Reversal of crystallization in cryoprotected samples by laser editing.

Advances in cryobiology techniques commonly target either the cooling or the warming cycle, while little thought has been given to ≪repair≫ protocols applicable during cold storage. In particular, crystallization is the dominant threat to cryopreserved samples but proceeds from small nuclei that are innocuous if further growth is forestalled. To this end, we propose a laser editing technique that locally heats individual crystals above their melting point by a focused nanosecond pulse, followed by amorphization during rapid resolidification. As a reference, we first apply the approach to ice crystals in cryoprotected solution and use Raman confocal mapping to study the deactivation of crystalline order. Then, we examine dimethyl sulfoxide trihydrate crystals that can germinate at low temperatures in maximally freeze concentrated regions, as commonly produced by equilibrium cooling protocols. We show how to uniquely identify this phase from Raman spectra and evidence retarded growth of laser-edited crystals during warming.

Fiber Bragg grating inscription assisted by a spatial light modulator.

In this Letter, we proposed a new technique for point-by-point fiber Bragg grating (FBG) writing in a static fiber by using a spatial light modulator to control the position of the focal point inside the fiber core. Various types of short-length FBGs (uniform, phase-shifted, and apodized) were demonstrated by this inscription technique. Moreover, the capability to tailor the transverse dimension of a grating pitch from a single point to more complex shapes, such as a wide plane covering a whole fiber core or a transverse ring, was shown.

Thermalization of Orbital Angular Momentum Beams in Multimode Optical Fibers.

We report on the thermalization of light carrying orbital angular momentum in multimode optical fibers, induced by nonlinear intermodal interactions. A generalized Rayleigh-Jeans distribution of asymptotic mode composition is obtained, based on the conservation of the angular momentum. We confirm our predictions by numerical simulations and experiments based on holographic mode decomposition of multimode beams. Our work establishes new constraints for the achievement of spatial beam self-cleaning, giving previously unforeseen insights into the underlying physical mechanisms.

Statistical mechanics of beam self-cleaning in GRIN multimode optical fibers.

Since its first demonstration in graded-index multimode fibers, spatial beam self-cleaning has attracted a growing research interest. It allows for the propagation of beams with a bell-shaped spatial profile, thus enabling the use of multimode fibers for several applications, from biomedical imaging to high-power beam delivery. So far, beam self-cleaning has been experimentally studied under several different experimental conditions. Whereas it has been theoretically described as the irreversible energy transfer from high-order modes towards the fundamental mode, in analogy with a beam condensation mechanism. Here, we provide a comprehensive theoretical description of beam self-cleaning, by means of a semi-classical statistical mechanics model of wave thermalization. This approach is confirmed by an extensive experimental characterization, based on a holographic mode decomposition technique, employing laser pulses with temporal durations ranging from femtoseconds up to nanoseconds. An excellent agreement between theory and experiments is found, which demonstrates that beam self-cleaning can be fully described in terms of the basic conservation laws of statistical mechanics.

Helical plasma filaments from the self-channeling of intense femtosecond laser pulses in optical fibers: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains a correction to Opt. Lett.47, 1 (2022)10.1364/OL.445321.

Helical plasma filaments from the self-channeling of intense femtosecond laser pulses in optical fibers.

We experimentally and numerically study the ignition of helical-shaped plasma filaments in standard optical fibers. Femtosecond pulses with megawatt peak power with proper off-axis and tilted coupling in the fiber core produce plasma skew rays. These last for distances as long as 1000 wavelengths thanks to a combination of linear waveguiding and the self-channeling effect. Peculiar is the case of graded-index multimode fibers; here the spatial self-imaging places constraints on the helix pitch. These results may find applications for fabricating fibers with helical-shaped core micro-structuration as well as for designing laser components and three-dimensional optical memories.

Multimode LD-pumped all-fiber Raman laser with excellent quality of 2nd-order Stokes output beam at 1019†nm.

