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1. Mid-IR spectroscopy of Er ³⁺ doped low-phonon CsCdCl ₃ and CsPbCl ₃ crystals

   https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.470152  

   Brown, Ei_Ei; Fleischman, Zackery_D; McKay, Jason; Hommerich, Uwe; Kabir, Al_Amin; Riggins, Jazmine; Trivedi, Sudhir; Dubinskii, Mark (September 2022, Journal of the Optical Society of America B)

   The mid-IR spectroscopic properties of ${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped low-phonon ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$and ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$crystals grown by the Bridgman technique have been investigated. Using optical excitations at $\sim <\#comment/>800\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$and $\sim <\#comment/>660\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$, both crystals exhibited IR emissions at $\sim <\#comment/>1.55$, $\sim <\#comment/>2.75$, $\sim <\#comment/>3.5$, and $\sim <\#comment/>4.5\text{µ<\#comment/>}\mathrm{m}$at room temperature. The mid-IR emission at 4.5 µm, originating from the ${}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{9/2}\to <\#comment/>{}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{11/2}$transition, showed a long emission lifetime of $\sim <\#comment/>11.6\mathrm{m}\mathrm{s}$for ${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$, whereas ${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$exhibited a shorter lifetime of $\sim <\#comment/>1.8\mathrm{m}\mathrm{s}$. The measured emission lifetimes of the ${}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{9/2}$state were nearly independent of the temperature, indicating a negligibly small nonradiative decay rate through multiphonon relaxation, as predicted by the energy-gap law for low-maximum-phonon energy hosts. The room temperature stimulated emission cross sections for the ${}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{9/2}\to <\#comment/>{}^4{\mathrm{I}}_{11/2}$transition in ${\mathrm{E}\mathrm{r}}^{3+}$doped ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{d}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$and ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{s}\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}}_3$were determined to be $\sim <\#comment/>0.14\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>20}{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^2$and $\sim <\#comment/>0.41\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>20}{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^2$, respectively. The results of Judd–Ofelt analysis are presented and discussed. 

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2. Quasi-monolithic heterodyne laser interferometer for inertial sensing

   https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.473476  

   Zhang, Yanqi; Guzman, Felipe (September 2022, Optics Letters)

   We present a compact heterodyne laser interferometer developed for high-sensitivity displacement sensing applications. This interferometer consists of customized prisms and wave plates assembled as a quasi-monolithic unit to realize a miniaturized system. The interferometer design adopts a common-mode rejection scheme to provide a high rejection ratio to common environmental noise. Experimental tests in vacuum show a displacement sensitivity level of $11\mathrm{p}\mathrm{m}/\sqrt{\mathrm{H}\mathrm{z}}$at $100\mathrm{m}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{z}$and as low as $0.6\mathrm{p}\mathrm{m}/\sqrt{\mathrm{H}\mathrm{z}}$above $1\mathrm{p}\mathrm{m}$. The prototype unit is $20\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}\times <\#comment/>20\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}\times <\#comment/>10\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}$in size and weighs $4.5\mathrm{g}$, allowing subsequent integration in compact systems. 

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3. Growth and characterization of Sc ₂ O ₃ doped Ta ₂ O ₅ thin films

   https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.59.00A106  

   Fazio, Mariana; Yang, Le; Markosyan, Ashot; Bassiri, Riccardo; Fejer, Martin_M; Menoni, Carmen_S (December 2019, Applied Optics)

   We present the optical and structural characterization of films of ${\mathrm{T}\mathrm{a}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_5$, ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{c}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$, and ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{c}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$doped ${\mathrm{T}\mathrm{a}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_5$with a cation ratio around 0.1 grown by reactive sputtering. The addition of ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{c}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$as a dopant induces the formation of tantalum suboxide due to the “oxygen getter” property of scandium. The presence of tantalum suboxide greatly affects the optical properties of the coating, resulting in higher absorption loss at $\mathrm{\lambda <\#comment/>}=1064\mathrm{n}\mathrm{m}$. The refractive index and optical band gap of the mixed film do not correspond to those of a mixture of ${\mathrm{T}\mathrm{a}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_5$and ${\mathrm{S}\mathrm{c}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3$, given the profound structural modifications induced by the dopant. 

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4. Single-shot ultrafast visualization and measurement of laser–matter interactions in flexible glass using frequency domain holography

   https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.382645  

   Dempsey, Dennis; Nagar, Garima_C; Renskers, Christopher_K; Grynko, Rostislav_I; Sutherland, James_S; Shim, Bonggu (February 2020, Optics Letters)

   We perform single-shot frequency domain holography to measure the ultrafast spatio-temporal phase change induced by the optical Kerr effect and plasma in flexible Corning Willow Glass during femtosecond laser–matter interactions. We measure the nonlinear index of refraction ( $n_2$) to be $(3.6\pm <\#comment/>0.1)\times <\#comment/>{10}^{-<\#comment/>16}{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^2/\mathrm{W}$and visualize the plasma formation and recombination on femtosecond time scales in a single shot. To compare with the experiment, we carry out numerical simulations by solving the nonlinear envelope equation. 

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5. Chip-based self-referencing using integrated lithium niobate waveguides

   https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.392363  

   Okawachi, Yoshitomo; Yu, Mengjie; Desiatov, Boris; Kim, Bok_Young; Hansson, Tobias; Lončar, Marko; Gaeta, Alexander_L (June 2020, Optica)

   The measurement and stabilization of the carrier–envelope offset frequency $f_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{O}}$via self-referencing is paramount for optical frequency comb generation, which has revolutionized precision frequency metrology, spectroscopy, and optical clocks. Over the past decade, the development of chip-scale platforms has enabled compact integrated waveguides for supercontinuum generation. However, there is a critical need for an on-chip self-referencing system that is adaptive to different pump wavelengths, requires low pulse energy, and does not require complicated processing. Here, we demonstrate efficient $f_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{O}}$stabilization of a modelocked laser with only 107 pJ of pulse energy via self-referencing in an integrated lithium niobate waveguide. We realize an $f\text{-}2f$interferometer through second-harmonic generation and subsequent supercontinuum generation in a single dispersion-engineered waveguide with a stabilization performance equivalent to a conventional off-chip module. The $f_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{O}}$beatnote is measured over a pump wavelength range of 70 nm. We theoretically investigate our system using a single nonlinear envelope equation with contributions from both second- and third-order nonlinearities. Our modeling reveals rich ultrabroadband nonlinear dynamics and confirms that the initial second-harmonic generation followed by supercontinuum generation with the remaining pump is responsible for the generation of a strong $f_{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{E}\mathrm{O}}$signal as compared to a traditional $f\text{-}2f$interferometer. Our technology provides a highly simplified system that is robust, low in cost, and adaptable for precision metrology for use outside a research laboratory. 

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