Ultrafast nonlinear laser dynamics: from the dissipative soliton framework to real-time expériments

Par Philippe Grelu, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Laboratoire ICB, Dijon

Mardi 17 septembre,  14h00, Salle des séminaires (215), 2e étage, Bât. A4N

Abstract :

Ultrafast fiber lasers are being primarily developed as compact, efficient, stable modelocked optical sources that are useful for countless applications ranging from medicine, telecom, spectroscopy to material processing and range finding, to name a few. In parallel, during the past 15 years or so, the fiber laser platform led to the discovery of a wide range of intriguing pulsed regimes lying in the territory between the conventional modelocked and non-modelocked regimes, driving a considerable interest in the fundamental areas of ultrafast laser physics and nonlinear dynamics.

This latter direction of laser science constitutes the background of my talk. I will present the conceptual framework of dissipative solitons, which enables us to interpret the stability of various pulse structures and pattern formations, such as highly-stretched pulses and optical soliton molecules, as well as the formation of pulsating and incoherent short pulses, within the laser oscillator itself. The experimental observation has made tremendous progress in the past few years, owing in particular to a relatively simple technique, the time-stretch dispersive Fourier method, which I will present. I will conclude with a few prospects on laser oscillator design.

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