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Au cours de cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à deux applications nécessitant des sources laser impulsionnelles : l'imagerie active et l'usinage laser. L'imagerie active nécessite des sources laser efficaces émettant dans la gamme de sécurité oculaire (entre 1,5 µm et 1,7 µm) à des cadence de l'ordre du kilohertz et produisant des énergies par impulsion de plusieurs millijoules. Les sources efficaces émettant dans la gamme de sécurité oculaire utilisent l'ion erbium. Cependant la structure électronique complexe de l'ion erbium entraîne de nombreux effets parasites qui limitent fortement l'énergie accessible lors d'un fonctionnement à haute cadence. Pour diminuer l'influence de ces effets parasites nous avons utilisé le concept de fibres cristallines dans le cadre d'une collaboration entre le Laboratoire Charles Fabry et l'entreprise Fibercryst. La géométrie des fibres cristallines, combinant les propriétés des cristaux massifs et les avantages des fibres en verre nous a permis de dépasser les limites des sources actuelles. L'usinage de matériaux requière des sources laser impulsionnelles émettant dans le proche infrarouge (1 µm) et alliant forte énergie, forte puissance crête et forte puissance moyenne. Pour réaliser de telles sources, il est nécessaire d'utiliser des milieux à gain permettant de limiter les phénomènes thermiques et les effets induit par la puissance crête (effets non-linéaires). Pour cela nous avons utilisé à nouveau le concept de fibre cristalline, dopée cette fois ci par l'ion néodyme. Ces fibres cristallines ont été utilisées comme amplificateur de puissance pour amplifier des micro-lasers fonctionnant à haute cadence (de 1 à 100 kHz) et produisant des impulsions courtes (< 1 ns). / In this thesis we investigate two different pulsed laser sources for two specific applications : remote sensing and material processing. On the first part, remote sensing require efficient laser source emitting in the eye-safe range (1.5 – 1.7 µm) and producing several millijoules per pulse at a few kilohertz. Efficient eye-safe laser sources use erbium doped gain media. Nevertheless, the complex electronic structure of the erbium ion leads to several parasitic effects which limit the energy at high repetition rate. In order to minimize those effects we have used the concept of single crystal fibers developed in a close collaboration between the Laboratoire Charles Fabry and the company Fibercryst. The specific geometry of single crystal fibers, merging the advantages of bulk crystals and optical fibers, allows us to overcome limits of current laser sources. On the other part, material processing require near-infrared pulsed laser sources (1 µm) with high pulse energy, high average power and high peak power. In such laser sources, the amplifying medium must be design to avoid both thermal effects and non liner effects. For this purpose, we used neodymium doped single crystal fibers as power amplifier to enhance the performance of passively q-switched microlasers operating at high repetition rate (1 to 100 kHz) and emitting short pulses (< 1 ns).

Neste trabalho, foram estudados os processos de crescimento e caracterização de fibras monocristalinas de LiF e de LiYF4 (YLF) puras e dopadas com érbio (Er) ou neodímio (Nd) para aplicações ópticas. O crescimento destas fibras foi efetuado pelo método de micro-pulling-down (µ-PD) e o uso desta técnica é inédito para a obtenção de fibras monocristalinas destes fluoretos. Para tal finalidade, foi inicialmente construído no IPEN, um protótipo do sistema de µ-PD no modo resistivo para a compreensão dos parâmetros experimentais. Posteriormente, um equipamento comercial foi instalado e especialmente adaptado para o puxamento de fibras de fluoretos. Foram obtidas