Without noise, a wireless system would be able to transmit and receive signals over an arbitrary long-distance. However, practical wireless systems are not noise-free, leading to a limited communication range. Thus, the design of low-noise devices (such as antennas, amplifiers, and filters) is essential to increase the communication range. Also, it is well known that the noise performance of a receiving radio is primarily determined by the frontend including the antenna, filter, and a low-noise amplifier. In our first design, we intend to reduce the noise level of the receiving system by integrating a parametric amplifier into the slot antenna. The parametric amplifier utilizes nonlinear and/or time-variant properties of reactive elements (capacitors and/or inductors) to amplify radio frequency signals. Also, the parametric amplifier offers superior noise performance due to its reactive nature. We utilize the parametric amplifier to design a low-noise active matching circuit for electrically small antennas in our second design. Using Chu's limit and the Bode-Fano bound, we show a trade-off between the noise and bandwidth of the electrically small antennas. In particular, to make the small antenna wideband, one needs to introduce a mismatch between the antenna and the amplifier. Due to the mismatch, the effect of the low-noise amplifier becomes even more critical and that is why we choose the parametric amplifier as a natural candidate. As a realized design, a loop antenna is configured as a receiver, and the up-converter parametric amplifier is connected to it leading to a low-noise and wideband active matching circuit. The structure is simulated using a hybrid simulation technique and its noise performance is compared to the transistor counterpart. Our simulation and measurement results show more than 20 times bandwidth improvement at the expense of a 2 dB increase in the noise figure compared to the passive antenna counterpart. / Doctor of Philosophy / Nowadays, there is a high demand for compact and high-speed electronic devices such as cellphones, tablets, laptops, etc. It is therefore essential to design a miniaturized wideband antenna. Unfortunately, a trade-off exists between the bandwidth and gain of small antennas. The trade-off is based on some fundamental limits and extends to all small and passive antennas, regardless of their shape or structure. By using an active component such as an amplifier, the gain-bandwidth trade-off can be improved. However, we show that the active component adds noise to the receiving system leading to a new trade-off between noise and bandwidth in the receiving structures. In other words, utilizing the active component does not solve the problem and just replaces the gain-bandwidth trade-off with the noise-bandwidth trade-off. To improve the noise-bandwidth trade-off, we propose a new receiving structure in which we use the parametric amplifier instead of a commercially available transistor amplifier. The noise performance of the parametric amplifier is extremely better than the transistor amplifier leading to lower noise for the specified bandwidth. In particular, we improved the noise performance of the receiving system by 3 dB leading to doubling the communication distance.

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 100-105) Also available in print.

Les sources lasers à impulsions ultracourtes de forte puissance dans la région spectrale du proche à moyen infrarouge sont très demandées pour la physique des champs forts dans les atomes, les molécules et la matière condensée. D’après le modèle en trois étapes [1], l’énergie coupée des harmoniques élevées générées varie comme I×λ2. Cela favorise les longueurs d’onde plus longues pour générer des photons XUV plus énergétiques, et potentiellement des impulsions attosecondes plus courtes. Malheureusement, l’extension de l’énergie des photons se fait au prix d’une diminution de l’efficacité en λ−5,5 [2]. La disponibilité d’un système laser à haute cadence est un atout majeur pour palier aux problèmes d’efficacité et produire des flux de photons élevés. Même s’il existe quelques matériaux de gain laser adaptés à la génération d’impulsions femtoseconde intense dans la région spectrale infrarouge intermédiaire, l’amélioration globale du taux de répétition, de la durée et de la puissance des impulsions sont encore des défis [3, 4]. Ainsi, les systèmes paramétriques basés sur un mélange non linéaire à trois ondes sont une alternative intéressante pour générer les impulsions ultracourtes requises pour ce type d’expériences. Actuellement, les systèmes paramétriques à haute puissance dans l’infrarouge moyen ne peuvent pas atteindre les intensités requises pour générer des harmoniques dans le gaz. Cependant, ces sources sont des moteurs intéressants pour la génération d’harmonique (HHG) dans les solides, qui nécessitent des intensités sur cible plus faibles. Par ailleurs, les systèmes à haute énergie, mais à taux de répétition plus bas, sont capables de générer des impulsions suffisamment énergétiques pour les expériences HHG dans le gaz. Cependant, l’efficacité globale de ces sources est encore faible. En fonction de l’énergie harmonique requise, le rayonnement peut être généré efficacement par des lasers NIR post-comprimés.Cette thèse décrit le développement des sources MWIR et leurs applications en physique des champs forts. Nous avons choisi d’étudier des sources paramétriques pilotées par un laser à pompe CPA de puissance moyenne élevée et par un système laser à grande énergie Yb: CaF2. Les impulsions MWIR générées sont ensuite utilisées pour sonder l’interaction du matériau laser à travers HHG dans les solides et les gaz. / Ultrashort pulse light sources in the near- to mid-wavelength infrared spectral region are in high demand for strong field physics in atoms, molecules and condensed matter. According to the three step model [1], the energy cut off of generated high harmonics scales as I×λ2, which favors longer driving wavelengths in order to generate more energetic XUV photons, and potentially shorter attosecond, soft X-ray pulses. Unfortunately, photon energy extensionis at the cost of an efficiency drop scaling as λ−5.5 [2]. The availability of a high-repetitionrate laser system is paramount to mitigate the efficiency issues and still produce high photon fluxes. Even though there are only a few laser gain media suitable for intense femtosecond pulse generation in the mid-IR spectral region, the overall scalability of the pulse repetition rate, the duration and power are still a challenge [3, 4]. Thus, parametric systems based on a nonlinear three wave-mixing, are an attractive alternative to generate the required ultrashort pulses for those experiments. Currently high power middle infrared parametric systems can’t reach the required intensities to reliably drive high harmonic generation (HHG) in gas. However, these sources are attractive drivers for HHG in solids, which requires lower intensities on the target. On the other hand, high energy, but lower repetition rate systems arecapable of generating energetic pulses for HHG experiments in gas. However, the overall efficiency of those drivers is still low. Depending on the required harmonics energy, the XUV could be efficiently generated by post-compressed NIR lasers.This thesis describes the development of MWIR sources and their applications in strong field physics. We have chosen to investigate parametric sources driven by high average power fiber CPA pump laser and by high energy Yb:CaF2 bulk laser system. The generated MWIR few cycle pulses are then used to probe laser material interaction through HHG in solids and gas.

