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Optics Express

Optical pulse shaping using optical coherent transients

Zeb W. Barber, Ming Tian, Randy R. Reibel, William Randall Babbitt

Published Oct 7, 2002• 31 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Using multiple temporally-overlapped, frequency offset and phase-tuned, linear frequency chirps, a new method of multi-GHz optical coherent transient optical pulse shaping and processing in inhomogeneously broadened rare-earth doped crystals is proposed. Using this technique with properly chirped laser sources, multi-GHz processing can be controlled with conventional low-bandwidth electronics and optical modulators. Specifically, this technique enables pulse shaping in the MHz to THz frequency regime with time-bandwidth-products exceeding 100,000, filling the gap between the operating regimes of femtosecond pulse shaping and analog electronics. The low bandwidth (~20 MHz) proof-of-concept demonstrations presented in this paper include pulse train creation, selfconvolution, auto-correlation, and chirped pulse compression.

DOI
10.1364/oe.10.001145

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Optics Letters•Oct 26, 2006•14 citations
Using multiple temporally-overlapped, frequency offset and phase-tuned, linear frequency chirps, a new method of multi-GHz optical coherent transient optical pulse shaping and processing in inhomogeneously broadened rare-earth doped crystals is proposed. Using this technique with properly chirped laser sources, multi-GHz processing can be controlled with conventional low-bandwidth electronics and optical modulators. Specifically, this technique enables pulse shaping in the MHz to THz frequency regime with time-bandwidth-products exceeding 100,000, filling the gap between the operating regimes of femtosecond pulse shaping and analog electronics. The low bandwidth (~20 MHz) proof-of-concept demonstrations presented in this paper include pulse train creation, selfconvolution, auto-correlation, and chirped pulse compression.
A novel technique for programming broadband true-time delays that uses two frequency-offset temporally overlapped linear frequency-chirped pulses to produce periodic spectral gratings in an inhomogeneously broadened absorber is presented. Advantages of this technique include its ability to use chirped pulses that are longer than the coherence time of the crystal, less stringent laser frequency-stability requirements for grating accumulation, lower power requirements, a simplified system design, and the ability to tune broadband (multigigahertz) delays over a wide dynamic range (picoseconds to microseconds).
When a sequence of temporally modulated optical waveforms illuminate an inhomogeneously broadened absorbing medium, the resultant optical coherent transient output signal's represents the cross-correlation or convolution of the input temporal waveforms.1 The projected performance characteristics of coherent transient processors include data rates greater than 10 GHz, time-bandwidth products far in excess of 10,000, and the ability to fully process both amplitude and phase modulated waveforms.1,2 Previously it was assumed that the input data stream and pattern stream must both be shorter than the absorbing transition's homogeneous dephasing time and must both be reentered in order to process longer or multiple data streams.1 It has recently been proposed that patterns could be permanently stored in an inhomogeneously broadened solid and that input data streams of indefinite length could be continuously processed in real time without the need to reenter the input pattern.3,4 In this paper, we present a proof of concept demonstration of an optical coherent transient continuous correlator.
After the absorption profile of an inhomogeneously broadened solid is programmed by two temporally modulated pulses (at least one encoded with a pattern), it can be gated to fix the ground-state spectral population distribution permanently. The subsequent illumination of the solid by an uninterrupted, temporally modulated optical beam results in a coherent transient output signal that represents the correlation of the signal with the stored pattern. Multiple patterns can be stored at different locations on the sample and accessed randomly, enabling fast reprogramming of the processor. A performance analysis of this optical signal processor predicts that real-time continuous processing is possible with a processor bandwidth that exceeds 5 GHz, a time-bandwidth product that exceeds 10(4), and a pattern storage density that exceeds 10(5) patterns per square centimeter.
The temporal processing operations of convolution and correlation are demonstrated through optical coherent transient techniques, in which two long, low-intensity frequency-chirped pulses replace the single, brief reference pulse of a traditional three-pulse excitation sequence (brief pulse, pattern pulse, and data pulse). Here, a four-pulse excitation sequence is used (two frequency-chirped pulses, pattern pulse, and data pulse) in which the particular order and timing of the chirped pulses with respect to the other waveforms determine the processing operation. An experiment is performed with biphase-coded pattern and data pulses to demonstrate both the correlation and the convolution operations. A new atomic rephasing process that we call delayed rephasing is demonstrated.
Creating and controlling well-defined single-photon states is important for many quantum enhanced technologies. Information can be encoded in any degree of freedom associated with a single-photon field excitation, for example in the polarization or transverse spatial mode structure. The ability to encode multiple qubits in these states is desirable for high data transmission rates and increased information processing capacity. The spectral-temporal domain offers a large Hilbert space for encoding information, well suited to integrated optical architectures owing to the low cross-talk between channels. Indeed, time-frequency encoding is an integral component of existing information technologies infrastructure. Thus, complete, coherent control of the spectral-temporal mode structure of light is essential to advancing optical quantum technologies. Arbitrary control of single-photon states has been demonstrated in the polarization and spatial-momentum degrees of freedom however, is yet to be established in the spectral-temporal domain. Recently it was shown that spectral-temporal pulse shaping is experimentally feasible using nonlinear optical methods. However, such techniques can introduce noise photons, are challenging to implement deterministically and require specially prepared auxiliary pump pulses. Furthermore, they are typically only possible at relatively low repetition rates to avoid damage of nonlinear optical materials. Here, we demonstrate deterministic pulse shaping of single-photon wave packets by introducing a time-varying phase. Applying linear or quadratic phase to the wave packet introduces a spectral shift or spectral broadening, respectively. Achieving significant spectral manipulation requires temporal-phase modulation on the order of π. The phase must also vary on the same time scale as the optical pulses, approximately 1 ps in duration here. This relatively rapid phase variation is achieved using a fast electro-optic phase modulator. The modulator is driven by a time-varying voltage that is synchronized with a pulse train of single-photon wave packets for accurate temporal phase control. In this thesis, we experimentally demonstrate control of the spectral-temporal state of single-photon wave packets using this method. Heralded single-photon wave packets are generated by spontaneous parametric down conversion pumped by a frequency-doubled Titanium-Sapphire laser oscillator with 80 MHz repetition rate. To achieve significant modulation of single-photon pulses a 10 V peak-to-peak radio-frequency signal of 40 GHz drives the phase modulator, which requires approximately 3.6 V to achieve a π phase shift. The signal is synchronized with the oscillator pulse train using custom designed electronics. Details of these electronics are presented, resulting in a robust phase and amplitude controllable 40 GHz voltage source, phase locked to the single-photon pulse train. To demonstrate the utility of this pulse-shaping method we experimentally show spectral shearing of almost 1 nm for single-photon wave packets with 830 nm central wavelength and 1 nm bandwidth. Measurement of the second-order intensity correlation before and after the wave-packet manipulation remains constant within uncertainty of the measurement, showing that the quantum nature of the single-photon source is not deteriorated by the modulator. Preservation of the wave-packet coherence is verified by two-photon interference between spectrally sheared and non-modulated single-photons.