fibras monocristalinas de LiF, com boa qualidade óptica e estrutural e dimensões uniformes: diâmetros entre 0,5 e 1 mm e comprimentos de até 15 cm. A avaliação para o uso destas fibras como meio laser ativo indicou que suas propriedades ópticas são semelhantes às observadas em cristais volumétricos. Foi investigada a influência da geometria do capilar e cadinho, da atmosfera de crescimento e da composição de partida na estabilidade do processo de crescimento de fibras de YLF pelo método de µ-PD. Este material é muito sensível às contaminações procedentes da atmosfera de crescimento e a formação da fase estequiométrica, durante o crescimento da fibra, depende fortemente da atmosfera, da velocidade de puxamento e da composição de partida. Foram obtidas, de forma reprodutível, fibras puras com diâmetro uniforme (0,5 à 0,8 mm) e longo comprimento da fase estequiométrica (até 60 mm). Fibras de YLF com dopagens nominais de 10 mol% e 40 mol% de Er e com 1,7 mol% de Nd foram também obtidas com sucesso. As fibras de YLF:Er são homogêneas e livres de trincas, com distribuição regular de dopante e concentração próxima ao valor nominal. O perfil de distribuição de Nd na fibra de YLF:Nd é diferenciado. O valor do coeficiente de distribuição efetivo k foi estimado em 0,58; valor este superior aos valores encontrados para cristais volumétricos de YLF:Nd. A investigação das propriedades ópticas de absorção e emissão evidenciou características semelhantes às observadas em cristais volumétricos dopados com Nd, permitindo considerar as fibras de YLF:Nd com potencial para uso como meio laser ativo em dispositivos ópticos compactos com bombeamento por diodo. / In this work we present the growth and characterization of LiF and pure and rare-earth doped (Er and Nd) yttrium-lithium tetra-fluoride (LiYF4 or YLF) by the micro-pulling-down technique (µ-PD). The use of this technique is original for the present purpose. A m-PD prototype in the resistive mode was firstly built to understand the most important operational parameters. A commercial equipment was later installed and specifically modified to grow fluoride fibres. Regular and transparent single-crystalline fibres of LiF (diameter of 0.6 mm and length up to 150 mm) were obtained. LiF crystalline fibres as a potential laser media presented the same spectroscopic properties of bulk crystals. The influence of capillary and crucible shapes, growth atmosphere and start composition stoichiometry on the growth process of YLF fibers were also investigated. In general, the fluorides are very sensitive to moisture contamination. The growth atmosphere plays an important role on the stoichiometry deviation. Since this fluoride melts incongruently, any compositional changes inflences the solidification behavior of the material. Additionally, a limited pulling rate is required to the YLF phase formation and to the compositional homogeneity along the fiber. Homogeneous and regular section YLF fibres, with diametres between 0.5 to 0.8 mm and up to 60 mm in length, were obtained in a suitable and reproducible growth process. Er-doped (with nominal concentration of 10 and 40 mol%) and Nd-doped (with nominal concentration of 1.7 mol%) fibres were also successfully grown. Er-doped fibres were crack-free and the dopant concentration was practically uniform along the YLF phase. However, Nd–doped fibres presented a short initial transient in its concentration. The Nd distribution coefficient was evaluated as 0.58 for the YLF fibre. This value is greater than those estimated for YLF bulk crystals grown by normal freezing processes. The optical properties of the YLF:Nd fibres were similar to those observed in bulk crystals, which drive us to consider the YLF:Nd fibres as an important material to build compact all-solid-state lasers directly pumped by diodes.

