Improved spectrometer based on nonlinear optics
New tool allows for higher sensitivity at reduced complexity and cost
Current spectrometers being used on the market today cover a wide spectral range, allow for moderately fast wavelength sweeps, have a good spectral resolution and don't require cryogenic cooling. However, the sensitivity of these instruments is limited, making them unsuitable for capturing single-photon-level spectra at telecommunication wavelengths. Cryogenic cooling can increase the sensitivity of these devices, yet reduces the usefulness for industrial applications. One possible solution is to up-convert near-infrared to visible light in a nonlinear medium. The up-converted photons can then be detected using a single-photon detector for visible light. The authors use a single-photon counting module, which results in 100 times better sensitivity. They implemented the frequency conversion via sum-frequency generation in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide, which can be thought of as combining two low-energy photons to get one high-energy photon.
Key Findings:
- The up-conversion based spectrometer's sensitivity is 100 times higher compared to current commercial optical spectrum analyzers.
- Cryogenic cooling is not required for increased sensitivity, making the device practical for a variety of industrial applications.
- The cost and system complexity of the spectrometer is reduced because it only uses one single-photon detector instead of an array of detectors.
Original publication: "Waveguide-Based Single-Pixel Up-Conversion Infrared Spectrometer," Optics Express 2008, Vol. 16, Issue 24.
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