Overview
In this thesis a powerful and practical method for characterizing ultrashort pulses in space and time is described (called SEA TADPOLE). SEA TADPOLE is a linear interferometric technique for measuring pulses that are very complex in time and/or space, and it uses a simple experimental setup. First we focus on measuring pulses that are spatially uniform but potentially very complicated in time or frequency. We demonstrate and verify that SEA TADPOLE can measure temporal features as small as 30 femtoseconds over durations as long as 15 picoseconds, and these measurements can be made at video-rates. The spectral resolution of this device is carefully studied and we demonstrate that for certain pulses, we achieve spectral super resolution. We also develop and test an algorithm for measuring polarization shaped pulses with SEA TADPOLE. Our simple experimental setup for SEA TADPOLE can even be used to measure the spatiotemporal electric field of ultrashort pulses at a focus. This is because SEA TADPOLE samples the field with an optical fiber which has a small core size. Therefore this fiber can be used to spatially sample the beam, so that the temporal electric field can be measured at every position to obtain E(x, y, z, t). The single mode fiber can be replaced with an NSOM (Near Field Scanning Optical Microscopy) fiber so that spatial resolution as low as 500nm (and possibly lower) can be achieved. Using this device we make the first direct measurements of the compete field of focusing ultrashort pulses. These measurement can be viewed as snap shots in flight of the focusing pulse. Also, for the first time, we have observed some of the interesting distortions that have been predicted for focusing ultrashort pulses such as the forerunner pulse, radially varying group delay dispersion, and the Bessel-like X-shaped pulse. In addition to characterizing focused pulses with SEA TADPOLE, we have also made some of the first direct measurements of the electric field of Bessel X-pulses. We demonstrate their propagation invariance as well as their superluminal velocity. We also use SEA TADPOLE to study the boundary wave pulses which are due to diffraction of the laser beam of of a circular aperture.
Full Product Details
Author: Pamela Bowlan
Publisher: Proquest, Umi Dissertation Publishing
Imprint: Proquest, Umi Dissertation Publishing
Dimensions:
Width: 20.30cm
, Height: 1.20cm
, Length: 25.40cm
Weight: 0.363kg
ISBN: 9781243623058
ISBN 10: 1243623055
Pages: 178
Publication Date: 01 September 2011
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
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