Project title:

Novel tunable fiber light source synchronously pumped by laser pulses at fixed centralwavelength

Principal Investigator:

dr inż. Katarzyna Krupa

Project number:

FENG.02.07-IP.05-0252/23

Project duration:

01.10.2024 - 30.09.2025

Project value:

PLN 626 640,00

Contribution of European:

PLN 626 640,00

Project financing:

Project „Novel tunable fiber light source synchronously pumped by laser pulses at fixed centralwavelength” nr FENG.02.07-IP.05-0127/23 is financed from the funds of Priority 2 of the European Funds for a Smart Economy 2021–2027 Program (FENG) Action 2.7 Proof of Concept, with the Intermediate Institution being the Foundation for Polish Science.

The aim of the project:

Light sources capable of delivering high-energy beams with narrow spectral width and wide tunability are in high demand for nonlinear imaging microscopy and spectroscopy, particularly in the fields of biology, medicine, and chemistry. Until recently, such sources have relied on free-space optics and optical parametric oscillators using nonlinear crystals pumped by solid-state, water-cooled lasers. While highly efficient, these systems are bulky, expensive, and sensitive to environmental conditions. Recent advances in nonlinear fiber optics and laser technology have enabled the development of multicolor fiber-based light sources that are compact, cost-effective, alignment-free, and robust to environmental fluctuations - making them ideal for applications outside the laboratory. However, currently available fiber gain media constrain the operation of high-power fiber lasers to spectral regions near 1.0 μm, 1.55 μm, and 1.9 μm. In contrast, fiber-based light sources operating beyond these wavelength ranges remain relatively rare, with only a few capable of producing spectrally narrow, high-power beams tunable from the visible to the near-infrared spectrum. The aim of this project is to use a resonant cavity architecture and to generate four-wave mixing, tunable via a novel mechanism that combines temporal stretching and nonlinear spectral broadening of pump pulses, all while maintaining a constant central pump wavelength.

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

The project aims to develop a novel multicolor light source based on a fiber-optic parametric oscillator, tunable across the full parametric gain bandwidth of the nonlinear four-wave mixing effect. The source is expected to deliver output beam power and spectral resolution comparable to, or exceeding, that of existing parametric oscillators that rely on tuning the pump wavelength.

Results and outcomes of the project:

The obtained results are expected to advance the technology readiness level of the tunable fiber-based light source developed within the project. The project also aimes the preparation of at least one scientific publication and active participation in international conferences, with a particular focus on those featuring technology panels and exhibitions by leading companies in the laser technology sector.

Project target groups:

Potential stakeholders directly interested in the outcomes of the project include companies currently developing and commercializing tunable light sources based on fiber-optic parametric oscillator architectures, as well as manufacturers of “white light” sources. Providers of nonlinear imaging systems for medical diagnostics may also find the results valuable, as such systems require broadly tunable light sources. Additionally, researchers in the fields of nonlinear imaging and spectroscopy represent a key target group for this project.

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