Near Infrared Nonlinear Fiber Oscillators (NINFO)

The Project presents several very innovative aspects in the field of high-brilliance sources.
The first technique, also known as narrow band optical parametric amplification, must be implemented in new special fibers, where a tight control of the polarization is attained. In fact this effect is very sensitive to polarization mismatches between the pump and the signal. Polarization maintaining and spun fibers are the most promising candidates, although standard fiber, in a very controlled environment will be also used for an experimental proof of concept.
The second technique exploits high birefringence fibers in the regime of the fiber positive dispersion; the principle was demonstrated long ago, however newly available, highly non-linear fibers enable to reduce the power to be used to observe the effect and an oscillator will be build for the first time, to the knowledge of the proposing group.
As for Raman scattering, the main innovative approach will be that of the time dispersion tuning of the laser in the configuration of a synchronously pumped oscillator. In particular, time synchronization of the pump will be implemented. The main target of the project is to broaden the spectrum of emitted wavelengths in all-fiber lasers. Very innovative applications of such all-fiber lasers can be foreseen.
Fiber lasers in the near infrared, can become a very compact source for micro-welding and micro-cutting (for example in dicing solar cells) owing to the high efficiency of such lasers and the handiness of the all-fiber pigtail delivering the laser radiation. Such peculiarity is also important in other fields of applications, such for example in medical sciences, where the laser radiation has to be directed in specific, and sometimes internal parts of the body. The wavelength tuning and the flexibility of getting near and short wavelength infrared radiation can be another breakthrough of these lasers.