Open AccessExploiting the FM-to-AM conversion to generate high-contrast picosecond laser pulses
Author(s) -
Denis Marion,
Jérôme Lhermite
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.441404
Subject(s) - picosecond , optics , laser , modulation (music) , materials science , amplifier , phase modulation , fiber laser , filter (signal processing) , transient (computer programming) , frequency modulation , optoelectronics , physics , radio frequency , phase noise , telecommunications , computer science , cmos , acoustics , computer vision , operating system
In this work, we simulate and demonstrate experimentally a new approach to generate picosecond laser pulses. This technique is based on optoelectronic FM-to-AM conversion: a transient radiofrequency phase modulation is applied on a continuous-wave fiber laser otherwise blocked by a bandstop filter. By leveraging the ability of modern electronic amplifiers to generate high voltage swings values on a short timescale, the presented setup induces a large and brief excursion out of the filter, hence generating 18 ps pulses with a time contrast of 38 dB. Detailed simulations pave the road toward pulses shorter than 1 ps by using an optimally shaped RF response.