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

该研究计划将开发和研究两类新型锁模半导体激光器的基本物理操作：1）紧凑，高平均功率飞秒锁模二极管激光器，和2）多波长锁模半导体二极管激光器。 这些新的锁模二极管激光器的显着特点是，它有可能利用腔内滤波技术，控制输出的光谱振幅和相位，并因此，精确地控制输出的时间电场特性的激光器。 该计划的成功完成将使锁模二极管激光器直接输出可控的光脉冲形状，并有可能实现“任意光波形发生器”。该激光系统的新应用将与工业参与者的互动开发，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，例如太比特光链路、THz模拟光链路、100 Gsps光模数转换器，以及任意光波形生成、真实的时间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。这种类型的光电子和光子学计划的成功将使学生在光学，通信和信号处理的技术重要领域的培训。 除了出色的学术培训外，参与研究生还将获得基本的加工，包装和制造技能，从而使学生能够在毕业后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.