High Speed Laser Facility.
Abstract
The current major limiting factor in digital optical computing is a fast, efficient, cascadable optical switch with which to build computers. Candidates are not limited to the well known semiconductors and fabrication methods of electronics. A novel facility to evaluate candidate devices has been constructed. Multiline and tunable femtosecond and picosecond laser systems, as well as frequency mixing systems, are used as light sources. The facility has at least picosecond source capability from 200 nm to 2 um. The switch transfer function is evaluated in a pump probe system with femtosecond and picosecond autocorrelators to measure dispersion, an Optical Multichannel Analyzer to measure absorption, a CCD or pyroelectric camera system to measure mode modification, and a multidetector system to measure switching energy and insertion loss both in absorption and in reflection. The switch or switching array under test is mounted in a 6 axis micropositioner system with a 0-20 goniometer, x, y and z translators, and a tilt goniometer. Initial experiments on nonlinear interface optical switches are encouraging, as the selected broad bandwidth media has strong nonlinearity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA299611
Entities
People
- Brian Devaul
- Joseph M. Osman
Organizations
- Rome Laboratory