A laser system comprising a gain medium configured to amplify incident electromagnetic radiation and a nonlinear optical element configured to convert electromagnetic radiation amplified by the gain medium to a shorter wavelength. The laser system is configured to introduce mode competition and nonlinear effects such that the nonlinear optical element produces output electromagnetic radiation having a frequency spectrum comprising a first peak formed of a first group of frequencies and a second peak formed of a second group of frequencies. A trough separates the first and second peaks. The first and second peaks are the only dominant peaks in the frequency spectrum. The output electromagnetic radiation has a coherence curve comprising a contrast ratio of less than about 0.1 at an optical path difference that is within the inclusive range of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.

A laser system comprising a gain medium configured to amplify incident electromagnetic radiation and a nonlinear optical element configured to convert electromagnetic radiation amplified by the gain medium to a shorter wavelength. The laser system is configured to introduce mode competition and nonlinear effects such that the nonlinear optical element produces output electromagnetic radiation having a frequency spectrum comprising a first peak formed of a first group of frequencies and a second peak formed of a second group of frequencies. A trough separates the first and second peaks. The first and second peaks are the only dominant peaks in the frequency spectrum. The output electromagnetic radiation has a coherence curve comprising a contrast ratio of less than about 0.1 at an optical path difference that is within the inclusive range of about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.

Disclosed is a system for generating wavelength-tunable, ultra-short light pulses within the visible or infrared light spectrum. The system includes an injection module including a light source and a wavelength-tunable spectral filter. The light source is suitable for generating short light pulses, having a duration measured in nanoseconds, within an emission spectrum having a spectral width of several tens of nanometers to several hundred nanometers. The spectral filter has a spectral width between 250 pm and 3 nm and is suitable for spectrally and temporally filtering the short light pulses such that the injection module generates wavelength-tunable, spectrally filtered, ultra-short light pulses. The system also includes at least one optical amplifier suitable for generating wavelength-tunable, ultra-short, amplified pulses based on the wavelength of the spectral filter.

Disclosed is a system for generating wavelength-tunable, ultra-short light pulses within the visible or infrared light spectrum. The system includes an injection module including a light source and a wavelength-tunable spectral filter. The light source is suitable for generating short light pulses, having a duration measured in nanoseconds, within an emission spectrum having a spectral width of several tens of nanometers to several hundred nanometers. The spectral filter has a spectral width between 250 pm and 3 nm and is suitable for spectrally and temporally filtering the short light pulses such that the injection module generates wavelength-tunable, spectrally filtered, ultra-short light pulses. The system also includes at least one optical amplifier suitable for generating wavelength-tunable, ultra-short, amplified pulses based on the wavelength of the spectral filter.

A microwave-to-optical photon transducer is provided for generating coupling between a microwave signal (S.sub.in2) and an optical signal (S.sub.pi_in1, S.sub.pi_out1). The transducer comprises: a first input port; a second input port; a first output port for outputting the optical signal (S.sub.pi_out1) and one or more optical sideband signals (S.sub.out1, S.sub.out11, S.sub.out12); a first waveguide disposed between the first input port and the first output port to allow the optical signal (S.sub.pi_in1) and the one or more optical sideband signals (S.sub.out1, S.sub.out11, S.sub.out12) to propagate in the first waveguide; a second waveguide connected to the second input port, and extending in the transducer adjacent to the first waveguide to allow the microwave signal (S.sub.in2) to propagate in the second waveguide; a phase-matching arrangement to cause at least the optical signal (S.sub.pi_in1) and the microwave signal (S.sub.in2) to be phase-matched or quasi-phase-matched.

An optical computation system includes a light source configured to produce a pump beam, an optical modulator configured to modulate the pump beam based on the modulation mask to generate a modulated beam, a non-linear medium configured to convert a portion of the modulated beam to a second harmonic (SH) beam and to produce an output including the SH beam and an unconverted portion of the pump beam, and a dichroic mirror configured to receive the output of the non-linear medium and to decouple the SH beam and the unconverted portion of the pump beam, a detector configured to detect a first optical power of the unconverted portion of the pump beam and to detect a second optical power of the SH beam, and a controller configured to generate an updated modulation mask based on the first and second optical powers for transmission to the optical modulator.

A tunable microwave source based on dual-wavelength lasing of a single optical whispering gallery microcavity includes a dual-wavelength laser having the single optical whispering gallery microcavity for generating dual-wavelength lasing with adjustable spacing, narrow linewidth and low threshold; an optical fiber or waveguide amplifier for optical signal amplification; an optical filter for optical signal and noise filtration; and a high-speed detector for generating a tunable microwave signal with narrow bandwidth. The dual-wavelength laser includes a pump source, the optical whispering gallery microcavity, an optical waveguide or a tapered optical fiber, a microcavity substrate, and a gold electrode pair. The frequency spacing of the dual-wavelength lasing is tuned by adjusting the external voltage of the gold electrode pair.

An optical waveguide structure comprises a nonlinear optical waveguide comprising a set of segments, a set of extension optical waveguides, and a set of wavelength selective couplers that couples light between set of segments in the nonlinear optical waveguide and the set of extension optical waveguides based on a wavelength of light.

A nonlinear crystal including stacked strontium tetraborate SrB.sub.4O.sub.7 (SBO) crystal plates that are cooperatively configured to create a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM) is used in the final frequency doubling stage of a laser assembly to generate laser output light having a wavelength in the range of about 180 nm to 200 nm. One or more fundamental laser beams are frequency doubled, down-converted and/or summed using one or more frequency conversion stages to generate an intermediate frequency light with a corresponding wavelength in the range of about 360 nm to 400 nm, and then the final frequency converting stage utilizes the nonlinear crystal to double the frequency of the intermediate frequency light to generate the desired laser output light at high power. Methods, inspection systems, lithography systems and cutting systems incorporating the laser assembly are also described.

A nonlinear crystal including stacked strontium tetraborate SrB.sub.4O.sub.7 (SBO) crystal plates that are cooperatively configured to create a periodic structure for quasi-phase-matching (QPM) is used in the final frequency doubling stage of a laser assembly to generate laser output light having a wavelength in the range of about 180 nm to 200 nm. One or more fundamental laser beams are frequency doubled, down-converted and/or summed using one or more frequency conversion stages to generate an intermediate frequency light with a corresponding wavelength in the range of about 360 nm to 400 nm, and then the final frequency converting stage utilizes the nonlinear crystal to double the frequency of the intermediate frequency light to generate the desired laser output light at high power. Methods, inspection systems, lithography systems and cutting systems incorporating the laser assembly are also described.