Biophotonics '09: Lecture by Prof. J. Roy Taylor
Prof. J. Roy Taylor
Biophotonics '09: Lecture by Prof. J. Roy Taylor |
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Supercontinuum light sourcesProfessor J. Roy TaylorFemtosecond Optics Group Tel: +44 207 594 7786 AbstractAlthough the first supercontinuum source was reported around 1970 and by the end of the 1980s all the non linear processes that contribute to supercontinuum generation in optical fibre were identified and characterized, it was not until the application of photonic crystal fibre, albeit with a bulk fibre laser, in 1999 that supercontinuum sources were seriously considered as potential commercial devices for both the research laboratory and routine clinical operation. This later development was also linked to the availability of versatile, compact and efficient fibre based pump sources that could be readily integrated with the microstructured fibre devices into robust instruments, to the point now where the fibre based supercontinuum source is a commercial success. In this series of lectures, I will consider the historical development of the supercontinuum source from its origin in the bulk solid state laser pumping of bulk samples of glass and highly nonlinear materials to the sophisticated all-fibre integrated schemes of fibre based lasers integrated with photonic crystal fibres. The benefit of fibre based operation will be highlighted as will be all the relevant non linear processes contributing to supercontinuum generation and how these can be controlled to provide optimal operation in specific wavelength regions. Currently with silica based fibres supercontinuum sources completely fill the window of transmission 300 nm to 2500 nm and alternative fibres can be deployed to extend this well into the mid infrared. Various pumping regimes will be considered from high power femtosecond pumping to cw pumping of long lengths where supercontinua with average powers in the 100s watts regime have been generated and spectral power densities in excess of 100mW/nm achieved. Techniques to enhance performance, such as dispersion profiling or fibre tapering will also be described. References[1] J.M. Dudley, G. Genty and S. Coen, Rev. Mod. Physics 78, 1135 (2006) [2] G. Genty, S. Coen and J.M. Dudley, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 24, 1771 (2007) About J.R. TaylorRoy Taylor was born in Carrickfergus, N. Ireland in 1949. He obtained a BSc (1stHons) in physics from the Queen’s University of Belfast and commenced his research career at the Queen’s University in 1971. In 1973 he transferred to the Optics Section at Imperial College and obtained his PhD in 1974. After spending two years at the Technical University in Munich he returned to Imperial College in 1977 as a research assistant. He established the Femtosecond Optics Group at Imperial College in 1986 and over his career has published more than 350 papers and co-authored over 370 conference presentations. His work and contributions in various aspects of laser research, photonics, optical fibres and non linear optics has been recognised by the Carl Zeiss Research Award and also by the Institute of Physics Thomas Young Medal and Imperial College Research Excellence Award. He is currently a Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holder. Slides
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Biophotonics '09 All copyrights reserved, 2002-2009 Last update: 21-07-2009 15:00 |