In the 1970s, wide spectral broadening of intense laser light in a non-linear material, or supercontinuum generation, was first demonstrated in the laboratory. With the development of recent fiber and fiber laser technology, namely compact high power picosecond lasers and micro-structured Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) commercial supercontinuum lasers have become a reality. With a typical spectral bandwidth covering over 2000 nm and output powers exceeding 20W, these sources have proved an invaluable tool. In this talk, we will cover:
- Fundamentals of how supercontinuum lasers work and the importance on the PCF design in tailoring the spectrum.
- The properties of supercontinuum laser light and what make them unique sources.
- The main applications today for supercontinuum laser in imaging, spectroscopy, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and illumination.
- Supercontinuum technology roadmap and future applications
Bio:
Ross Hodder is a Supercontinuum Applications Specialist. He has worked for NKT Photonics for over 8 years helping develop the market for ultrafast fiber lasers including supercontinuum ?white light? lasers. He holds a degree in Physics with Lasers from the University of Southampton, UK, and previously worked at the Optoelectronics Research Centre in Southampton.
