Devices, systems, and methods for temporal compression or stretching of optical pulses

Abstract

An optical system includes a first optical component including a reflective surface opposing a second optical component; and the second optical component including a non-flat reflective surface opposing the first optical component, wherein a portion of the first optical component allows an optical pulse to pass through the first optical component and reflect off the non-flat reflective surface, an arrangement of the first optical component and the second optical component defines a self-focusing cavity that refocuses the optical pulse and controls divergence of the optical pulse, and at least one of the reflective surface and the non-flat reflective surface is coated with a group delay dispersion (GDD) coating.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical system comprising:
 a first optical component including a reflective surface opposing a second optical component; and   the second optical component including a non-flat reflective surface opposing the first optical component, wherein   a portion of the first optical component allows an optical pulse to pass through the first optical component and reflect off the non-flat reflective surface,   an arrangement of the first optical component and the second optical component defines a self-focusing cavity that refocuses the optical pulse and controls divergence of the optical pulse, and   at least one of the reflective surface and the non-flat reflective surface is coated with a group delay dispersion (GDD) coating.   
     
     
         2 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein a distance and a rotation angle between the first optical component and the second optical component are adjustable to change a number of times the optical pulse reflects off the reflective surface and the non-flat reflective surface before exiting the optical system without changing optical alignment. 
     
     
         3 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reflective surface includes a flat reflective surface, and   the portion of the first optical component allows the optical pulse reflected off the second optical component to exit the optical system.   
     
     
         4 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the reflective surface includes a non-flat reflective surface to reflect the optical pulse from a portion of the second optical component to another portion of the second optical component, and   the other portion of the second optical component allows the optical pulse to exit the optical system.   
     
     
         5 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first optical component comprises a truncated edge, notch, or hole and is coupled to a hollow core fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the GDD coating comprises a negative GDD coating that temporally compresses the optical pulse passing through the optical system. 
     
     
         7 . The optical system of  claim 6 , wherein a GDD of at least one of the reflective surface of the first optical component and the non-flat reflective surface of the second optical component is less than −20 femtoseconds2 (fs2). 
     
     
         8 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the GDD coating includes a positive GDD coating that stretches the optical pulse passing through the optical system. 
     
     
         9 . The optical system of  claim 8 , wherein a GDD of at least one of the reflective surface of the first optical component and the non-flat reflective surface of the second optical component is greater than 20 femtoseconds2 (fs2). 
     
     
         10 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical system compresses or stretches the optical pulse based on a type of wavelength. 
     
     
         11 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first optical component is an uncoated portion of the first optical component. 
     
     
         12 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein either the first optical component or the second optical component allows the optical pulse to exit the optical system. 
     
     
         13 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a flat reflective surface. 
     
     
         14 . The optical system of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective surface comprises a non-flat reflective surface. 
     
     
         15 . The optical system of  claim 1 , further comprising a light emitting device that generates the optical pulse. 
     
     
         16 . An optical system comprising:
 a first optical component including a reflective surface opposing a second optical component, and   the second optical component including a non-flat reflective surface opposing the first optical component, wherein   a portion of the first optical component allows an optical pulse to pass through the first optical component and reflect off the non-flat reflective surface,   a distance and a rotation angle between the first optical component and the second optical component are adjustable to change a number of times the optical pulse reflects off the reflective surface and the non-flat reflective surface before exiting the optical system without changing optical alignment,   the distance between the first optical component and the second optical component is adjustable in discrete increments that are predetermined to correlate with specific numbers of reflections of the optical pulse within the optical system while controlling the divergence of the optical pulse, and   the rotation angle between the first optical component and the second optical component is adjustable to change the number of times the optical pulse is reflected off the reflective surface and the non-flat reflective surface while controlling the divergence of the optical pulse.   
     
     
         17 . The optical system of  claim 16 , further comprising a hollow core fiber coupled to the portion of the first optical component. 
     
     
         18 . The optical system of  claim 16 , further comprising a light emitting device that generates the optical pulse, wherein the light emitting device comprises an ultrafast laser oscillator or amplifier. 
     
     
         19 . The optical system of  claim 16 , wherein either the first optical component or the second optical component allows the optical pulse to exit the optical system. 
     
     
         20 . The optical system of  claim 16 , wherein the first optical component or the second optical component is coated with a group delay dispersion (GDD) coating.