A multimode all-fiber Raman laser enabling cascaded generation of high-quality 1019-nm output beam at direct pumping by highly-multimode (M2>30) 940-nm laser diodes has been demonstrated. The laser is made of a 100/140 graded-index fiber with special in-fiber Bragg gratings which secure sequential generation of the 1st (976 nm) and 2nd (1019 nm) Stokes orders. Comparing different 1019-nm cavity structures shows that the half-open cavity with one FBG and distributed feedback via random Rayleigh backscattering provides excellent quality (M2∼1.3) with higher slope efficiency of pump-to-2nd Stokes conversion than in the conventional 2-FBG cavity. The maximum achieved slope efficiency amounts to about 40% at output powers of up to 12 W limited by the 3rd Stokes generation.

Raman dissipative solitons generator near 1.3 mkm: limiting factors and further perspectives.

Raman dissipative solitons (RDS) have been investigated numerically. It was found that the area of stable generation is bounded in terms of pump spectral bandwidth and pulse energy. Existing optimum is strongly affected by the net cavity dispersion. The spectral bandwidth of the generated RDS linearly depends on its energy and reaches more than 50 nm in the 5-meters long cavity. Developed numerical model reproduces all the effects observed experimentally. It predicts ability to generate high-quality pulses with energy up to 6 nJ compressible down to ∼100 fs duration. The work shows that RDS generation technique can produce high-energy ultrashort pulses at wavelengths not covered by typical active mediums.

Hierarchical anti-reflective laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) on amorphous Si films for sensing applications.

Here, we applied direct laser-induced periodic surface structuring to drive the phase transition of amorphous silicon (a-Si) into nanocrystalline (nc) Si imprinted as regular arrangement of Si nanopillars passivated with a SiO2 layer. By varying the laser beam scanning speed at a fixed pulse energy, we successfully tailored the resulting unique surface morphology of the formed LIPSSs that change from ordered arrangement of conical protrusions to highly uniform surface gratings, where sub-wavelength scale ripples decorate the valleys between near-wavelength scale ridges. Along with the surface morphology, the nc-Si/SiO2 volume ratio can also be controlled via laser processing parameters allowing the tailoring of the optical properties of the produced textured surfaces to achieve anti-reflection performance or partial transmission in the visible spectral range. Diverse hierarchical LIPSSs can be fabricated and replicated over large-scale areas opening a pathway for various applications including optical sensors, nanoscale temperature management, and solar light harvesting. By taking advantage of good wettability, enlarged surface area and remarkable light-trapping characteristics of the produced hierarchical morphologies, we demonstrated the first LIPSS-based surface enhanced fluorescent sensor that allowed the identification of metal cations providing a sub-nM detection limit unachievable by conventional fluorescence measurements in solutions.

Frequency doubling of multimode diode-pumped GRIN-fiber Raman lasers.

Frequency doubling of multimode diode-pumped GRIN-fiber Raman laser with improved beam quality (M2=1.9-2.6 depending on configuration) in a simple single-pass scheme with 5-mm PPLN crystal is studied. After scheme optimization and elimination of back reflection and crystal heating effects, an efficient conversion into blue spectral range with output power of about 0.4 W@488 nm and 0.64 W@477 nm has been demonstrated.

All-fiber holmium distributed feedback laser at 2.07 µm.

In this Letter, we present the results on fabrication and investigation of a holmium (Ho) distributed fiber laser based on a π-phase-shifted FBG inscribed in a heavily Ho-doped fiber by IR femtosecond laser pulses. Single-polarization and single-transverse mode operation regimes were observed with a linewidth of the order of 10 kHz and output power up to 53 mW at 2.07 µm. Lasing regimes are compared for room and cryogenic (77 K) temperatures of the laser cavity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first realization of such type of fiber laser based on holmium active medium.

Hydrodynamic 2D Turbulence and Spatial Beam Condensation in Multimode Optical Fibers.

We show that Kerr beam self-cleaning results from parametric mode mixing instabilities that generate a number of nonlinearly interacting modes with randomized phases-optical wave turbulence, followed by a direct and inverse cascade towards high mode numbers and condensation into the fundamental mode, respectively. This optical self-organization effect is an analogue to wave condensation that is well known in hydrodynamic 2D turbulence.

Random Raman fiber laser based on a twin-core fiber with FBGs inscribed by femtosecond radiation.

