Fourier Domain Mode Locking (FDML): Erforschung des Mechanismus der spektralen Moden-Kopplung in optischen Systemen für die Bildgebung und Spektroskopie

傅立叶域锁模机制（FDML）是我在麻省理工学院博士后访问期间提出、开发和实现的。它代表了一种全新的激光工作方式。不是幅度或相位，而是光谱被调制，与标准锁模激光器互补。产生一系列干净的光学频率扫描，这有可能被压缩成一列超短激光脉冲。整个扫描被光学地存储在腔内。FDML有可能彻底改变光学相干断层扫描（OCT）中的生物医学成像，克服脉冲激光的局限性，并为光谱学提供新的可能性。尽管事实上已经存在一个完全可操作的原型，但人们对FDML本身的机制还很难理解。该项目的目标是对FDML有一个完整的理论理解，以研究实验的局限性和问题，并研究FDML在生物医学成像和光谱学中的可能应用。对傅里叶域锁模机理的研究将对激光技术的未来产生深远的影响。

The mechanism of ¿Fourier Domain Mode Locking¿ (FDML) was proposed, developed and implemented during my postdoctoral visit at M.I.T.. It represents a completely new operation regime of lasers. Not the amplitude or phase, but the spectrum is modulated, complementary to standard mode locked lasers. A sequence of clean optical frequency sweeps is generated, which have the potential to be compressed to a train of ultrashort laser pulses. An entire sweep is optically stored within the cavity. FDML has the potential to revolutionize biomedical imaging in optical coherence tomography (OCT), overcome limitations of pulsed lasers and offer new possibilities in spectroscopy. In spite of the fact that a fully operational prototype does already exist, the mechanism of FDML itself is hardly understood yet. Goal of the proposed project is a complete theoretical understanding of FDML to investigate experimental limitations and problems and to do research on possible applications of FDML in biomedical imaging and spectroscopy. Research on the mechanism of Fourier Domain Mode Locking could have a lasting impact on the future of laser technology.