Analytical description of a nonlinear optical power limiter

John A. Hermann; Philip B. Chapple

doi:10.1117/12.21688

1 October 1990 Analytical description of a nonlinear optical power limiter

John A. Hermann, Philip B. Chapple

Proceedings Volume 1307, Electro-Optical Materials for Switches, Coatings, Sensor Optics, and Detectors; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.21688
Event: 1990 Technical Symposium on Optics, Electro-Optics, and Sensors, 1990, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

We investigate a model of a simple, passive optical device intended to limit the transmitted power of a laser beam by utilising self-focusing or self-defocusing. In such a device a broad distinction can be drawn between external self-focusing, which may be accomplished with thin nonlinearly-refracting media, and internal self-focusing, which requires suitably thick media. Analytical requirements for satisfactory limiting behaviour have been obtained for a two-lens device configuration, involving the various parameters for the incoming light, the thin active medium, and the optical components. Series expressions have been derived for both the transmitted intensity and the optical power transmitted by an aperture stop, symmetrically placed at an arbitrary position beyond the imaging lens, where the incident beam is gaussian-shaped. The application of the model to the measurement of nonlinear indices is discussed. A new z-scan technique for measuring n2 has been devised, and is shown to provide a three-fold enhancement in sensitivity compared with existing methods.

Citation Download Citation

John A. Hermann and Philip B. Chapple "Analytical description of a nonlinear optical power limiter", Proc. SPIE 1307, Electro-Optical Materials for Switches, Coatings, Sensor Optics, and Detectors, (1 October 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.21688

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