Revealing the subfemtosecond dynamics of orbital angular momentum in nanoplasmonic vortices.

The ability of light to carry and deliver orbital angular momentum (OAM) in the form of optical vortices has attracted much interest. The physical properties of light with a helical wavefront can be confined onto two-dimensional surfaces with subwavelength dimensions in the form of plasmonic vortices, opening avenues for thus far unknown light-matter interactions. Because of their extreme rotational velocity, the ultrafast dynamics of such vortices remained unexplored. Here we show the detailed spatiotemporal evolution of nanovortices using time-resolved two-photon photoemission electron microscopy. We observe both long- and short-range plasmonic vortices confined to deep subwavelength dimensions on the scale of 100 nanometers with nanometer spatial resolution and subfemtosecond time-step resolution. Finally, by measuring the angular velocity of the vortex, we directly extract the OAM magnitude of light.

From Dark to Bright: First-Order Perturbation Theory with Analytical Mode Normalization for Plasmonic Nanoantenna Arrays Applied to Refractive Index Sensing.

We present a first-order perturbation theory to calculate the frequency shift and linewidth change of photonic resonances in one- and two-dimensional periodic structures under modifications of the surrounding refractive index. Our method is based on the resonant state expansion, for which we extend the analytical mode normalization to periodic structures. We apply this theory to calculate the sensitivity of bright dipolar and much darker quadrupolar plasmonic modes by determining the maximum shift and optimal sensing volume.

Towards integration of a liquid-filled fiber capillary for supercontinuum generation in the 1.2-2.4 µm range.

We demonstrate supercontinuum generation in unspliced as well as in integrated CS(2)-filled capillary fibers at different pump wavelengths of 1030 nm, 1510 nm, and 1685 nm. A novel method for splicing a liquid-filled capillary fiber to a standard single-mode optical fiber is presented. This method is based on mechanical splicing using a direct-laser written polymer ferrule using a femtosecond two-photon polymerization process. We maintain mostly single-mode operation despite the multi-mode capability of the liquid-filled capillaries. The generated supercontinua exhibit a spectral width of over 1200 nm and 1000 nm for core diameters of 5 µm and 10 µm, respectively. This is an increase of more than 50 percent compared to previously reported values in the literature due to improved dispersion properties of the capillaries.

Mid-infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy with a high-brilliance tunable laser source: investigating sample areas down to 5 µm diameter.

We demonstrate highly sensitive infrared spectroscopy of sample volumes close to the diffraction limit by coupling a femtosecond fiber-feedback optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to a conventional Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The high brilliance and long-term stable infrared radiation with 1e(2)-bandwidths up to 125 nm is easily tunable between 1.4 µm and 4.2 µm at 43 MHz repetition rate and thus enables rapid and low-noise infrared spectroscopy. We demonstrate this by measuring typical molecular vibrations in the range of 3 µm. Combined with surface-enhanced infrared spectroscopy, where the confined electromagnetic near-fields of resonantly excited metal nanoparticles are employed to enhance molecular vibrations, we realize the spectroscopic detection of a molecular monolayer of octadecanethiol. In comparison to conventional light sources and synchrotron radiation, our compact table-top OPO system features a significantly improved performance making it highly suitable for rapid analysis of minute amounts of molecular species in life science and medicine laboratories.

High-power femtosecond mid-infrared optical parametric oscillator at 7 µm based on CdSiP(2).

We report a femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) for the mid-infrared (mid-IR), generating a record average power of 110 mW at 7 µm. The OPO, based on CdSiP(2) (CSP) as the nonlinear crystal, provides idler wavelength tuning across 6540-7186 nm with spectral bandwidths >400 nm at -10 dB level over the entire range, and a maximum bandwidth of 478 nm at 6.9 µm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest average power generated from a femtosecond OPO in the deep mid-IR. The OPO also provides near-IR signal wavelengths tunable across 1204-1212 nm with a usable power of 450 mW in 418-fs pulses at 1207 nm. The simultaneously measured signal and idler power exhibit a passive stability better than 1.6% rms and 3% rms, respectively. A mid-IR idler spectral stability with a standard deviation of the frequency fluctuations better than 40 MHz over 15 min, limited by the measurement resolution, is realized. Using the mid-IR idler from the CSP OPO, we perform Fourier-transform spectroscopy to detect liquid phase organic solvent, toluene (C(7)H(8)), in the molecular fingerprint region.

Discrete wavelength selection for the optical readout of a metamaterial biosensing system for glucose concentration estimation via a support vector regression model.

