We perform infrared imaging upconversion of a coherent signal at 1550 nm using a spatially shaped pump. Our experimental and simulation results demonstrate that the use of a uniform pump beam (flat-top) can enhance the number of spatially resolved elements due to the better spatial distribution of the energy compared to the gaussian beam for which the finite transverse aperture of the crystal limits the suitable waist without being cut by the crystal. With a 1 × 1.5 mm2 aperture crystal, we could convert 170 modes with a 400 μm radius flat-top pump against 156 with a 330 µm radius gaussian pump.
We report on mid-infrared supercontinuum generation from 4 to 9 µm in orientation-patterned gallium-arsenide waveguides pumped by nanojoule-class ultrafast fiber lasers. The QPM waveguide and the laser source are optimized in tandem to pump the waveguides close to the degeneracy by means of sub-picosecond pulses at 2760 nm. The use of a waveguide geometry drastically reduces the required energy to the nanojoule level, thereby opening supercontinuum generation in GaAs platforms to fiber lasers.
We present an active imaging system using an upconversion detection scheme to detect the infrared light with a low noise visible camera. The system comprises one single fiber amplification chain to generate both the illumination pulse signal at 2 µm and the pump pulse at 1.55 µm for sum-frequency generation in a PPLN crystal. The 10 nm wide pump spectrum expands the phase matching condition of the system and increases the number of spatial modes signal up to 128x128 pixels, compatible with active imaging requirements. The whole setup is movable and we will present images from outdoor scenes.
We report on the design of OP-GaAs rib waveguides for frequency conversion in the mid-infrared and explore their performances for parametric generation. The samples used are between 10 and 25 mm long and exhibit quasi-phasematched (QPM) periods from 85 to 100 μm. The waveguides are pumped by a femtosecond erbium-doped fluoride fiber laser combined with a soliton self-frequency shift converter delivering sub-300 fs pulses at a wavelength tunable between 2.8 and 3.3 μm. By adjusting the pump wavelength, our OP-GaAs platform can produce ultrashort pulses widely tunable around 4 and 12 μm for the signal and idler, respectively. These results fit quite well our calculations of QPM curves.
Near-infrared imaging InGaAs sensors show lower performances in term of noise and sensitivity compared to silicon based cameras. Image frequency conversion from near-infrared to visible wavelengths by nonlinear parametric sumfrequency mixing in a χ(2) medium should increase detection performances in active imaging applied to long range target identification. For such applications, both energy conservation and phase matching conditions are ideally suited to efficient upconversion. Nevertheless, the available resolution still hampers the development of upconversion imagers.
In this paper, we upconvert images provided by 1.5 μm collimated continuous wave lasers illuminating resolution targets and small objects. Using a 2.7 nm wide pump spectrum at 1064 nm, we resolve 56x64 spatial elements whereas we obtained only 16x19 spatial elements with a narrow spectrum pump laser at 1064 nm with the same beam diameter and 8x8 spatial elements with a 0.5 mm thick crystal. These results are compatible with long range target recognition. A laboratory scale experiment of active imaging of diffusive objects is shown as an illustration.
Through the European Defence Agency, the Joint Investment Programme on CBRN protection funded the project AMURFOCAL to address detection at stand-off distances with amplified quantum cascade laser technology in the longwave infrared spectral range, where chemical agents have specific absorptions features.
An instrument was developed based on infrared backscattering spectroscopy. We realized a pulsed laser system with a fast tunability from 8 to 10 μm using an external-cavity quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL) and optical parametric amplification (OPA). The EC-QCL is tunable from 8 to 10 μm and delivers output peak powers up to 500 mW. The peak power is amplified with high gain in an orientation-patterned gallium arsenide (OP-GaAs) nonlinear crystal. We developed a pulsed fiber laser acousto-optically tunable from 1880 to 1980 nm with output peak powers up to 7 kW as pump source to realize an efficient quasi-phase matched OPA without any mechanical or thermal action onto the nonlinear crystal. Mixing the EC-QCL and the pump beams within the OP-GaAs crystal and tuning the pump wavelength enables parametric amplification of the EC-QCL from 8 to 10 μm leading to up to 120 W peak power. The output is transmitted to a target at a distance of 10 – 20 m. A receiver based on a broadband infrared detector comprises a few detector elements. A 3D data cube is registered by wavelength tuning the laser emission while recording a synchronized signal received from the target. The presentation will describe the AMURFOCAL instrument, its functional units and its principles of operation.