Neste trabalho, foram estudados os processos de crescimento e caracterização de fibras monocristalinas de LiF e de LiYF4 (YLF) puras e dopadas com érbio (Er) ou neodímio (Nd) para aplicações ópticas. O crescimento destas fibras foi efetuado pelo método de micro-pulling-down (µ-PD) e o uso desta técnica é inédito para a obtenção de fibras monocristalinas destes fluoretos. Para tal finalidade, foi inicialmente construído no IPEN, um protótipo do sistema de µ-PD no modo resistivo para a compreensão dos parâmetros experimentais. Posteriormente, um equipamento comercial foi instalado e especialmente adaptado para o puxamento de fibras de fluoretos. Foram obtidas fibras monocristalinas de LiF, com boa qualidade óptica e estrutural e dimensões uniformes: diâmetros entre 0,5 e 1 mm e comprimentos de até 15 cm. A avaliação para o uso destas fibras como meio laser ativo indicou que suas propriedades ópticas são semelhantes às observadas em cristais volumétricos. Foi investigada a influência da geometria do capilar e cadinho, da atmosfera de crescimento e da composição de partida na estabilidade do processo de crescimento de fibras de YLF pelo método de µ-PD. Este material é muito sensível às contaminações procedentes da atmosfera de crescimento e a formação da fase estequiométrica, durante o crescimento da fibra, depende fortemente da atmosfera, da velocidade de puxamento e da composição de partida. Foram obtidas, de forma reprodutível, fibras puras com diâmetro uniforme (0,5 à 0,8 mm) e longo comprimento da fase estequiométrica (até 60 mm). Fibras de YLF com dopagens nominais de 10 mol% e 40 mol% de Er e com 1,7 mol% de Nd foram também obtidas com sucesso. As fibras de YLF:Er são homogêneas e livres de trincas, com distribuição regular de dopante e concentração próxima ao valor nominal. O perfil de distribuição de Nd na fibra de YLF:Nd é diferenciado. O valor do coeficiente de distribuição efetivo k foi estimado em 0,58; valor este superior aos valores encontrados para cristais volumétricos de YLF:Nd. A investigação das propriedades ópticas de absorção e emissão evidenciou características semelhantes às observadas em cristais volumétricos dopados com Nd, permitindo considerar as fibras de YLF:Nd com potencial para uso como meio laser ativo em dispositivos ópticos compactos com bombeamento por diodo. / In this work we present the growth and characterization of LiF and pure and rare-earth doped (Er and Nd) yttrium-lithium tetra-fluoride (LiYF4 or YLF) by the micro-pulling-down technique (µ-PD). The use of this technique is original for the present purpose. A m-PD prototype in the resistive mode was firstly built to understand the most important operational parameters. A commercial equipment was later installed and specifically modified to grow fluoride fibres. Regular and transparent single-crystalline fibres of LiF (diameter of 0.6 mm and length up to 150 mm) were obtained. LiF crystalline fibres as a potential laser media presented the same spectroscopic properties of bulk crystals. The influence of capillary and crucible shapes, growth atmosphere and start composition stoichiometry on the growth process of YLF fibers were also investigated. In general, the fluorides are very sensitive to moisture contamination. The growth atmosphere plays an important role on the stoichiometry deviation. Since this fluoride melts incongruently, any compositional changes inflences the solidification behavior of the material. Additionally, a limited pulling rate is required to the YLF phase formation and to the compositional homogeneity along the fiber. Homogeneous and regular section YLF fibres, with diametres between 0.5 to 0.8 mm and up to 60 mm in length, were obtained in a suitable and reproducible growth process. Er-doped (with nominal concentration of 10 and 40 mol%) and Nd-doped (with nominal concentration of 1.7 mol%) fibres were also successfully grown. Er-doped fibres were crack-free and the dopant concentration was practically uniform along the YLF phase. However, Nd–doped fibres presented a short initial transient in its concentration. The Nd distribution coefficient was evaluated as 0.58 for the YLF fibre. This value is greater than those estimated for YLF bulk crystals grown by normal freezing processes. The optical properties of the YLF:Nd fibres were similar to those observed in bulk crystals, which drive us to consider the YLF:Nd fibres as an important material to build compact all-solid-state lasers directly pumped by diodes.