Optical pulse shaping using optical coherent transients

• Published in: Optics express Vol. 10; no. 20; pp. 1145 - 1150
• Main Authors: Barber, Zeb, Tian, Mingzhen, Reibel, Randy, Babbitt, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 07-10-2002
• ISSN: 1094-4087; 1094-4087
• DOI: 10.1364/OE.10.001145

Using multiple temporally-overlapped, frequency offset and phase-tuned, linear frequency chirps, a new method of multi-GHz optical coherent transient optical pulse shaping and processing in inhomogeneously broadened rare-earth doped crystals is proposed. Using this technique with properly chirped laser sources, multi-GHz processing can be controlled with conventional low-bandwidth electronics and optical modulators. Specifically, this technique enables pulse shaping in the MHz to THz frequency regime with time-bandwidth-products exceeding 100,000, filling the gap between the operating regimes of femtosecond pulse shaping and analog electronics. The low bandwidth (~20 MHz) proof-of-concept demonstrations presented in this paper include pulse train creation, selfconvolution, auto-correlation, and chirped pulse compression.