Femtosecond Pulse and Multiwavelength Generation from Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers - Fundamental Physics and Applications

该研究项目将开发和研究两类新型模型锁定半导体激光器的基本物理原理：1)紧凑、高平均功率飞秒模型锁定二极管激光器，以及2)多波长模型锁定半导体二极管激光器。这些新型锁模二极管激光器的显著特点是，它有潜力利用腔内滤波技术来控制输出的光谱幅度和相位，从而精确控制激光器的输出时域电场特性。该程序的成功完成可能允许直接从模型锁定二极管激光器可控输出光脉冲形状，并有可能实现“任意光波形发生器”。激光系统的新应用将在工业参与者的相互作用下开发，以促进技术转让。应用将集中在使用混合WDM-TDM技术架构的光子网络和仪器应用上，如太比特光链路、太赫兹模拟光链路、100 Gsps光模拟到数字转换器、任意光波形生成、实时非线性多波长信号处理，以及高密度、大规模并行、多层多波长光盘光存储器的实时记录和检索。这种类型的光电子和光子学项目的成功将使学生在光学、通信和信号处理等技术关键领域的培训成为可能。除了优秀的学术训练外，参与的研究生还将获得基本的加工、包装和制造技能，从而使学生在毕业后能够及时为未来的雇主提供影响。

This research program will develop and investigate the fundamental physics of the operation of two classes of novel modelocked semiconductor lasers: 1) a compact, high average power femtosecond modelocked diode laser, and 2) a multi-wavelength modelocked semiconductor diode laser. The salient feature of these new modelocked diode lasers is that it has the potential to exploit intracavity filtering techniques, to control both the spectral amplitude and phase of the output, and as a result, precisely control the output temporal electric field characteristics of the laser. The successful completion of this program may allow for controllable output optical pulse shapes directly from a modelocked diode laser, and may potentially realize an "arbitrary optical waveform generator".Novel applications of the laser system will be developed with interactions from industrial participants, in order to facilitate technology transfer. Applications will be focused on photonic network and instrumentation applications using a hybrid WDM-TDM technology architecture, such as terabit optical links, THz analog optical links, 100 Gsps optical analog to digital converters, and arbitrary optical waveform generation, real time nonlinear multi-wavelength signal processing, and real-time recording and retrieval of high density, massively parallel, multilayer-multiwavelength compact disc optical memories. The success of this type of opto-electronics and photonics program will enable the training of students in technically vital areas of optics, communications, and signal processing. In addition to outstanding academic training, fundamental processing, packaging and manufacturing skills will be obtained by participating graduate students, thus enabling students to provide timely impact to prospective employers upon their graduation.