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / This paper presents a numerical investigation of the propagation and cover (100fs) short pulse switching in a nonlinear coupler dual-core photonic crystal fiber with periodically modulated constructed fiber nonlinearity ( PMN - PFC ). Our main objective was to study the effect of amplitude modulations (AM) and frequency modulation (Wm) in the refractive index of nonlinearity (gamma) at a spread of Photonic Crystal Fiber with initially fixed range with frequency and amplitude periodically varying modulation. The implementation of modulation was inserted into dual-fiber couplers, which has been studied for its use as a whole using ultra switching optical switch and as an optical processor. Our simulations are taking into account the amplitude and frequency modulations of different PMN - PFC. Coupler for coupling whose length is Lc = 1.8 cm, the transmission characteristics of the compression factor , the crosstalk ( Xtalk ) and extinction rate ( Xratio ) levels were studied in the first descending order solitons of high energy pump for considering 2LC. An analysis of the reference (channel 2) channel was observed that the low frequency modulation is an increase in the switching power by increasing the transmission efficiency. For high modulation frequencies transmitted energy efficiency loses. The switching pulses are stronger in the low frequency and high amplitude modulation. The Xtalk is a function of the measurement made on the secondary channel (channel 1) revealed that this increase in unwanted high-frequency energy, to reduce the extent of amplitude modulation. In summary, we have demonstrated that the introduction of a non- linear profile leads to a frequency modulated PMN - PFC high variations in transmission efficiency , Xtalk , Xratio function of frequency and modulation amplitude and the input power. / Este trabalho apresenta uma investigaÃÃo numÃrica da propagaÃÃo e a comutaÃÃo de pulsos curtos capa ( 100fs ) em um acoplador nÃo-linear de dois nÃcleos de fibras de cristal fotÃnico construÃdos com periodicamente modulada a fibra nÃo-linearidade (PMN - PFC). Nosso principal objetivo foi estudar o efeito das modulaÃÃes de amplitude (Am) e modulaÃÃo da frequÃncia (Wm) no Ãndice de refraÃÃo da nÃo-linearidade (gama) em uma propagaÃÃo de Fibra de Cristais FotÃnicos, com o gama inicialmente fixo com frequÃncia e amplitude de modulaÃÃo variando periodicamente. A execuÃÃo da modulaÃÃo foi inserida em uma fibra com acopladores duplo, que tem sido estudados quanto à sua utilizaÃÃo como um todo utilizando ultracomutaÃÃo Ãptica e processador como interruptor Ãptico. Nossas simulaÃÃes estÃo levando em conta da amplitude e frequÃncia diferentes modulaÃÃes do PMN - PFC. Foram estudados acoplador para acoplamento cujo comprimento à Lc = 1,8 centÃmetros, as caracterÃsticas de transmissÃo, o fator de compressÃo, o crosstalk (Xtalk) e taxa de extinÃÃo ( Xratio ) nos nÃveis dos primeiros sÃlitons de ordem decrescente para altas energias bomba considerando 2LC. Uma anÃlise do canal de referÃncia ( canal 2 ) , observou-se que a baixas frequÃncias de modulaÃÃo ocorre um aumento na potÃncia de comutaÃÃo aumentando a eficiÃncia da transmissÃo. Para alta modulaÃÃo freqÃÃncias a eficiÃncia energÃtica transmitida perde. Os pulsos de comutaÃÃo sÃo mais fortes para a baixa frequÃncia e alta amplitude de modulaÃÃo. O Xtalk à uma funÃÃo da mediÃÃo feita no canal secundÃrio ( canal 1 ) , observou-se que este aumento de energia indesejados de alta frequÃncia, para reduzir a medida da modulaÃÃo de amplitude. Em resumo, temos demonstrado que a introduÃÃo de um perfil nÃo-linearidade leva a uma periodicidade modulada PMN - PFC a fortes variaÃÃes na eficiÃncia de transmissÃo, Xtalk , Xratio funÃÃo da freqÃÃncia e modulaÃÃo de amplitude e a potÃncia de entrada.