In this contribution, a method to select discrete wavelengths that allow an accurate estimation of the glucose concentration in a biosensing system based on metamaterials is presented. The sensing concept is adapted to the particular application of ophthalmic glucose sensing by covering the metamaterial with a glucose-sensitive hydrogel and the sensor readout is performed optically. Due to the fact that in a mobile context a spectrometer is not suitable, few discrete wavelengths must be selected to estimate the glucose concentration. The developed selection methods are based on nonlinear support vector regression (SVR) models. Two selection methods are compared and it is shown that wavelengths selected by a sequential forward feature selection algorithm achieves an estimation improvement. The presented method can be easily applied to different metamaterial layouts and hydrogel configurations.

Dynamic modeling of the hydrogel molecular filter in a metamaterial biosensing system for glucose concentration estimation.

We present a novel concept for ophthalmic glucose sensing using a biosensing system that consists of plasmonic dipole metamaterial covered by a layer of functionalized hydrogel. The metamaterial together with the hydrogel can be integrated into a contact lens. This optical sensor changes its properties such as reflectivity upon the ambient glucose concentration, which allows in situ measurements in the eye. The functionalization of the sensor with hydrogel allows for a glucose-specific detection, providing both selectivity and sensitivity. As a result of the presented work we derive a dynamic model of the hydrogel that can be used for further simulation studies.

Generalized retarded response of nonlinear media and its influence on soliton dynamics.

We demonstrate by means of numerical simulations of the generalized Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation that the retarded response of a nonlinear medium embedded in a single hole of a photonic crystal fiber crucially affects the spectrum generated by ultrashort laser pulses. By introducing a hypothetic medium with fixed dispersion and nonlinearity and with a variable retarded response, we are able to separate the influence of the retarded response from other effects. We show that the fission length of a launched higher-order soliton dramatically increases if the characteristic time of the retarded response is close to the input pulse duration. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of the retarded response on the soliton self-frequency shift and find that the optimum input pulse duration for maximizing the spectral width has to be shortened for a larger characteristic retarded response time. Our work has important implications on future studies of spatiotemporal solitons in selectively liquid-filled photonic crystal fibers.

Ultrafast nonlinear optofluidics in selectively liquid-filled photonic crystal fibers.

Selective filling of photonic crystal fibers with different media enables a plethora of possibilities in linear and nonlinear optics. Using two-photon direct-laser writing we demonstrate full flexibility of individual closing of holes and subsequent filling of photonic crystal fibers with highly nonlinear liquids. We experimentally demonstrate solitonic supercontinuum generation over 600 nm bandwidth using a compact femtosecond oscillator as pump source. Encapsulating our fibers at the ends we realize a compact ultrafast nonlinear optofluidic device. Our work is fundamentally important to the field of nonlinear optics as it provides a new platform for investigations of spatio-temporal nonlinear effects and underpins new applications in sensing and communications. Selective filling of different linear and nonlinear liquids, metals, gases, gain media, and liquid crystals into photonic crystal fibers will be the basis of new reconfigurable and versatile optical fiber devices with unprecedented performance. Control over both temporal and spatial dispersion as well as linear and nonlinear coupling will lead to the generation of spatial-temporal solitons, so-called optical bullets.

Hydrogen sensor based on metallic photonic crystal slabs.

We present a hydrogen sensor based on metallic photonic crystal slabs. Tungsten trioxide (WO(3)) is used as a waveguide layer below an array of gold nanowires. Hydrogen exposure influences the optical properties of this photonic crystal arrangement by gasochromic mechanisms, where the photonic crystal geometry leads to sharp spectral resonances. Measurements reveal a change of the transmission depending on the hydrogen concentration. Theoretical limits for the detection range and sensitivity of this approach are discussed.

Fabrication method for microscopic vapor cells for alkali atoms.

A quantum network that consists of several components should ideally work on a single physical platform. Neutral alkali atoms have the potential to be very well suited for this purpose due to their electronic structure, which involves long-lived nuclear spins and very sensitive highly excited Rydberg states. In this Letter, we describe a fabrication method based on quartz glass to structure arbitrary shapes of microscopic vapor cells. We show that the usual spectroscopic properties known from macroscopic vapor cells are almost unaffected by the strong confinement.

Tapering fibers with complex shape.

We present a model which allows us to accurately simulate the fabrication process of complex-shaped tapered fibers. The range of possible profiles is only limited by the properties of the heat source used to shape the fiber. The model takes into account the motion of the heat source relative to the fiber as well as its temperature distribution. Our measurements and corresponding finite element method (FEM) simulations have shown a strong dependency of the temperature distribution along the fiber axis on the actual diameter of the fiber. The inclusion of this relation in the model proved to be crucial for the accuracy of the results. Our model has been verified experimentally by fabricating tapered fibers with a sinusoidally modulated waist. A comparison to the profile predicted by our model reveals an excellent agreement.

Thermal lensing in an end-pumped Yb:KGW slab laser with high power single emitter diodes.

