Patent ID: 7839905
Filing Date: 2010-11-23
Classification: G01J,G02B,G02F,H01S

Abstract:
1. A method for controlling carrier-envelope phase in an optical system that comprises: a first plate positioned in the optical path, wherein the first plate has a thicker portion and a thinner portion with a range of thicknesses there between, and wherein the first plate has a refractive index, second order dispersion, and a first ratio of group and phase velocities for the optical pulses; and a second plate positioned in the optical path, wherein the second plate has a thicker portion and a thinner portion with a range of thicknesses there between, wherein the thicker portion of the second plate is aligned with the thinner portion of the first plate, measured parallel to the optical path, and wherein the thinner portion of the second plate is aligned with the thicker portion of the first plate, measured parallel to the optical path, and wherein the second plate has a refractive index and second order dispersion that are substantially the same as the refractive index and second order dispersion of the first plate, and a second ratio of group and phase velocities for the optical pulses, wherein the second ratio is substantially different from the first ratio; the method comprising: generating a train of optical pulses; transmitting the train of optical pulses along the optical path through the first and second plates, the optical pulses including a lower-frequency envelope and a higher-frequency carrier within the envelope and shifting the relative position of the carrier with respect to the envelope by changing the position of the first and second plates relative to the light path to change the ratio of the thicknesses of the first and second plates through which the train of optical pulses pass.