Abstract This paper presents recent results in the development of novel ultrafast technologies based on the generation and application of extremely chirped optical pulses. Linearly frequency-swept mode-locked optical pulses of ns durations are generated, at the infrared telecommunications wavelength of 1.55 μm, by using chirped fiber Bragg gratings. The swept pulses appear as continuous wave signals, which completely fill the mode-locked pulse period which enables the implementation of semiconductor optical amplifying systems that completely circumvent the conventional limitation imposed by short pulse gain saturation. The use of these technologies is exemplified in a laser radar application that exploits the two characteristic coherent lengths in a chirped-pulse mode-locked laser, corresponding to the linewidth and the full lasing bandwidth, resulting in sub-mm resolution at the horizon. Finally, we show how stretched pulses can be used in a pulse shaping scheme to avoid detrimental nonlinearities associated with high power, optical pulse generation.

中文翻译：

---

啁啾脉冲激光源及应用

摘要 本文介绍了基于极度啁啾光脉冲的产生和应用的新型超快技术发展的最新成果。通过使用啁啾光纤布拉格光栅，以 1.55 μm 的红外通信波长生成 ns 持续时间的线性扫频锁模光脉冲。扫频脉冲表现为连续波信号，它完全填充锁模脉冲周期，这使得半导体光放大系统的实现完全绕过了短脉冲增益饱和所施加的传统限制。这些技术的使用以激光雷达应用为例，该应用利用啁啾脉冲锁模激光器中的两个特征相干长度，对应于线宽和全激光带宽，导致地平线上的亚毫米分辨率。最后，我们展示了如何在脉冲整形方案中使用展宽的脉冲，以避免与高功率光脉冲生成相关的有害非线性。