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:37:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Priscila Romagnoli.pdf: 2103605 bytes, checksum: 61f6314f8d7400988a432b7a4793d4be (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-01-24 / Photonic crystal fibers have been proposed as single-polarization (or polarizing) fibers with important applications being demonstrated, for example, in telecommunications, sensing and georeferencing. Although the vast majority of reported studies have focused on the numerical analysis of the performance of PCFs with specific and unconventional designs, post-processing PCFs also allows for great flexibility in altering the characteristics of guidance. In this work, the structure of a commercial, highly birefringent, PCF, with different holes diameters, has been locally changed using a tapering technique, which reduces the transverse dimensions of the fiber, with the application of pressure in the holes. This process was implemented to create 1-cm-long sections with a 66% reduction in their cross-sectional dimensions, through the application of pressure using two different schemes. It is numerically and experimentally shown that the two resulting structures are polarizing. In the first scheme, the same pressure is applied to all holes, resulting in a polarizing PCF at a wavelength of 633 nm, with an experimentally obtained polarization extinction ratio (PER) of 6.44 dB. In the second scheme, the applied pressure was different for the large and small holes, resulting in a polarizing PCF for the 1510-1590 nm wavelength range, with an experimentally obtained PER of more than 30 dB. Both the simplicity of the method and the resulting PER compares favorably with alternative methods to create polarizing conventional and photonic crystal fibers. / Fibras de cristal fotônico (PCFs, do inglês photonic crystal fibers) vêm sendo propostas como fibras polarizadoras, com importantes aplicações sendo demonstradas, por exemplo, em telecomunicações, sensoriamento e georreferenciamento. Apesar da vasta maioria dos trabalhos reportados analisarem numericamente o desempenho de PCFs com designs específicos e não convencionais, o pós-processamento em PCFs comerciais permite grande flexibilidade na alteração das características de guiamento. Neste trabalho, a estrutura de uma PCF altamente birrefringente comercial, com capilares de diferentes diâmetros, foi alterada localmente utilizando uma técnica de afilamento (tapering), que reduz as dimensões transversais da fibra, com aplicação de pressão nos capilares. Este processo foi implementado para criar seções de 1 &#55349;&#56400;&#55349;&#56410; de extensão com uma redução nas dimensões transversais de 66%, aplicando-se pressão de duas formas diferentes. Demonstra-se numérica e experimentalmente que as duas estruturas resultantes são polarizadoras. Na primeira forma, aplicou-se uma única pressão em todos os capilares, resultando em uma PCF polarizadora no comprimento de onda de 633 &#55349;&#56411;&#55349;&#56410;, com uma razão de extinção de polarização (PER) experimentalmente obtida de 6,44 &#55349;&#56401;&#55349;&#56373;. Já na segunda forma aplicaram-se pressões diferentes nos capilares grandes e pequenos, o que resultou em uma PCF polarizadora para a faixa de comprimentos de onda que se estende de 1510 &#55349;&#56411;&#55349;&#56410; a 1590 &#55349;&#56411;&#55349;&#56410;, com uma PER experimentalmente obtida superior a 30 &#55349;&#56401;&#55349;&#56373;. Tanto a simplicidade do método quanto a PER resultante possuem resultados positivos em comparação a métodos alternativos para a produção de fibras convencionais e fibras de cristal fotônico polarizadoras.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-18T21:39:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 Jackson Sen Kiat Ong1.pdf: 336586 bytes, checksum: 52b71abae661534b419bd2bda584dc4a (MD5) Jackson Sen Kiat Ong2.pdf: 1278219 bytes, checksum: ec194da3074f4dd751b05ea76d3b09f6 (MD5) Jackson Sen Kiat Ong4.pdf: 1869905 bytes, checksum: e24bb294662a8c0696b7e5fda65c5f7c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-01-29 / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo / Photonic Crystal Fibers (PCFs) have led to renewed attention to the fiber optics field due to the several unique properties resulting from their microstructured profile. In particular, this profile enables one to insert liquids and polymers into the fiber so that they efficiently interact with light, which can be used for chemical and biological sensing, nonlinear optics, and the development of active photonic devices. Several applications require selectively inserting the sample into the core of a hollow-core PCF, leaving cladding holes