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Ultraviolet generation in step index optical fibres and microfibres

Ultraviolet generation in step index optical fibres and microfibres
Ultraviolet generation in step index optical fibres and microfibres
Coherent ultraviolet (UV) generation has various applications in a large number of fields, such as stand-off explosive detection, enhanced Raman scattering and photolithography, to name a few. Typically, the generation of coherent UV light relied on frequency doubling with nonlinear crystals and relatively complicated free space optics, on toxic gases (excimers) and low power UV diodes. In this thesis, the use of solid core step-index optical fibre for the generation of coherent UV radiation is investigated. Here, wavelength conversion in optical microfibres (OMFs) via nonlinear processes is considered. Firstly, efficient generation of UV radiation via intermodal third harmonic generation (THG) in fibres is first studied. While THG is potentially efficient in OMFs, it is not feasible in optical fibres with large numerical apertures. Detuning is found to be a critical parameter which determines the overall efficiency, thereby making the OMF diameter control crucial. Initial experiments indicate that the quasi-continuous wave (CW) sources with long pulses (a few ns) and high peak powers (∼ kW) are the most suitable for intermodal THG in OMFs, as detrimental nonlinear effects become dominant with ultrashort pulses. However, further theoretical investigations show that intermodal THG is fundamentally limited by the intrinsic surface roughness of the silica OMFs, restricting the maximum efficiency to ∼ 10-3. This leads to the investigation of four wave mixing (FWM), where both parametric amplification and wavelength generation are theoretically investigated. A quasi-CW source working in conjunction with a periodically poled silica fibre (PPSF) is employed to investigate this experimentally, and it is shown that a scheme employing two OMFs allowed the generation of coherent UV radiation down to 0:31 µm, with fundamental limitations being imposed from losses due to the oxygen-deficiency centre inherent to the fibre.
University of Southampton
Abdul Khudus, Muhammad Imran Mustafa
17127b8f-cde4-4c11-aca0-3c9151a42d94
Abdul Khudus, Muhammad Imran Mustafa
17127b8f-cde4-4c11-aca0-3c9151a42d94
Brambilla, Gilberto
815d9712-62c7-47d1-8860-9451a363a6c8

Abdul Khudus, Muhammad Imran Mustafa (2016) Ultraviolet generation in step index optical fibres and microfibres. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis, 192pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Coherent ultraviolet (UV) generation has various applications in a large number of fields, such as stand-off explosive detection, enhanced Raman scattering and photolithography, to name a few. Typically, the generation of coherent UV light relied on frequency doubling with nonlinear crystals and relatively complicated free space optics, on toxic gases (excimers) and low power UV diodes. In this thesis, the use of solid core step-index optical fibre for the generation of coherent UV radiation is investigated. Here, wavelength conversion in optical microfibres (OMFs) via nonlinear processes is considered. Firstly, efficient generation of UV radiation via intermodal third harmonic generation (THG) in fibres is first studied. While THG is potentially efficient in OMFs, it is not feasible in optical fibres with large numerical apertures. Detuning is found to be a critical parameter which determines the overall efficiency, thereby making the OMF diameter control crucial. Initial experiments indicate that the quasi-continuous wave (CW) sources with long pulses (a few ns) and high peak powers (∼ kW) are the most suitable for intermodal THG in OMFs, as detrimental nonlinear effects become dominant with ultrashort pulses. However, further theoretical investigations show that intermodal THG is fundamentally limited by the intrinsic surface roughness of the silica OMFs, restricting the maximum efficiency to ∼ 10-3. This leads to the investigation of four wave mixing (FWM), where both parametric amplification and wavelength generation are theoretically investigated. A quasi-CW source working in conjunction with a periodically poled silica fibre (PPSF) is employed to investigate this experimentally, and it is shown that a scheme employing two OMFs allowed the generation of coherent UV radiation down to 0:31 µm, with fundamental limitations being imposed from losses due to the oxygen-deficiency centre inherent to the fibre.

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Muhammad Abdul Khudus 25861247 corrections final -signed - Version of Record
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Published date: 26 October 2016

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 419404
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/419404
PURE UUID: 82051268-fa1d-4bab-8da2-464b615a5e46
ORCID for Gilberto Brambilla: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5730-0499

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 11 Apr 2018 16:31
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:21

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Contributors

Author: Muhammad Imran Mustafa Abdul Khudus
Thesis advisor: Gilberto Brambilla ORCID iD

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