Frequency domain optical parametric generation (FOPG) for supercontinuum mid-infrared laser sources - Ì2I phase I

光提供了一个理想的工具来分析材料，由于其组成的各种频率对应于不同的能量。对材料进行鉴定和定性的一个先决条件是获得其化学成分。这是由中红外光子学（2至20微米）给出的，其频率与材料中振动模式的自然尺度相匹配。预计在未来几年，这一重要的研究和技术活动领域将出现巨大的经济增长。主要的科学项目和工业应用需要在此特定光谱范围内工作的可靠光源和探测器。虽然今天在这个范围内的一般光源都是窄带和可调的，但我们提出了一种新的方法来一次提供所有所需的频率。该方法不需要复杂的飞秒激光器，而只需要一个简单的纳秒驱动激光器，使超连续光产生的空间相干光束。使用特定的扇形晶体，使用光学参数产生过程产生频率。当被强大的激光泵浦时，这种晶体内的一定周期会导致一定的频率分量，使得所有产生的颜色彼此排列在一起。使用傅立叶光学处理将这些频率重新组合成单个光束。这种技术被称为频域光学参量产生（FOPG），已经用1.5到2微米的超连续谱进行了演示。由NSERC I2 I计划和INRS资助的一项市场研究表明，这种技术具有巨大的商业利益。特别地，2至5微米的光谱范围已被确定为商业FOPG设备开发的优先事项。因此，在这个I2 I第一阶段项目的背景下，我们的团队将把技术扩展到这个光谱范围。我们已经与几家公司（如O/E-Land Inc.）进行了接触。和少周期公司）和最终用户（如Photon等和DRDC），以便采取后续措施，最终目标是让加拿大公司参与未来FOPG设备的制造和商业化。

Light provides an ideal tool to analyze materials, due to its composition of various frequencies which correspond to different energies. A prerequisite for the identification and characterization of materials is access to their chemical composition. This is given by mid-infrared photonics (2 to 20 microns) whose frequencies match the natural scales of vibrational modes in materials. A tremendous economic growth is expected in the upcoming years in this important field of research and technological activities. Major scientific projects and industrial applications require reliable light sources and detectors operating in this specific spectral range. While today's general light sources in this range are narrowband and tunable, we propose a new approach to deliver all required frequencies at once. The approach does not require complex femtosecond lasers as others do but only a simple nanosecond driving laser to enable supercontinuum light generation in a spatially coherent beam. Using a specifically fanned crystal, the frequencies are generated using the process of Optical Parametric Generation. A certain period within this crystal leads to a certain frequency component when pumped by a powerful laser, such that all generated colors appear lined up besides each other. These frequencies are recombined into a single beam using Fourier optical processing. This technology, called Frequency domain Optical Parametric Generation (FOPG), has already been demonstrated with supercontinuum spanning from 1.5 to 2 microns. A market study funded by the NSERC I2I program and INRS has demonstrated a huge commercial interest for such a technology. In particular, the spectral range of 2 to 5 microns has been identified as a priority towards the development of commercial FOPG devices. Therefore, in the context of this I2I phase I project, our team will extend the technology to this spectral range. We are already in contact with several companies (e.g. O/E-Land Inc. and few-cycle Inc.) and end-users (e.g. Photon etc. and DRDC) for the steps following this effort with the ultimate goal to involve Canadian companies in the manufacturing and commercialization of future FOPG devices.