unfilled. This dissertation presents two contributions toward the development of core-filled PCFs. Loss mechanisms in liquid-core PCFs are studied and fluorescence from a quantum-dot-doped polymer-core PCF is demonstrated. Loss studies were motivated by the evaluation of the transmission of light at 633 nm in 5-7 cm long water-core PCF samples the tips of which are cleaved at left in air. It was generally found that transmission was less than 5%, while water attenuation alone would lead to ~98% transmission. Liquid evaporation was found to be an important additional loss mechanism and its rate was determined both through microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in capillary fibers and PCFs filled with deionized water, ethanol and toluene. Although the evaporation rate in ethanol was found to be higher, for all samples a few hundreds of micrometers at the fiber tips are emptied over minutes. A method to prevent evaporation consisting of sealing the fiber tips with a clear UV curable polymer (NOA 73) was successfully tested. Filling a PCF with active elements can lead to optical amplification and laser action. Researchers at NTT recently observed fluorescence at 609nm from CdSe quantum dots in the core of a 1m long PCF. In this dissertation, the fluorescence emission is described from ~2.2 nm PbS quantum dots was observed with a specified emission peak of 890 nm. The quantum dots were suspended in NOA73 and inserted in the core of 7-9 cm long PCFs of with a hollow core diameter of 10.9 5m. The fiber was pumped by a 2.5 mW He-Ne laser or a 679 nm, 390 mW diode laser and its emission was characterized. A maximum fluorescence power of 2.2 5W and a maximum efficiency of 0.03% were achieved. Varying the quantum dot concentration revealed that lower concentrations lead to higher efficiencies. / Fibras de cristal fotônico (PCFs) têm levado a uma atenção renovada ao campo das fibras ópticas devido às diversas propriedades exclusivas resultantes do seu perfil microestruturado. Em particular, este perfil permite a introdução de líquidos e polímeros na fibra de modo que estes interajam eficientemente com a luz, levando a aplicações em sensoriamento químico e biológico, óptica não-linear, e o desenvolvimento de dispositivos fotônicos ativos. Diversas aplicações requerem a inserção seletiva da amostra no núcleo de uma PCF de núcleo oco, deixando buracos da casca sem preenchimento. Esta dissertação apresenta duas contribuições para o desenvolvimento de PCFs de núcleo preenchido. Os mecanismos de perda em PCFs de núcleo líquido são estudados e a fluorescência de uma PCF de núcleo polimérico dopado com pontos quânticos é demonstrada. Os estudos da perda foram motivados pela análise da transmissão da luz em 633 nm em amostras de 5-7 cm de PCF de núcleo de água cujas pontas eram clivadas e deixadas no ar. Geralmente a transmissão encontrada era menor do que 5%, enquanto que a atenuação da água poderia levar a ~98% de transmissão. Verificou-se que a evaporação do líquido era um mecanismo de perda importante e sua taxa foi determinada através de microscopia e de tomografia por coerência óptica (OCT) em fibras capilares e PCFs preenchidas com água deionizada, etanol e o tolueno. Embora a taxa da evaporação no etanol seja maior, para todas as amostras algumas centenas de micrômetros nas pontas da fibra são esvaziadas em minutos. Um método para impedir a evaporação que consiste em selar as pontas da fibra com um polímero curável por UV (NOA 73) foi testado com sucesso. O preenchimento de uma PCF com elementos ativos pode conduzir a amplificação óptica e ação laser. Pesquisadores da NTT observaram recentemente fluorescência em 609 nm em pontos quânticos de CdSe no núcleo de uma PCF de 1 m de comprimento. Nesta dissertação, a emissão de fluorescência é observada com pontos quânticos de PbS de ~2,2 nm e pico de emissão nominal em 890 nm. Os pontos quânticos foram suspensos em NOA73 e introduzidos no núcleo de PCFs de 7-9 cm de comprimento e núcleo oco de 10,9 5m de diâmetro. A fibra foi bombeada por um laser de He-Ne de 2,5 mW ou um laser de diodo de 679 nm e 390 mW e sua emissão foi caracterizada. Uma fluorescência com potência máxima de 2,2 5W e eficiência máxima de 0,03% foi obtida. Variando a concentração de pontos quânticos observou-se que baixas concentrações levam a eficiências mais elevadas.