We demonstrate that it is possible to pump an Ng-cut Yb:KGW crystal slab with up to 18W by a single emitter laser diode and still achieve a nearly diffraction limited output beam with a M(2) value below M(2) < 1.1 and optical to optical efficiencies of more than 44%. Furthermore, we have measured the focal length of thermally induced lenses in an Yb:KGW crystal slab which was end-pumped by 12 W and 18 W single-emitter diodes. We have observed that the focal lengths not only depend on the pump power and beam waists, but are also dependent on the specific diode beam profile, as well as the collimation optics. We have been able to correlate this behavior with specific patterns of the beam profile.

Amplitude- and phase-resolved optical near fields of split-ring-resonator-based metamaterials.

We investigate the local optical response of split-ring resonator-(SRR)-based metamaterials with an apertureless scanning near-field optical microscope. By mapping the near fields of suitably resonant micrometer-sized SRRs in the near-infrared spectral region with an uncoated silicon tip, we obtain a spatial resolution of better than lambda/50. The experimental results confirm numerical predictions of the near-field excitations of SRRs. Combining experimental near-field optical studies with near- and far-field optical simulations provides a detailed understanding of resonance mechanisms in subwavelength structures and will facilitate an efficient approach to improved designs.

Near-field-induced tunability of surface plasmon polaritons in composite metallic nanostructures.

We numerically study near-field-induced coupling effects in metal nanowire-based composite nanostructures. Our multi-layer system is composed of individual gold nanowires supporting localized particle plasmons at optical wavelengths, and a spatially separated homogeneous silver slab supporting delocalized surface plasmons. We show that the localized plasmon modes of the composite structure, forming so-called magnetic atoms, can be controlled over a large spectral range by changing the thickness of the nearby metal slab. The optical response of single-wire and array-based metallic structures are compared. Spectral shifts due to wire-mirror interaction as well as the coupling between localized and delocalized surface plasmon modes in a magnetic photonic crystal are demonstrated. The presented effects are important for the optimization of metal-based nanodevices and may lead to the realization of metamaterials with novel plasmonic functionalities.

Correlation effects in disordered metallic photonic crystal slabs.

We analyze the influence of correlations on the optical properties of disordered metallic photonic crystal slabs experimentally and theoretically. Different disorder models with different nearest-neighbor correlations are considered. We present a theory that allows us to quantitatively calculate the optical properties of the different samples. We find that different kinds of correlations produce characteristic spectral features such as peak reduction and inhomogeneous broadening. These features are caused by reduced excitation efficiencies and the excitation of multiple resonances.

Coherence of subsequent supercontinuum pulses generated in tapered fibers in the femtosecond regime.

We measure the degree of coherence of supercontinua generated in tapered fibers by subsequent fs pulses. By means of interference experiments we study its dependence on the input pulse duration and power. We also present numerical simulations that allow us to explain the experimental observations which show a decreasing degree of coherence with increasing input power. We attribute this loss of coherence to phase noise due to the cross-phase modulation by several solitons with randomly varying parameters due to quantum noise.

Compact portable 20 MHz solid-state femtosecond whitelight-laser.

We demonstrate a new and extremely compact design for a directly diode-pumped Yb:glass laser oscillator that is used as femtosecond light source for supercontinuum generation. The laser is capable of generating femtosecond pulses of 150 fs and pulse energies up to 39 nJ at a repetition rate of 20 MHz. By using a Herriott-type multi-pass cell, 70 % of the total resonator length are folded to only 30 cm. With off-the-shelf components, our setup has a footprint of 62x23 cm(2). Using smaller mechanical components, the size can easily be further decreased. In combination with a tapered fiber, the laser forms a cheap, stable, and compact femtosecond supercontinuum source with up to 400 mW of average whitelight power.

Phase evolution of solitonlike optical pulses during excitonic Rabi flopping in a semiconductor.

We demonstrate that the temporal pulse phase remains essentially unaltered before separate phase characteristics are developed when propagating high-intensity pulses coherently on the exciton resonance of an optically thick semiconductor. This behavior is a clear manifestation of self-induced transmission and pulse breakup into soliton-like pulses due to Rabi flopping of the carrier density. Experiments using a novel fast-scan cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating (XFROG) method are in good agreement with numerical calculations based on the semiconductor Bloch equations.

Tailoring the ultrafast dephasing of quasiparticles in metallic photonic crystals.

The ultrafast dephasing of waveguide-plasmon polaritons in metallic photonic crystal slabs is investigated in the femtosecond regime by second-order nonlinear autocorrelation. We find a drastic modification of the dephasing rates due to interaction between localized particle plasmons and optical waveguide modes and subsequent modification of the photonic density of states. In the strong coupling regime our measurements give clear evidence for the appearance of ultrafast polaritonic beat phenomena. All experimental results agree well with theoretical simulations based on a coupled damped harmonic oscillator model.