Fiber raman lasers and nonlinear frequency generation

光纤激光器已成为增长最快的激光器类型在过去几年中，由于其独特的特点，如耐用性，减少持续维护，功率效率和低成本。它们在通信、仪器仪表、传感和医疗手术等众多领域都有重要应用; 2017年，全球光纤激光器总收入预计为14.1亿美元。虽然光纤激光器市场最初集中在1550 nm波长范围，但光纤激光器在紫外线、可见光和中红外波长范围内的机会越来越多。这样的波长可以使用全光纤拉曼激光器和非线性频率产生来获得。这项研究代表了麦吉尔大学和O/ELand公司之间的战略合作。其针对的关键挑战是开发低成本、高功率、在1650 nm处广泛可调谐的拉曼光纤激光器以及它们的非线性频率转换以获得在800 - 850 nm以及400 - 425 nm处的辐射。在1650 nm的光纤激光器是非常重要的化学传感，激光雷达，和自由空间，但不容易从传统的掺杂光纤;源在800 - 850 nm和400- 425 nm用于生物光子学，光子量子信息，时间分辨光谱，和荧光显微镜，等等。一个成功的项目结果将使O/E Land能够开发新的激光产品，填补商业上的空白，增加他们的技术组合，并使他们在满足客户需求方面具有竞争优势。HQP的培训将为他们提供解决复杂问题、进行批判性分析和发展特定技术技能的机会，这些技能对加拿大信息和通信技术（ICT）部门的广泛雇主非常有价值，包括光学元件和仪器供应商，如MPB Communications（蒙特利尔，QC）、EXFO（魁北克市，QC）、OZ Optics（渥太华，ON）和Lumentum（渥太华，ON）。

Fiber lasers have become the fastest-growing laser type for the last few years due to their distinctive featuressuch as durability, reduced on-going maintenance, power efficiency, and low cost. They have importantapplications in numerous fields from communications, instrumentation, sensing, and medical surgery; in 2017,the total fiber laser revenue worldwide is projected to be $1.41 billion. While the fiber laser market initiallyfocused on the 1550 nm wavelength range, there are increasing opportunities for fiber lasers in the UV, visible,and mid-IR wavelength ranges. Such wavelengths can be obtained using all-fiber Raman lasers and nonlinearfrequency generation. This research represents a strategic collaboration between McGill University and O/ELand Inc. that is directed at the key challenge of developing low-cost, high-power, widely tunable Raman fiberlasers at 1650 nm as well as their nonlinear frequency conversion to obtain radiation at 800 - 850 nm as well as400 - 425 nm. Fiber lasers at 1650 nm are of great importance chemical sensing, LIDAR, and free-spacecommunications, yet are not readily available from conventional doped-fiber; sources at 800 - 850 nm and 400- 425 nm are used in biophotonics, photonic quantum information, time-resolved spectroscopy, andfluorescence microscopy, amongst others. A successful project outcome will allow O/E Land to develop thesenew laser products and address a gap in what is commercially available, add to their technology portfolio, andgive them a competitive advantage in meeting their clients' needs. Training of HQP will provide them withopportunities to solve complex problems, perform critical analysis, and develop specific technical skills thatare highly valuable to the broad Canadian Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sectoremployers including optical component and instrumentation suppliers such as MPB Communications(Montreal, QC), EXFO (Quebec City, QC), OZ Optics (Ottawa, ON), and Lumentum (Ottawa, ON).