Within the framework of the first European Defence Agency (EDA) call for protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats (CBRN Protection) we established a project on active multispectral reflection fingerprinting of persistent chemical agents (AMURFOCAL). A first paper on the project AMURFOCAL has been issued last year on the SPIE conference in Warsaw, Poland. This follow up paper will be accompanied by an additional paper that deals specifically with the aspect of the 100 W-level peak power laser system tunable in the LWIR. In order to close a capability gap and to achieve detection at stand-off distances our consortium built a high peak power pulsed laser system with fast tunability from 8 to 10 μm using an external-cavity quantum cascade laser and optical parametric amplification. This system had to be tested against different substances on various surfaces with different angles of inclination to evaluate the ability for an active stand-off technology with an eye-safe laser system to detect small amounts of hazardous substances and residues. The scattered light from the background surface interferes with the signal originating from the persistent chemicals. To account for this additional difficulty new software based on neutral networks was developed for evaluation. The paper describes the basic setup of the instrument and the experiments as well as some first results for this technology.
Remote detection of toxic chemicals of very low vapour pressure deposited on surfaces in form of liquid films, droplets or powder is a capability that is needed to protect operators and equipment in chemical warfare scenarios and in industrial environments. Infrared spectroscopy is a suitable means to support this requirement. Available instruments based on passive emission spectroscopy have difficulties in discriminating the infrared emission spectrum of the surface background from that of the contamination. Separation of background and contamination is eased by illuminating the surface with a spectrally tune-able light source and by analyzing the reflectivity spectrum.
The project AMURFOCAL (Active Multispectral Reflection Fingerprinting of Persistent Chemical Agents) has the research topic of stand-off detection and identification of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) with amplified quantum cascade laser technology in the long-wave infrared spectral range. The project was conducted under the Joint Investment Programme (JIP) on CBRN protection funded through the European Defence Agency (EDA).
The AMURFOCAL instrument comprises a spectrally narrow tune-able light source with a broadband infrared detector and chemometric data analysis software. The light source combines an external cavity quantum cascade laser (EC-QCL) with an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) to boost the peak output power of a short laser pulse tune-able over the infrared fingerprint region. The laser beam is focused onto a target at a distance between 10 and 20 m. A 3D data cube is registered by tuning the wavelength of the laser emission while recording the received signal scattered off the target using a multi-element infrared detector. A particular chemical is identified through the extraction of its characteristic spectral fingerprint out of the measured data.
The paper describes the AMURFOCAL instrument, its functional units, and its principles of operation.
We report on the first single-frequency nanosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) emitting in the longwave infrared, and use it to perform standoff detection of ammonia vapor by differential spectrometry. The OPO is based on orientation-patterned GaAs (OP-GaAs) pumped by a pulsed single-frequency Tm:YAP microlaser. Single-longitudinal mode emission is obtained owing to a nested cavity OPO (NesCOPO) scheme. The OPO is tuned over 700 nm around 10.4 μm, allowing to measure the absorption spectrum of ammonia across several lines at atmospheric pressure. The potential of this OPO for standoff detection of hazardous gases is also discussed.
We report the first realization of low-loss orientation-patterned gallium antimonide waveguides for frequency conversion in the mid-infrared. Planar waveguide structures were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on periodically patterned gallium arsenide templates prepared by wafer bonding. Ridge waveguides were designed and fabricated from the planar structures. Record losses of 0.73 dB/cm in periodically oriented waveguides were measured at 2 μm.
We present our results on the first nanosecond single-frequency optical parametric oscillator (OPO) emitting in the
longwave infrared. It is based on orientation-patterned GaAs (OP-GaAs), and can be pumped by a pulsed singlefrequency
Tm:YAP microlaser thanks to its low oscillation threshold of 10 μJ. Stable single-longitudinal mode emission
of the OPO is obtained owing to Vernier spectral filtering provided by its nested cavity OPO (NesCOPO) scheme.
Crystal temperature tuning covers the 10.3-10.9 μm range with a single quasi-phase-matching period of 72.6 μm. Shortrange
standoff detection of ammonia vapor around 10.4 μm is performed with this source. We believe that this
achievement paves the way to differential absorption lidars in the LWIR with increased robustness and reduced footprint.
The fast growing market of organic electronics, including organic photovoltaics (OPV), stimulates the development of
versatile technologies for structuring thin-film materials. Ultraviolet lasers have proven their full potential for patterning
single organic layers, but in a multilayer organic device the obtained layer selectivity is limited as all organic layers show
high UV absorption. In this paper, we introduce mid-infrared (IR) resonant ablation as an alternative approach, in which
a short pulse mid-infrared laser can be wavelength tuned to one of the molecular vibrational transitions of the organic
material to be ablated. As a result, the technique is selective in respect of processing a diversity of organics, which
usually have different infrared absorption bands. Mid-IR resonant ablation is demonstrated for a variety of organic thin
films, employing both nanosecond (15 ns) and picosecond (250 ps) laser pulses tunable between 3 and 4 microns. The
nanosecond experimental set-up is based on a commercial laser at 1064 nm pumping a singly resonant Optical
Parametric Oscillator (OPO) built around a Periodically-Poled Lithium Niobate (PPLN) crystal with several Quasi-Phase
Matching (QPM) periods, delivering more than 0.3 W of mid-IR power, corresponding to 15 μJ pulses. The picosecond
laser set-up is based on Optical Parametric Amplification (OPA) in a similar crystal, allowing for a comparison between
both pulse length regimes.
