Contents
2021
Volume: 19 Issue 7
20 Article(s)

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Reviews
Fiber optics and optical communications
Recent advance in hollow-core fiber high-temperature and high-pressure sensing technology [Invited]
Zhe Zhang, Yingying Wang, Min Zhou, Jun He, Changrui Liao, and Yiping Wang
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 070601 (2021)
Microwave Photonics
RF self-interference cancellation by using photonic technology [Invited] | EIC Choice Award , Editors' Pick
Xiuyou Han, Xinxin Su, Shuanglin Fu, Yiying Gu, Zhenlin Wu, Xiaozhou Li, and Mingshan Zhao
Radio frequency (RF) self-interference is a key issue for the application of in-band full-duplex communication in beyond fifth generation and sixth generation communications. Compared with electronic technology, photonic technology has the advantages of wide bandwidth and high tuning precision, exhibiting great potential to realize high interference cancellation depth over broad band. In this paper, a comprehensive overview of photonic enabled RF self-interference cancellation (SIC) is presented. The operation principle of photonic RF SIC is introduced, and the advances in implementing photonic RF SIC according to the realization mechanism of phase reversal are summarized. For further realistic applications, the multipath RF SIC and the integrated photonic RF SIC are also surveyed. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of photonic RF SIC technology are discussed.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 073901 (2021)
Research Articles
Biophotonics
Compact long-working-distance laser-diode-based photoacoustic microscopy with a reflective objective
Lijun Deng, Qi Chen, Yang Bai, Guodong Liu, Lüming Zeng, and Xuanrong Ji
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) has quickly developed into a noninvasive biomedical imaging technique to achieve detection, diagnosis, and monitoring. Compared with Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet or optical parametric oscillator lasers, a low-cost and small-size laser diode (LD) used as an alternative light source is conducive to achieving the miniaturization and integration for preclinical transformation. However, the LD’s low peak output power needs the high numerical aperture objective to attain tight focus, which limits the working distance (WD) of the system in only 2–3 mm, resulting in not achieving the backward coaxial confocal mode. Here, we present a compact visible LD-based PAM system with a reflective objective to achieve a 22 mm long WD and a 10 µm lateral resolution. Different depth subcutaneous microvascular networks in label-free mouse ears have successfully reappeared in vivo with a signal-to-noise ratio up to 14 dB by a confocal alignment. It will be a promising tool to develop into a handy tool for subcutaneous blood vessel imaging.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071701 (2021)
Nonlinear photoacoustic imaging dedicated to thermal-nonlinearity characterization
Yujiao Shi, and Zhenhui Zhang
We proposed a nonlinear photoacoustic (PA) technique as a new imaging contrast mechanism for tissue thermal-nonlinearity characterization. When a sine-modulated Gaussian temperature field is introduced by a laser beam, in view of the temperature dependence of the thermal diffusivity, the nonlinear PA effect occurs, which leads to the production of second-harmonic PA (SHPA) signals. By extracting the fundamental frequency PA and SHPA signal amplitudes of samples through the lock-in technique, a parameter that only reflects nonlinear thermal-diffusivity characteristics of the sample then can be obtained. The feasibility of the technique for thermal-nonlinearity characterization has been studied on phantom samples. In vitro biological tissues have been studied by this method to demonstrate its medical imaging capability, prefiguring great potential of this new method in medical imaging applications.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071702 (2021)
Diffraction, Gratings, and Holography
Aperture synthesis based solely on phase images in digital holography
Jun Long, Ping Cai, Chiyue Liu, Weijuan Qu, and Hao Yan
Aperture synthesis is an important approach to improve the lateral resolution of digital holography (DH) techniques. The limitation of the accuracy of registration positions between sub-holograms affects the quality of the synthesized image and even causes the failure of aperture synthesis. It is a major issue in aperture synthesis of DH. Currently intensity images are utilized to find the registration positions of sub-holograms in aperture synthesis. To improve the accuracy of registration positions, we proposed a method based on similarity calculations of the phase images between sub-holograms instead of intensity images. Furthermore, a quantitative indicator, degree of image distortion, was applied to evaluate the synthetic results. Experiments are performed and the results verify that the proposed phase-image-based method is better than the state-of-the-art intensity-image-based techniques in the estimation of registration positions and provides a better synthesized final three-dimensional shape image.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 070501 (2021)
