Fiber-optic soliton self-compression to subcycle pulse widths in the mid-infrared. (6th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meshchankin, D V; Voronin, A A; Zheltikov, A M
• Is Part Of: Laser physics letters. Volume 14:Number 12(2017:Dec.)
• Publication Date: 2017-11-06
• Subjects: nonlinear optics -- ultrashort pulses -- supercontinuum generation; Lasers -- Periodicals; Physics -- Periodicals; 621.366
• DOI: 10.1088/1612-202X/aa77c0
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1612-2011

Abstract

Abstract: We demonstrate physical scenarios whereby ultrashort mid-infrared pulses even with very low pulse energies can be compressed to subcycle pulse widths using nonlinear-optical field transformations in chalcogenide photonic-crystal fibers. We show that an 85 fs pulse with a spectrum centered at 3.5 µ m can be compressed to a subcycle pulse width through a solitonic transformation inside a chalcogenide photonic-crystal fiber with a hexagonal cladding. Waveform distortions of such pulses can be suppressed, as our simulations show, by combining chalcogenide photonic-crystal fibers with carefully optimized solid-state components for accurate nonlinear phase compensation.