Events

Mode-locked Thulium Fiber Laser Dynamics

Dr. Michelle Sander, Boston University

Goergen 101

Abstract:

Thulium fiber lasers operating in the eye-safe wavelength region from 1.7 µm to 2.2 µm are attractive for applications in gas/environmental sensing, biomedical diagnosis and surgery and nonlinear wavelength conversion. In this talk, nonlinear and polarization dynamics in femtosecond ultrafast lasers will be discussed for the generation of novel pulse operating regimes leading towards high repetition rate lasers: Based on vector soliton dynamics, a compact fiber laser with co-generated, orthogonally polarized interlaced pulses and coherent energy exchange will be discussed. Further, self-organized multiple pulsing operation and the generation of extreme events and chaotic transient states is demonstrated in turn-key, compact thulium fiber lasers. Ultimately a compact GHz ultrafast pulsed laser with femtosecond operation will be presented that can enable high speed communications and metrology. An outlook on how infrared lasers can be applied to super-resolution label-free photothermal vibrational imaging and infrared nerve stimulation for direct neuromodulation will be provided.

Bio:

Dr. Michelle Sander is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boston University and an affiliated faculty with the Materials Science and Engineering Division. She is a member of the BU Photonics Center, the BU-BUMC Cancer Center, the Center for Neurophotonics and the BU Nanotechnology Center. She received her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Optics and Quantum Electronics Group. Previously, she graduated with a German Diploma degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research interests include the design of innovative novel ultrafast fiber lasers, characterization of femtosecond dynamics and applications to vibrational spectroscopy and infrared nerve stimulation. Dr. Sander received an AFOSR Young Investigator Award and a NSF CAREER Award. She is the recipient of two BU Dean’s Catalyst Awards and was selected as OSA Ambassador 2017.

Location: Goergen 101

Refreshments will be served.