Patent ID: 6700905
Filing Date: 2004-03-02
Classification: G02F,H01S

Abstract:
A method of generating light pulses in an ultrawide band, in which sub-picosecond fundamental pulses emitted from an ultrashort pulse laser is passed through a nonlinear optical material in order to produce at least one type of wavelength-converted pulses having a center wavelength different from that of the fundamental pulses, an intensity substantially equal to that of the fundamental pulses, and a constant phase difference relative to the fundamental pulses; and the wavelength-converted pulses and the fundamental pulses are used to generate light pulses, the method comprising the steps of:(a) separating the wavelength-converted pulses from the fundamental pulses; (b) delaying the wavelength-converted pulses relative to the fundamental pulses; (c) adjusting the polarization of the wavelength-fundamental pulses or the converted pulses (d) adjusting the energy of the fundamental pulses and the energy of the wavelength-converted pulses; (e) superposing the separated fundamental and wavelength-converted pulses on each other; and (f) mixing the fundamental pluses and the wavelength-converted pulses in an electric field when the fundamental pluses and the wavelength-converted pulses enter, propagate through, and exit a nonlinear optical member after being modulated, whereby (g) light pulses which enable phase control of respective frequency components and pulse compression are generated through simultaneous utilization of self phase modulation and inductive phase modulation caused by interaction between the fundamental pluses and the wavelength-converted pulses.