TY - JOUR
T1 - Optical frequency comb generation in gas-filled hollow core photonic crystal fibres
AU - Couny, F
AU - Benabid, F
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - The efficiency of gas-based nonlinear processes is often limited by the diffraction of the pump laser as it propagates through the nonlinear medium. As a consequence, phenomena with strong nonlinear response requirements, such as high harmonic generation or Raman sideband generation, lack the required laser-matter interaction to fulfil their potential. Indeed, the conversion efficiency of these techniques is usually low and the experimental set-up cumbersome. The advent of hollow core photonic crystal fibre technology drafts new territories for nonlinear optics, and in particular offers new alternatives for sub-femtosecond pulse generation. The air-guiding fibre combines unprecedented laser confinement over long interaction lengths and, when filled with an adequate nonlinear gas, offers improved conversion efficiency and up to a million-fold reduction of the pump power threshold. This paper presents a review of the types of hollow core PCF available for nonlinear applications and the results obtained for efficient Raman conversion in H-2-filled hollow core PCF that led to the observation of a multi-octave frequency comb spanning from similar to 325 to similar to 2300 nm using a single pump laser with relatively low power. The generated ultra-broad spectrum creates a simple route towards a compact source of attosecond pulses.
AB - The efficiency of gas-based nonlinear processes is often limited by the diffraction of the pump laser as it propagates through the nonlinear medium. As a consequence, phenomena with strong nonlinear response requirements, such as high harmonic generation or Raman sideband generation, lack the required laser-matter interaction to fulfil their potential. Indeed, the conversion efficiency of these techniques is usually low and the experimental set-up cumbersome. The advent of hollow core photonic crystal fibre technology drafts new territories for nonlinear optics, and in particular offers new alternatives for sub-femtosecond pulse generation. The air-guiding fibre combines unprecedented laser confinement over long interaction lengths and, when filled with an adequate nonlinear gas, offers improved conversion efficiency and up to a million-fold reduction of the pump power threshold. This paper presents a review of the types of hollow core PCF available for nonlinear applications and the results obtained for efficient Raman conversion in H-2-filled hollow core PCF that led to the observation of a multi-octave frequency comb spanning from similar to 325 to similar to 2300 nm using a single pump laser with relatively low power. The generated ultra-broad spectrum creates a simple route towards a compact source of attosecond pulses.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70449359992&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1464-4258/11/10/103002
U2 - 10.1088/1464-4258/11/10/103002
DO - 10.1088/1464-4258/11/10/103002
M3 - Article
SN - 1464-4258
VL - 11
JO - Journal of Optics A: Pure and Applied Optics
JF - Journal of Optics A: Pure and Applied Optics
IS - 10
ER -