Le nombre croissant d’applications des sources lasers de puissance favorise le développement de solutions techniques innovantes afin d’atteindre des performances inédites. Pour y parvenir, la technologie des lasers solides bénéficie des progrès considérables réalisés pour l’intégration et la montée en puissance des diodes lasers utilisées pour le pompage. Les milieux à gain doivent alors permettre une conversion efficace du rayonnement de pompage en rayonnement laser tout en limitant les phénomènes thermiques et les effets induits par la puissance crête. Au cours de cette thèse, nous proposons d’étudier deux concepts différents afin de dépasser les principaux écueils des systèmes émettant dans le proche infrarouge (1 µm). Dans le cadre d’une collaboration regroupant le Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Luminescents, le Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l’Institut d’Optique et l’entreprise Fibercryst, nous avons développé et caractérisé des fibres cristallines dopées Ytterbium élaborées par la technique de croissance micro-pulling down. Cette géométrie combinant les propriétés des cristaux massifs et les avantages des fibres en verre nous a permis d’obtenir des performances laser prometteuses pour la réalisation de systèmes alliant forte énergie, forte puissance moyenne et forte puissance crête. La seconde partie de ce travail de thèse est consacrée à l’étude du concept de pompage direct de cristaux dopés Néodyme dans les niveaux émetteurs. Cette voie, permettant de réduire à l’extrême l’échauffement dans le milieu, est fortement prometteuse pour l’amélioration des performances des systèmes laser utilisant des cristaux dopés Néodyme / The development of innovative technical solutions in high power laser systems is supported by the increasing number of applications. For their realization, solid-state lasers benefit from considerable progress in the integration and the power scaling of high-brightness laser diodes used as pump sources. Gain medium must guaranty an efficient conversion of pump radiation in laser radiation while also preventing the generation of deleterious thermal phenomena and while limiting effects induced by high peak power. In this thesis, two different concepts were studied in order to overcome the major pitfalls of systems emitting in the near infrared (1 µm). The first part of this work was realized in collaboration with the Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie des Matériaux Luminescents and the company Fibercryst. We have developed and characterized Ytterbium doped crystal fibers elaborated by the micro-pulling down growing technique. This geometry combines the properties of bulk crystals and the advantages of doped fibers. We achieved promising laser performance for the realization of systems of high energy, high average power and high peak power. The second part of this thesis is devoted to studying the concept of direct in-band pumping of Neodymium doped crystals. Thanks to drastic reduction of heating processes inside the laser medium, this solution could allow power scaling of lasers systems based on Neodymium doped gain media

La mesure de l'indice de réfraction a été étudiée depuis qu'Ernest Abbé aie initialement conçu un réfractomètre en 1869, appelé le réfractomètre d'Abbé. Depuis lors, de nombreux réfractomètres ont été développés tels que le réfractomètre à prisme optique ainsi que le réfractomètre à fibre optique, en raison de leurs applications étendues pour la détection de divers paramètres physiques, biologiques et chimiques. Récemment, un grand nombre de chercheurs ont mis au point des réfractomètres basés sur des fibres optiques, exploitant des mécanismes tels que la résonance des plasmons de surface (SPR), les interférences multimodes, les fibres à réseaux de Bragg (FBG), les fibres à réseaux à longues périodes (LPG), les fibres optiques coniques et la fibre multimode à gaine dénudée. Les capteurs fibrés sont avantageux grâce à leur immunité contre les interférences électromagnétiques, passivité électrique au niveau de la sonde de détection et potentiel de mesure in situ à long terme. Cette thèse concerne le développement de modèles complets fonctionnels et précis pour les réfractomètres à fibres optiques basés sur la modulation d'intensité optique, en particulier la réfractométrie à fibre multimode à gaine dénudée ainsi que les systèmes hybrides associant fibres monomode et multimode, et un réfractomètre hybride tout fibré utilisant des fibres à cristaux photoniques. L'objectif clé de ce travail est de caractériser les performances de ces réfractomètres à fibres optiques basés sur la modulation d'intensité en termes de réponse en puissance, de sensibilité, de résolution et de dynamique de mesure. Les résultats de simulation qui sont corroborés expérimentalement démontrent que la très grande sensibilité obtenue dans la zone II (c'est-à-dire le régime de détection typiquement utilisé pour mesurer l'indice du milieu supérieur à l'indice de gaine mais inférieur ou égal à l'indice du coeur) pour tous les trois réfractomètres. Cependant, la sensibilité dans la Zone (c’est-à-dire le régime de détection pour lequel l’indice du milieu à mesurer est supérieur à celui du coeur) est très faible. Ainsi, un refractomètre fibré hybride monomode-multimode est