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Biomedical subjects

Andreas Tünnermann

Publications and source records attributed to Andreas Tünnermann.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Hybrid optics for focusing ultrashort laser pulses.

We present a specially designed hybrid optics comprising refraction and diffraction effects for tight spatial and temporal focusing of ultrashort laser pulses. Both aims can be put into practice by having a high numerical aperture (NA=0.45) and low internal dispersion at the same time. We are presenting what we believe is the first experimental realization of such a hybrid short plus focusing optics. The focusing properties are compared with a commonly used microscope objective (20 X, NA = 0.45) in theory and experimentally.

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Microjoule-level all-polarization-maintaining femtosecond fiber source.

We report on a high-power, high-energy femtosecond fiber source based on direct amplification of parabolic pulses from an environmentally stable passively mode-locked fiber oscillator in an Yb-doped single-polarization photonic crystal fiber. The special pulse shape allows for the generation of high-quality femtosecond pulses beyond nonlinearity limits. The system delivers a pulse energy of 1.2 microJ (21 W average power) at a repetition rate of 17 MHz and a pulse duration of 240 fs in a linearly polarized beam with diffraction-limited quality.

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Thin compound-eye camera.

An artificial compound-eye objective fabricated by micro-optics technology is adapted and attached to a CMOS sensor array. The novel optical sensor system with an optics thickness of only 0.2 mm is examined with respect to resolution and sensitivity. An optical resolution of 60 x 60 pixels is determined from captured images. The scaling behavior of artificial compound-eye imaging systems is analyzed. Cross talk between channels fabricated by different technologies is evaluated, and the influence on an extension of the field of view by addition of a (Fresnel) diverging lens is discussed. The lithographic generation of opaque walls between channels for optical isolation is experimentally demonstrated.

Animals↗

Inscription of optical waveguides in crystalline silicon by mid-infrared femtosecond laser pulses.

For the first time to the authors' knowledge, optical waveguides have been inscribed in bulk crystalline silicon by ultrafast laser radiation. Femtosecond laser pulses of 40-nm spectral bandwidth, 1-kHz repetition rate, and 1.7-microJ on-target energy were applied at a mid-infrared wavelength of 2.4 microm to induce nonlinear absorption in the focal volume of the beam. By scanning the laser beam with respect to the sample, buried optical waveguides have been created that were single mode at 1550 and 1320 nm and guided light only with its polarization perpendicular to the sample's surface. Propagation losses with an upper limit of 1.2 dB/cm or less were observed throughout the optical telecommunications band.

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Artificial apposition compound eye fabricated by micro-optics technology.

By exploring micro-optical design principles and technology, we have developed an artificial apposition compound eye. The overall thickness of the imaging system is only 320 microm, the diagonal field of view is 21 degrees, and the f-number is 2.6. The monolithic device consists of an UV-replicated microlens array upon a thin silica substrate with a pinhole array in a metal layer on the back side. The pitch of the pinholes differs from that of the lens array to provide individual viewing angle for each channel. Theoretical limitations of resolution and sensitivity are discussed as well as fabrication issues and compared with experimental results. A method to generate nontransparent walls between optical channels to prevent cross talk is proposed.

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Nonlinearity and disorder in fiber arrays.

We experimentally investigate light propagation in a disordered two-dimensional array of mutually coupled optical fibers. In the linear case light either spreads in a diffusive manner or localizes at a few sites. For high excitation power diffusive spreading is arrested by the focusing nonlinearity, i.e., forming a discrete soliton. By contrast, fields, which are localized in the linear regime, can experience both spreading and contraction caused by the nonlinearity.

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Discrete diffraction in two-dimensional arrays of coupled waveguides in silica.

The propagation of light in 5 x 5 and 7 x 7 cubic lattices of evanescently coupled waveguides is investigated for the first time, to the authors' knowledge. The results reveal ideal discrete diffraction and demonstrate the excellent quality of the waveguide arrays, which were manufactured in fused silica by femtosecond-laser-induced refractive-index modifications.

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Highly efficient transmission gratings in fused silica for chirped-pulse amplification systems.

We report on highly efficient transmission gratings in fused silica with a grating period of 800 nm generated by electron-beam lithography. At a wavelength of 1060 nm, 95% diffraction efficiency is achieved under Littrow conditions. The damage threshold, extremely enhanced compared with conventional gold-coated diffraction gratings, makes these gratings the key elements in high average power (>100 W) femtosecond fiber chirped-pulse amplification systems.

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Integrated-optical wavelength sensor with self-compensation of thermally induced phase shifts by use of a LiNbO3 unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

We demonstrate an integrated-optical unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer in lithium niobate for detecting wavelength shifts of light sources, such as laser diodes and superluminescentdiodes at lambda = 844 nm. The output signal can be used to stabilize the light source. Because of the temperature dependence of the effective refractive index and the thermal expansion of the substrate, the device acts also as a temperature sensor. The temperature sensitivity of the interferometer was compensated for by the combination of proton exchanged- and annealed proton exchanged-channel waveguides by approximately two orders of magnitude. The thermo-optic coefficients of the extraordinary effective refractive index in integrated optical channel waveguides in LiNbO8 have been measured with high accuracy over a temperature range from 10 degrees C to 40 degrees C.

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