The wavelength of the mid-infrared laser can be tuned to one of the molecular vibrational transitions of the organic
material to be ablated. For that reason, the IR absorption spectra of the organic materials used in a typical OPV device
were characterized in the wavelength region that can be reached by the laser setups. Focus was on OPV substrate
materials, transparent conductive materials, hole transport materials, and absorber materials. The process has been
successfully demonstrated for selective thin film patterning, and the influence of the various laser parameters is
discussed.
Due to a wide transparency range (0.9-17 μm), a low absorption loss (~ 0.01 cm-1), and a laser damage threshold
comparable to ZGP crystals (~ 2 J/cm2), combined with excellent nonlinear, thermal and mechanical properties,
quasi-phase-matched orientation-patterned gallium arsenide (OP-GaAs) crystals are well adapted for efficient
mid-infrared optical parametric oscillators (OPOs).
The paper discusses the best results obtained, to our knowledge, with an OP-GaAs OPO pumped by a Qswitched
2.09 μm Ho3+:YAG laser. The compact (33 × 48 cm) high-repetition rate source developed allows to
achieve 4.0 W of average output power in the 3-5 μm range at 40 kHz repetition rate with a 45 % slope
efficiency and a very good beam quality (M2 < 1.8). 6.4 W were obtained at 70 kHz with a 51 % slope
efficiency, and 7.7 W at 100 kHz with a 46 % slope efficiency. At 40 kHz and 70 kHz, an optical damage
occurred at a fluence of 1.9 J/cm2 and 1.5 J/cm2 respectively. The power is limited by the OP-GaAs crystal
thickness and is expected to be scaled in thicker samples recently fabricated.
Among quasi-phase matching (QPM) materials, PPLN suffers from a limited transparency, strongly limiting both the
output power and the beam quality above 4 μm. We are developing a new QPM technology based on Orientation-
Patterned Gallium Arsenide (OP-GaAs) crystals, transparent up to 16 μm and showing excellent nonlinear and thermal
properties and very low losses (<0.02 cm-1).
We demonstrated with such samples a high-repetition rate tunable OPO attractively pumped by a remote Thulium fiber
laser and integrated in a 25×30×6 cm transportable head. A 3 W level output in the 3-5 μm range was obtained with a
53% efficiency and an unprecedented beam quality (M2=1.4), making this module most suited to study directed infrared
countermeasures (DIRCM).
In this article we address the design and exploitation of a real field laboratory demonstrator combining active
polarimetric and multispectral modes in a single acquisition. Its buildings blocks, including a multi-wavelength
pulsed optical parametric oscillator at emission side, and a hyperspectral imager with polarimetric capability at
reception side, are described. The results obtained with this demonstrator are illustrated on some examples and
discussed.
To enhance discrimination of UV-laser-induced-fluorescence based bio-aerosol-detection-system, a UV-laser is described that allows multiple wavelength excitation of bio-aerosols and both fluorescence spectral and time-decay analysis. The latter requiring sub-ns pulse duration, a two-stage-amplifier boosts a 20-µJ-1064-nm-500-ps-actively-Q-Switch microchip-oscillator output energy up to 2.5 mJ. After frequency doubling and beam splitting, 20-µJ-293-and-337-nm pulses are generated by two different periodically-poled-KTP (parametric generation) and BBO (frequency doubling) crystal arrangements. In order to get distinct fluorescence signals for each wavelength, the beams are then time-delayed with two optical fibers of different lengths and launched into a chamber for bio-aerosol excitation connected to a fast detection system.
Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) could permit fast early warning systems either for point or stand-off detection if a reliable classification of warfare biological agents versus biological or non-biological fluorescing background can be achieved. In order to improve LIF discrimination capability, a new system is described in which the fluorescence pattern is enriched by the use of multiple wavelength delayed excitation while usual spectral fluorescence analysis is extended to time domain to use both aspects as criteria for classification. General considerations and guidelines for the system design are given as well as results showing good discrimination between background and simulants.
Nonlinear optical materials play a key role in the development of coherent sources of radiation as they permit the
frequency conversion of mature solid-state lasers into spectral ranges where lasers do not exist or perform poorly. The
availability of efficient quasi-phasematched infrared materials is thus considered as important for the development of
several optronics applications.
