Prism pulse shaper
OwnerMartin T. Zanni, Zachary Faitz +1inventors
InventorsMartin T. Zanni, Zachary Faitz, Dasol Im
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Abstract
A pulse shaper system for modulating optical pulses is disclosed. The pulse shaper system defines an optical beam path including a first prism pair, a programmable optical frequency filter, and a second prism pair. The prisms can be configured in a 4-prism prism compressor configuration, with the programmable optical frequency filter positioned between the prism pairs. Each of the prisms is a Brewster prism oriented at Brewster's angle relative to the optical beam path. Each of the prisms is composed of a wavelength-matched material.
Claims20
A pulse shaper system for modulating optical pulses in a predefined wavelength range, the pulse shaper system defining an optical beam path comprising:
- a first prism pair comprising a first dispersing prism and a first collimating prism downstream of the first dispersing prism, the first dispersing prism and the first collimating prism separated by a first interprism distance;
- a programmable optical frequency filter positioned downstream of the first prism pair, the programmable optical frequency filter comprising independently programmable pixels, the first collimating prism and the programmable optical frequency filter are separated by a first prism-filter distance;
- a second prism pair positioned downstream of the programmable optical frequency filter, the second prism pair comprising a second gathering prism and a second collimating prism, the programmable optical frequency filter and the second gathering prism are separated by a second prism-filter distance, the second gathering prism and the second collimating prism separated by a second interprism distance;
- and
- the pulse shaper system further comprising a programmable optical frequency filter controller operably coupled to the programmable optical frequency filter,
- wherein each of the first dispersing prism, the first collimating prism, the second gathering prism, and the second collimating prism is a Brewster prism oriented at Brewster's angle relative to the optical beam path, and
- wherein each of the first dispersing prism, the first collimating prism, the second gathering prism, and the second collimating prism is composed of a wavelength-matched material.
A method of modulating optical pulses, the method comprising:
- introducing an optical pulse train into a pulse shaper system, wherein the optical pulse train has light with a predefined wavelength range, wherein the pulse shaper system defines an optical beam path comprising:
- a first prism pair comprising a first dispersing prism and a first collimating prism downstream of the first dispersing prism, the first dispersing prism and the first collimating prism separated by a first interprism distance;
- optionally a first focuser optionally positioned between the first dispersing prism and the first collimating prism;
- a programmable optical frequency filter positioned downstream of the first prism pair, the programmable optical frequency filter comprising independently programmable pixels, the first collimating prism and the programmable optical frequency filter are separated by a first prism-filter distance;
- a second prism pair positioned downstream of the programmable optical frequency filter, the second prism pair comprising a second gathering prism and a second collimating prism, the programmable optical frequency filter and the second gathering prism are separated by a second prism-filter distance, the second gathering prism and the second collimating prism separated by a second interprism distance;
- and
- optionally a second focuser optionally positioned between the second gathering prism and the second collimating prism,
- the pulse shaper system further comprising a programmable optical frequency filter controller operably coupled to the programmable optical frequency filter,
- wherein each of the first dispersing prism, the first collimating prism, the second gathering prism, and the second collimating prism is a Brewster prism oriented at Brewster's angle relative to the optical beam path, and
- wherein each of the first dispersing prism, the first collimating prism, the second gathering prism, and the second collimating prism is composed of a wavelength-matched material.
A frequency domain (FD) pulse shaper for modulating optical pulses in a predefined wavelength range, the FD pulse shaper comprising:
- a pulse compressor comprising a dispersing prism pair, a collecting prism pair, and a programmable optical frequency filter positioned between the dispersing prism pair and the collecting prism pair, wherein the dispersing prism pair and the collecting prism pair are configured as a 4-prism prism compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.