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Articles 1 - 9 of 9

Full-Text Articles in Optics

Accelerating Diffraction-Free Beams In Photonic Lattices, K. Makris, I. Kaminer, Ramy El-Ganainy, N. Efremidis, Zhigang Chen, M. Segev, Demetrios Christodoulides Jun 2015

Accelerating Diffraction-Free Beams In Photonic Lattices, K. Makris, I. Kaminer, Ramy El-Ganainy, N. Efremidis, Zhigang Chen, M. Segev, Demetrios Christodoulides

Ramy El-Ganainy

We study nondiffracting accelerating paraxial optical beams in periodic potentials, in both the linear and the nonlinear domains. In particular, we show that only a unique class of z-dependent lattices can support a true accelerating diffractionless beam. Accelerating lattice solitons, autofocusing beams and accelerating bullets in optical lattices are systematically examined.


Enhancing Optical Isolator Performance In Nonreciprocal Waveguide Arrays, Miguel Levy, Turhan Carroll, Ramy El-Ganainy Jun 2015

Enhancing Optical Isolator Performance In Nonreciprocal Waveguide Arrays, Miguel Levy, Turhan Carroll, Ramy El-Ganainy

Ramy El-Ganainy

We investigate the operation of optical isolators based on magneto-optics waveguide arrays beyond the coupled mode analysis. Semi-vectorial beam propagation simulations demonstrate that evanescent tail coupling and the effects of radiation are responsible for degrading the device’s performance. Our analysis suggests that these effects can be mitigated when the array size is scaled up. In addition, we propose the use of radiation blockers in order to offset some of these effects, and we show that they provide a dramatic improvement in performance. Finally, we also study the robustness of the system with respect to fabrication tolerances using the coupled mode …


Observation Of Accelerating Wannier-Stark Beams In Optically Induced Photonic Lattices, Xinyuan Qi, Konstantinos Makris, Ramy El-Ganainy, Peng Zhang, Jintao Bai, Demetrios Christodoulides, Zhigang Chen Jun 2015

Observation Of Accelerating Wannier-Stark Beams In Optically Induced Photonic Lattices, Xinyuan Qi, Konstantinos Makris, Ramy El-Ganainy, Peng Zhang, Jintao Bai, Demetrios Christodoulides, Zhigang Chen

Ramy El-Ganainy

We generate optical beams analogous to the Wannier–Stark states in semiconductor superlattices and observe that the two main lobes of the WS beams self-bend (accelerate) along two opposite trajectories in a uniform one-dimensional photonic lattice. Such self-accelerating features exist only in the presence of the lattice and are not observed in a homogenous medium. Under the action of nonlinearity, however, the beam structure and acceleration cannot be preserved. Our experimental observations are in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions.


Optical Switching With Cold Atoms, Andrew Dawes May 2013

Optical Switching With Cold Atoms, Andrew Dawes

Andrew M C Dawes

A Viewpoint on: Efficient All-Optical Switching Using Slow Light within a Hollow Fiber M. Bajcsy, S. Hofferberth, V. Balic, T. Peyronel, M. Hafezi, A. S. Zibrov, V. Vuletic, and M. D. Lukin Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 203902 (2009) – Published May 18, 2009


Modeling Free-Carrier Absorption And Avalanching By Ultrashort Laser Pulses, Jeremy Gulley Aug 2011

Modeling Free-Carrier Absorption And Avalanching By Ultrashort Laser Pulses, Jeremy Gulley

Jeremy R. Gulley

In the past decade it was demonstrated experimentally that negatively-chirped laser pulses can lower the surface LIDT for wide band-gap materials by decreasing the number of photons required for photoionization on the leading edge of the pulse. Similarly, simulations have shown that positively-chirped pulses resulting from selffocusing and self-phase modulation in bulk dielectrics can alter the onset of laser-induced material modifications by increasing the number of photons required for photoionization on the leading edge of the pulse. However, the role of multi-chromatic effects in free-carrier absorption and avalanching has yet to be addressed. In this work a frequency-selective model of …


Frequency Dependence In The Initiation Of Laser-Induced Damage, Jeremy Gulley Aug 2010

Frequency Dependence In The Initiation Of Laser-Induced Damage, Jeremy Gulley

Jeremy R. Gulley

Numerous studies have investigated the role of photoionization in ultrafast laser-induced damage of bulk dielectrics. This study examines the role of spectral width and instantaneous laser frequency in laser-induced damage using a frequency dependent multiphoton ionization model and numerical simulation of an 800 nm laser pulse propagating through fused silica. When the individual photon wavelengths are greater than 827 nm, an additional photon is required for photoionization, reducing the probability of the event by many orders of magnitude. Simulation results suggest that this frequency dependence may significantly affect the processes of laser-induced damage and filamentation.


Ultrashort-Pulse Propagation Through Free-Carrier Plasmas, Jeremy Gulley, William Dennis Mar 2010

Ultrashort-Pulse Propagation Through Free-Carrier Plasmas, Jeremy Gulley, William Dennis

Jeremy R. Gulley

The past decade has seen frequent use of a modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation to describe ultrashort pulse propagation in materials where free-carrier plasmas are present. The optical contribution from the resulting free-current densities in this equation is often described using a classical Drude model. However, the ultimate form of this contribution in the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation is somewhat inconsistent in the literature. We clarify this ambiguity by deriving the modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation from the classical wave equation containing a free-current density contribution. The Drude model is then used to obtain an expression for the complex free-carrier current density …


Simulation And Analysis Of Ultrafast-Laser-Pulse-Induced Plasma Generation In Fused Silica, Jeremy Gulley, Sebastian Winkler, W. M. Dennis May 2008

Simulation And Analysis Of Ultrafast-Laser-Pulse-Induced Plasma Generation In Fused Silica, Jeremy Gulley, Sebastian Winkler, W. M. Dennis

Jeremy R. Gulley

Recent experiments on optical damage by ultrashort laser pulses have demonstrated that the temporal pulse shape can dramatically influence plasma generation in fused silica. We use a modified 3+1D nonlinear Schrödinger equation for the pulse propagation coupled to a rate equation for the plasma density in the dielectric material to simulate pulse propagation and plasma formation in fused silica. We use these simulations to analyze the influence of pulse shape and beam geometry on the formation of the electron plasma and hence modification in the bulk material. In particular, we simulate the effect of pulses reconstructed from experimental data. It …


Simulation And Analysis Of Ultrafast Laser Pulse Induced Plasma Generation In Dielectric Materials, Jeremy Gulley, Sebastian Winkler, William Dennis Mar 2007

Simulation And Analysis Of Ultrafast Laser Pulse Induced Plasma Generation In Dielectric Materials, Jeremy Gulley, Sebastian Winkler, William Dennis

Jeremy R. Gulley

Recent experiments on optical damage by ultrashort laser pulses have demonstrated that the temporal pulseshape can dramatically influence plasma generation in fused silica and sapphire. In this work a modified 3+1D nonlinear Schroedinger equation for the pulse propagation coupled to a rate equation for the plasma density in the dielectric material is used to simulate pulse propagation and plasma formation in a range of dielectric materials. We use these simulations to analyze the influence of pulse-width, pulse-shape and beam geometry on the formation of the electron plasma and hence damage in the bulk material. In particular, when possible, we simulate …