Narrowband Raman lasing in a polarization-maintaining two-core fiber (TCF) is demonstrated. Femtosecond point-by-point inscription of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) in individual cores produces a half-open cavity with random distributed feedback. The laser linewidth in the cavity with a single FBG inscribed in one core of the TCF reduced by ∼2 times with respect to the cavity with a fiber loop mirror. It is shown that the inscription of two FBGs in different cores leads to the formation of a Michelson-type interferometer, leading to the modulation of generation spectra near threshold. This technique offers new possibilities for spectral filtering or multi-wavelength generation.

Publisher Correction: Wave kinetics of random fibre lasers.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7214.

Oxide composition and period variation of thermochemical LIPSS on chromium films with different thickness.

In this paper, we present the results of thermochemical LIPSS formation on a chromium film with a thickness in the range of 28-350 nm induced by femtosecond laser radiation (λ = 1026 nm, ν = 200 kHz, τ = 232 fs). The period, height, morphology and chemical composition of TLIPSS as a function of the metal film thickness and focusing configuration are investigated. The growth of TLIPSS period from 678 nm to 950 nm with increasing thickness of the film has been explained by a formation of oxides with different stoichiometry composition. So, the CrO2 oxide prevails in the composition for the case of TLIPSS formed on thin films which have the minimal period, whereas Cr2O3 oxide is dominant in the case of TLIPSS formed on thick chromium films which have the maximal period value. The results obtained are in agreement with numerical modeling of a period defined by the interference between an incident radiation and a scattered one from a single oxide ridge with a different chemical composition.

Raman fiber laser with random distributed feedback based on a twin-core fiber.

An operation of a linearly polarized Raman fiber laser with random distributed feedback based on a polarization-maintaining twin-core fiber (TCF) is demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The results indicate that the TCF allows one to obtain laser generation with a linewidth that is about five times smaller than that for the random laser based on a conventional fiber with similar parameters. The reasons for narrowing include both the weakening of nonlinear effects due to the power density reduction and the spectrally selective properties of the TCF.

Nearly single-mode Raman lasing at 954 nm in a graded-index fiber directly pumped by a multimode laser diode.

High beam quality and narrow spectrum have been obtained in a Raman fiber laser based on a 1.1 km long graded-index fiber directly pumped by a multimode 915 nm laser diode. The generation of a near-diffraction-limited beam at 954 nm with M2≤1.27 and Δλ=0.42 nm at an output power above 10 W is enabled by a cavity mirror made of a special fiber Bragg grating inscribed by a femtosecond technique in the central part of the graded-index fiber core.

Multi-peak structure of generation spectrum of random distributed feedback fiber Raman lasers.

We study spectral features of the generation of random distributed feedback fiber Raman laser arising from two-peak shape of the Raman gain spectral profile realized in the germanosilicate fibers. We demonstrate that number of peaks can be calculated using power balance model considering different subcomponents within each Stokes component.

Femtosecond point-by-point inscription of Bragg gratings by drawing a coated fiber through ferrule.

A ferrule-based method of direct fs FBG inscription through protective plastic coating is demonstrated. Fluctuations of fiber core position relative to the writing fs beam are compensated by the developed auto-alignment system. As a result, high-quality FBGs with length from 0.1 to 50 mm are fabricated in polyimide-coated fibers, whose spectra are well described by the theory. The fabricated FBGs have great potential in sensor applications at high temperature and harsh environments both point-action and distributed ones.

Fifty-ps Raman fiber laser with hybrid active-passive mode locking.

Actively mode locked Raman lasing in a ring PM-fiber cavity pumped by a linearly polarized Yb-doped fiber laser is studied. At co-propagating pumping, a stochastic pulse with duration defined by the AOM switching time (~15 ns) is generated with the round-trip period. At counter-propagating pumping, one or several sub-ns pulses (within the AOM switching envelope) are formed. It has been found that the formation of such stable multi-pulse structure is defined by the single-pulse energy limit (~20 nJ) set by the second-order Raman generation. Adding a NPE-based saturable absorber in the actively mode locked cavity, results in sufficient shortening of the generated pulses both in single- and multi-pulse regimes (down to 50 ps). A model is developed adequately describing the regimes.