arXiv subjects

Alexander M. Heidt

Publications and source records attributed to Alexander M. Heidt.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Measured group birefringence and group velocity dispersion of elliptical-core ZBLAN fibres for mid-infrared supercontinuum generation

Polarisation-maintaining ZBLAN optical fibres with small elliptical cores are attractive for nonlinear frequency conversion, for example in supercontinuum generation (SCG), and for dispersion management in ultrafast fibre laser systems operating in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectral region. Accurate characterisation of group birefringence and group velocity dispersion (GVD) is essential for modelling ultrafast pulse propagation in such fibres, yet experimental data remain scarce. Here, we present broadband measurements of group birefringence and GVD in four elliptical-core ZBLAN fibres, selected for their potential for low-noise MIR SCG, over the wavelength range 1.4 to 4.3 μm. Using polarisation-resolved white-light spectral interferometry, we quantify the dispersion characteristics of both fundamental modes in each fibre. Measurement uncertainties are evaluated using a combined uncertainty analysis that includes the spread between repeated measurements and the uncertainty in the measured fibre length. This work aims to support the development of MIR supercontinuum sources and to facilitate the understanding of nonlinear optical phenomena in ZBLAN fibres.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Ultra-low-noise supercontinuum in normal-dispersion ZBLAN fibres pumped at 1.85 $μ$m

We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, ultra-low-noise supercontinuum (SC) generation in normal-dispersion fluoride fibres pumped by femtosecond (fs) pulses. We have investigated two elliptical-core polarisation-maintaining (PM) ZBLAN fibres with core dimensions 6.7$\times$2.7 $μ$m and 8.9$\times$4.1 $μ$m, experimentally measured to have normal dispersion up to 3.77 $μ$m and 3.25 $μ$m, respectively; the smaller-core fibre yields ultra-low-noise SC spanning 1.537-2.196 $μ$m with a minimum relative-intensity noise (RIN) of 0.22% at 1.7 $μ$m, and the larger-core fibre yields 1.507-2.250 $μ$m with 0.36% at 2.0 $μ$m. To aid the generation of low-noise SC, we developed an all-PM thulium chirped-pulse amplifier delivering 58 fs pulses at 1.85 $μ$m, 210 mW average power at 40 MHz, with 0.41% RIN, seeded by a part of an ultra-low-noise SC using a 1.55 $μ$m fs laser and an all-normal-dispersion (ANDi) silica fibre for precise seed control. These results establish a robust, alignment-free pathway to extend ultra-low-noise ANDi-fibre SC towards the mid-infrared using PM fluoride fibres.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Low noise all-fiber amplification of a coherent supercontinuum at 2 μm and its limits imposed by polarization noise

We report the amplification of an all-normal dispersion supercontinuum pulse in a Thulium / Holmium co-doped all-fiber chirped pulse amplification system. With a -20 dB bandwidth of more than 300 nm in the range 1800-2100 nm the system delivers high quality 66 fs pulses with more than 70 kW peak power directly from the output fiber. The coherent seeding of the entire emission bandwidth of the doped fiber and the stability of the supercontinuum generation dynamics in the silicate glass all-normal dispersion photonic crystal fiber result in excellent noise characteristics of the amplified ultrashort pulses.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of complex supercontinuum light pulses using time domain ptychography

We demonstrate that time-domain ptychography, a recently introduced ultrafast pulse reconstruction modality, has properties ideally suited for the temporal characterization of complex light pulses with large time-bandwidth products as it achieves temporal resolution on the scale of a single optical cycle using long probe pulses, low sampling rates, and an extremely fast and robust algorithm. In comparison to existing techniques, ptychography minimizes the data to be recorded and processed, and drastically reduces the computational time of the reconstruction. Experimentally we measure the temporal waveform of an octave-spanning, 3.5~ps long supercontinuum pulse generated in photonic crystal fiber, resolving features as short as 5.7~fs with sub-fs resolution and 30~dB dynamic range using 100~fs probe pulses and similarly large delay steps.

physics.optics↗