This paper will review the recent progresses achieved with thick Orientation-Patterned GaAs structures. We will present
results obtained in growing a 500 μm thick layer on 2 cm long structures with low optical losses (less than 0.02 cm-1).
This loss coefficient is low enough to allow the operation of a highly efficient GaAs OPO in the Mid-IR range.
Nonlinear optical materials play a key role in the development of coherent sources of radiation as they permit the
frequency conversion of mature solid-state lasers into spectral ranges where lasers do not exist or perform poorly. The
availability of efficient quasi-phasematched infrared materials is thus considered as important for the development of
several defense optronics applications.
This paper will review the recent progresses we achieved with thick Orientation Patterned-GaAs structures. We will
present results obtained in growing thick-layer (500 µm) on 2 cm long structures with very low optical losses (less than
0.02 cm-1). This loss coefficient is low enough to allow the realization of a high power OPO in the MIR band.
Fluorescence induced by ultraviolet laser light has shown a strong potential to help detect and identify hazardous bioaerosols. After several demonstrations limited to standard 266 nm or 355 nm sources, recent developments emphasized the advantages of tunable excitation or time-resolved experiments to increase discrimination capabilities. Taking advantage of the recent availability of frequency converting crystals with unprecedented efficiency, we present a three-stage laser design suited to the generation of 500 picoseconds pulses of several microjoules ruggedly tunable from 290 to 350 nm.
A compact laboratory demonstrator providing both active polarimetric and multispectral images is designed. Its
buildings blocks include, at emission part, a multi-wavelength optical parametric oscillator and, at the reception part, a
polarimetric hyperspectral imager. Some of the results obtained with this system are illustrated and discussed. In
particular, we show that a multispectral polarimetric image brings additional information on the scene, especially when
interpreted in conjunction with its counterpart intensity image, since these two images are complementary in most cases.
Moreover, although hyperspectral imaging might be mandatory for recognition of small targets, we evidence that the
number of channels can be limited to a set of few wavelengths as far as target detection is considered.
Nonlinear optical materials play a key role in the development of coherent sources of radiation as they permit the frequency conversion of mature solid-state lasers into spectral ranges where lasers do not exist or perform poorly. The availability of efficient Quasi-Phase-Matched infrared materials is thus considered as important for the development of several defense optronics applications. This paper will review the progress we achieved so far with periodically oriented Gallium Arsenide.
We propose to review two concepts that can be used for target detection and identification in optronic systems: lidar-radar and multipectral polarimetric active imaging.
The lidar-radar concept uses an optically pre-amplified intensity modulated lidar, where the modulation frequency is in the microwave domain (1-10 GHz). Such a system permits to combine directivity of laser beams with mature radar processing. As an intensity modulated or dual-frequency laser beam is directed onto a target, the backscattered intensity is collected by an optical system, pass through an optical preamplifier, and is detected on a high speed photodiode in a direct detection scheme. A radar type processing permits then to extract range, speed and profile of the target for identification purposes. The association of spatially multimode amplifier and direct detection allows low sensitivity to atmospheric turbulence and large field of view. We present here the analysis of a lidar-radar that uses a radar waveform dedicated to range resolution. Preliminary experimental results are presented and discussed.
For the multispectral polarization active imaging concept, the acquisition, at different wavelengths, of images coded in intensity and in degree of polarization enables to get information about the spectral signature of targets as well as their polarization properties. A theoretical analysis and a experimental validation of this technique are presented. Preliminary experiments, using a monostatic configuration, will be also presented.
Combining active multispectral and polarimetric imaging significantly enhances detection capability of very low contrast targets through the control of both the polarization state and the wavelength of the illumination light. However, increasing the operation range of the imaging system relies on the use of coherent sources, such as lasers and optical parametric oscillators, to illuminate the scene, leading to a dramatic decrease of the image quality due mainly to speckle noise. In order to investigate the benefits and drawbacks brought by coherent illumination, a preliminary laboratory demonstrator of an active multispectral polarimetric imager has been designed to operate with both polarized natural light and coherent sources. The orthogonal state contrast images recorded at different wavelengths in both configurations (coherent and non-coherent) clearly demonstrate the benefits of using active illumination of the scene to discriminate between real and fake targets and also to reveal very low contrast objects. Noise characteristics of polarimetric images under coherent illumination are also investigated. In particular the study of noise statistics of recorded images shows that the actual distribution of noise is log-normal. As a result, the so-called "natural" representation of the polarimetric image offers important advantages in terms of image processing. Indeed, if the intensity image is perturbed with multiplicative noise, the noise in the image with natural representation has uniform variance and is quasi-gaussian. The potential increase of target detection performance brought by properly processing the active polarimetric image is illustrated on a very low contrast scene.
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