Integrated Optics
Passive devices at 2 µm wavelength on 200 mm CMOS-compatible silicon photonics platform [Invited]
Hui Ma, Haotian Yang, Bo Tang, Maoliang Wei, Junying Li, Jianghong Wu, Peng Zhang, Chunlei Sun, Lan Li, and Hongtao Lin
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071301 (2021)
Lasers, Optical Amplifiers, and Laser Optics
Experimental observation of transient mode-locking in the build-up stage of a soliton fiber laser
Yinqi Wang, Xiaoyue Wang, Junsong Peng, Ming Yan, Kun Huang, and Heping Zeng
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071401 (2021)
High-repetition-rate 1.5 µm passively Q-switched Er:Yb:YAl3(BO3)4 microchip laser
Songqing Zha, Yujin Chen, Bingxuan Li, Yanfu Lin, Wenbin Liao, Yuqi Zou, Chenghui Huang, Zhanglang Lin, and Ge Zhang
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071402 (2021)
Highly twisted M-line of a vortex beam due to the coupling of ultrahigh-order modes
Cheng Yin, Xuefen Kan, Kun Guo, Tao Wang, Jiangming Xu, Qingbang Han, Jian Wu, and Zhuangqi Cao
In modern optics, particular interest is devoted to the phase singularities that yield complicated and twisted phase structures by photons carrying optical angular momentum. In this paper, the traditional M-line method is applied to a vortex beam (VB) by a symmetric metal cladding waveguide chip, which can host numerous oscillating guided modes via free space coupling. These ultrahigh-order modes (UOMs) result in high angular resolution due to the high finesse of the resonant chip. Experiments show that the reflected pattern of a VB can be divided into a series of inner and outer rings, whilst both of them are highly distorted by the M-lines due to the UOMs’ leakage. Taking the distribution of the energy flux into account, a simple ray-optics-based model is proposed to simulate the reflected pattern by calculating the local incident angle over the cross section of the beam. The theoretical simulations fit well with the experimental results, and the proposed scheme may enable new applications in imaging and sensing of complicated phase structures.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071403 (2021)
Ultra-long-period grating-based multi-wavelength ultrafast fiber laser [Invited] | On the Cover
Bo Guo, Xinyu Guo, Lige Tang, Wenlei Yang, Qiumei Chen, and Zhongyao Ren
We propose and demonstrate the cascaded multi-wavelength mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) based on ultra-long-period gratings (ULPGs) for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Study found that the ULPG can be used as both a mode-locker for pulse shaping and a comb filter for multi-wavelength generation simultaneously. Using the dual-function of ULPG, three-, four-, five-, six-, and seven-wavelength mode-locked pulses are obtained in EDFL, seven of which are the largest number of wavelengths up to now. For the four-wavelength soliton pulses, their pulse width is about 7.8 ps. The maximum average output power and slope efficiency of these pulses are 8.4 mW and 2.03%, respectively. Besides the conventional pulses, hybrid soliton pulses composed of a four-wavelength pulse and single soliton are also observed. Finally, the effect of cavity dispersion on the multi-wavelength mode-locked pulses is also discussed. Our findings indicate that apart from common sensing and filtering, the ULPG may also possess attractive nonlinear pulse-shaping property for ultrafast photonics application.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071405 (2021)
Nanophotonics, Metamaterials, and Plasmonics
Ultrafast control of slow light in THz electromagnetically induced transparency metasurfaces
Yi Zhao, Qiuping Huang, Honglei Cai, Xiaoxia Lin, Hongchuan He, Hao Cheng, Tian Ma, and Yalin Lu
In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate ultrafast optical control of slow light in the terahertz (THz) range by combining the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) metasurfaces with the cut wire made of P+-implanted silicon with short carrier lifetime. Employing the optical-pump THz-probe spectroscopy, we observed that the device transited from a state with a slow light effect to a state without a slow light effect in an ultrafast time of 5 ps and recovered within 200 ps. A coupled oscillator model is utilized to explain the origin of controllability. The experimental results agree very well with the simulated and theoretical results. These EIT metasurfaces have the potential to be used as an ultrafast THz optical delay device.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 073602 (2021)
Nonlinear Optics
In-situ modal inspection based on transverse second harmonic generation in single CdS nanobelt
Chenguang Xin, Jie Qi, Rui Zhang, Li Jin, and Yanru Zhou
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071901 (2021)
Robust modal phase matching in subwavelength x-cut and z-cut lithium niobate thin-film waveguides
Lingzhi Peng, Lihong Hong, Baoqin Chen, Peng He, and Zhiyuan Li