utilisé pour améliorer la sensibilité dans la Zone III. D'autre part, la sensibilité pour la zone I (c'est-à-dire le régime de détection pour mesurer l’indice du milieu inférieur à l'indice de la gaine) a été améliorée en augmentant l'absorption des ondes évanescentes à l'aide du réfractomètre hybride tout fibré à base de fibres à cristaux photoniques à coeur solide. En termes d'application réelle du réfractomètre à fibre pour la détection biochimique, une preuve de concept pour un capteur du gaz méthane a été démontrée en utilisant les supramolécules de cryptophane-A qui permettent de piéger les molécules du méthane. Le cryptophane-A incorporé dans un film hôte à base de styrène acrylonitrile (SAN) est appliqué sur la zone dénudée du capteur comme une région fonctionnalisée. L'indice de réfraction de cette couche sensible augmente proportionnellement avec l'augmentation de la concentration du méthane, ce qui induit une variation de la puissance optique transmise dans le capteur fibré. / Refractive index measurement has been studied since Ernest Abbé initially designed a refractometer in 1869, which is named the Abbé refractometer. Since then, numerous types of refractometers have been developed by employing either the optical prism-based refractometer or the optical fiber-based refractometer, due to their wide-ranging applications such as for sensingvarious physical, biological and chemical parameters. Recently, a large number of researchers have been developing refractometers based on optical fibers, exploiting mechanisms such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), multimode interference, fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), long period gratings (LPG), tapered optical fibers, and striped-cladding multimode fibers (MMF), for their advantages in immunity against electromagnetic interference, electrical passivity at the sensing probe, and capability to long term in-situ measurement. This thesis concerns the development of comprehensively functional and accurate models for optical fiber refractometers based on optical intensity modulation, in particular for stripped-cladding MMF refractometry as well as hybrid systems involving a combination of single-mode-multimode fiber refractometery and the all-fiber hybrid refractometer using photonic crystal fibers. A key objective of this work is to characterize the performance of these intensity-based optical fiber refractometers in terms of their power response, sensitivity, resolution, and dynamic range. The simulation results which are corroborated experimentally demonstrate very high sensitivity being obtained in Zone II (i.e. the sensing regime typically employed for measuring a sensing medium index higher than the cladding index but less than or equal to the core index) for all three types of refractometers. However, the sensitivity in Zone III (i.e. the sensing regime for which the sensing medium index is higher than the core index) is very low. A hybrid single-mode fiber - multimode fiber configuration is used to improve the sensitivity in Zone III. On other hand, the sensitivity for Zone I (i.e. the sensing regime typically employed for measuring a sensing medium index lower than the cladding index) has been improved by increasing evanescent wave absorption using the all-fiber hybrid refractometer based on solid-core photonic crystal fibers. As a further potential of the fiber refractometer for applications in biochemical sensing, the proof-of-concept for a methane gas sensor has been demonstrated using supramolecular cryptophane-A which enables to trap the methane molecules. Cryptophane-A incorporated into a functionalized film of StyreneAcrylonitrile (SAN) host is applied to a de-cladded region of the sensor as the sensitive region. The refractive index of this functionalized layer increases proportionally with increasing methane concentration, subsequently inducing variations in the transmitted optical power along the fiber sensor.

Intensivement étudié depuis son apparition en 1960, le laser est un outil qui a su trouver sa place au-delà du monde académique : ses performances uniques l'ont rendu indispensable dans nombres d'applications de la vie courante. Les particularités les plus attractives du rayonnement laser sont la directivité de son émission, et le caractère quasi-monochromatique de son rayonnement.La première permet de propager un faisceau laser sur des longues distances, et également de concentrer la lumière sur des cibles aux dimensions extrêmement réduites : on parle de cohérence spatiale de l'émission laser. Cette seule propriété trouve de nombreuses applications : les lecteurs de codes-barres, imprimantes laser, pointeurs lasers en sont des exemples très rependus.La seconde permet d'accorder la bande spectrale étroite de l’émission laser aux bandes d'absorption de certains matériaux, ce qui permet de déposer localement de l’énergie de manière contrôlée. Par ailleurs elle confère au rayonnement laser des propriétés de cohérence temporelle uniques, qui peuvent être exploitées notamment en interférométrie, ouvrant la voie à de très nombreuses applications dans le domaine de la mesure, pour la caractérisation de surfaces optiques, dans les capteurs de position à effet Sagnac, en spectrométrie, pour ne pas citer quelques exemples. / ...