We use the nonlinear coupled-mode theory to theoretically investigate second-harmonic generation (SHG) in subwavelength x-cut and z-cut lithium niobate (LN) thin-film waveguides and derive the analytical formula to calculate SHG efficiency in x-cut and z-cut LN thin-film waveguides explicitly. Under the scheme of optimal modal phase matching (MPM), two types of LN thin films can achieve highly efficient frequency doubling of a 1064 nm laser with a comparable conversion efficiency due to very consistent modal field distribution of the fundamental wave and second-harmonic wave with efficient overlap between them. Such a robust MPM for high-efficiency SHG in both the subwavelength x-cut and z-cut LN thin-film waveguides is further confirmed in a broad wavelength range, which might facilitate design and application of micro–nano nonlinear optical devices based on the subwavelength LN thin film.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071902 (2021)
Precise control of micro-rod resonator free spectral range via iterative laser annealing
Qin Wen, Wenwen Cui, Yong Geng, Heng Zhou, and Kun Qiu
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 071903 (2021)
Optical Design and Fabrication
Self-aligned fiber-based dual-beam source for STED nanolithography
Jian Chen, Guoliang Chen, and Qiwen Zhan
A fiber-based source that can be exploited in a stimulated emission depletion (STED) inspired nanolithography setup is presented. Such a source maintains the excitation beam pulse, generates a ring-shaped depletion beam, and automatically realizes dual-beam coaxial alignment that is critical for two beam nanolithography. The mode conversion of the depletion beam is realized by using a customized vortex fiber, which converts the Gaussian beam into a donut-shaped azimuthally polarized beam. The pulse width and repetition frequency of the excitation beam remain unchanged, and its polarization states can be controlled. According to the simulated point spread function of each beam in the focal region, the full width at half-maximum of the effective spot size in STED nanofabrication could decrease to less than 28.6 nm.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 072201 (2021)
Quantum Optics and Quantum Information
Heterodyne detection enhanced by quantum correlation
Boya Xie, and Sheng Feng
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 072701 (2021)
Ultrafast Optics and Attosecond/High-field Physics
Scattering-amplitude phase in spiderlike photoelectron momentum distributions
Jiu Tang, Guizhong Zhang, Yufei He, Xin Ding, and Jianquan Yao
The spiderlike structures in the photoelectron momentum distributions of ionized electrons from the hydrogen atom are numerically simulated by using a semiclassical rescattering model (SRM) and solving the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation (TDSE), focusing on the role of the phase of the scattering amplitude. With the SRM, we find that the spiderlike legs shift to positions with smaller transverse momentum values while increasing the phase. The spiderlike patterns obtained by SRM and TDSE are in good agreement upon considering this phase. In addition, the time differences in electron ionization and rescattering calculated by SRM and the saddle-point equations are either in agreement or show very similar laws of variation, which further corroborates the significance of the phase of the scattering amplitude.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 073201 (2021)
X-ray Optics
Efficient three-dimensional characterization of C/C composite reinforced with densely distributed fibers via X-ray phase-contrast microtomography
Ke Li, Yantao Gao, Haipeng Zhang, Guohao Du, Hefei Huang, Hongjie Xu, and Tiqiao Xiao
Carbon fiber (CF)/pyrolytic graphite (PG) composites are promising structural materials for molten salt reactors because of their superior performance. Due to the minor density difference between CF and PG, existing methods are impractical for efficient three-dimensional characterization of CF/PG composites. Therefore, in this study, a method based on in-line phase-contrast X-ray microtomography was developed to solve the aforementioned problem. Experimental results demonstrate that the method is suitable for comprehensive characterization of CF/PG composites. The relationship between the microporous defects and fiber orientations of such composites was also elucidated. The findings can be useful for improving the manufacturing process of CF/PG composites.
Chinese Optics Letters
  • Publication Date: Jul. 10, 2021
  • Vol. 19, Issue 7, 073401 (2021)

About the Cover

In 1966, De Maria and co-workers produced the first ultrashort pulses using a passively mode-locked Nd: glass laser. Over the past 50 years, this field has been booming, and ultrafast optics is attracting more and more researchers' attention. In order to obtain ultrafast laser, mode-locking technology is generally needed. Here, researchers from Harbin Engineering University have discovered a new mode-locked device, namely ultra-long-period fiber grating, and realized the multi-wavelength ultrafast laser in the laboratory, which brings new vitality to the development of ultrafast optics.