The objective of this research is to develop, characterize, and demonstrate novel parametric architectures capable of wideband operation while maintaining high gain and stability. To begin the study, phase-incoherent upconverting parametric amplifiers will be explored by first developing a set of analytical models describing their achievable gain and efficiency. These models will provide a set of design tools to optimize and evaluate prototype circuit boards. The prototype boards will then be used to demonstrate their achievable gain, bandwidth, efficiency, and stability. Further investigation of the analytical models and data collected from the prototype boards will conclude bandwidth and gain limitations and end the investigation into phase-incoherent upconverting parametric amplifiers in lieu of negative-resistance parametric amplifiers. Traditionally, there were two versions of negative-resistance parametric amplifiers available: degenerate and non-degenerate. Both modes of operation are considered single-frequency amplifiers because both the input and output frequencies occur at the source frequency. Degenerate parametric amplifiers offer more power gain than their non-degenerate counterpart and do not require additional circuitry for idler currents. As a result, a phase-coherent degenerate parametric amplifier printed circuit board prototype will be built to investigate achievable gain, bandwidth, and stability. Analytical models will be developed to describe the gain and efficiency of phase-coherent degenerate parametric amplifiers. The presence of a negative resistance suggests the possibility of instability under certain operating conditions, therefore, an in-depth stability study of phase-coherent degenerate parametric amplifiers will be performed. The observation of upconversion gain in phase-coherent degenerate parametric amplifiers will spark investigation into a previously unknown parametric architecture: phase-coherent upconverting parametric amplifiers. Using the phase-coherent degenerate parametric amplifier prototype board, stable phase-coherent upconversion with gain will be demonstrated from the source input frequency to its third harmonic. An analytical model describing the large-signal transducer gain of phase-coherent upconverting parametric amplifiers from the first to the third harmonic of the source input will be derived and validated using the prototype board and simulations.

Orientador: Hugo Luis Fragnito / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-13T07:01:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rieznik_AndresAnibal_D.pdf: 2453403 bytes, checksum: 66544ed487a1cb0efeea1180adac25c3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: Apresentamos métodos para a otimização das simulações da propagação não linear da luz em fibras ópticas a través do Método de Split-Step Fourier (SSFM). Os dois efeitos considerados na modelagem da propagação são a dispersão e o efeito Kerr instantâneo. Estudamos tanto as equações acopladas considerando os dois modos principais de polarização quanto as equações escalares, estas últimas aplicáveis em situações em que o campo pode ser considerado um escalar, como em fibras isotrópicas com todos os campos linearmente polarizados e paralelos. Mostramos que o método que propomos para resolver as equações escalares é ordens de grandeza mais rápido do que outros métodos apresentados recentemente na literatura científica na modelagem de sistemas de transmissão de dados. No caso das equações acopladas, mostramos que o método proposto fornece resultados acurados na modelagem de amplificadores paramétricos e o utilizamos para validar um modelo analítico de seis ondas que nós mesmos desenvolvemos. Também utilizamos o método proposto para as equações acopladas para estudar o impacto das variações aleatórias da birrefringência sobre o ganho de amplificadores paramétricos, mostrando a importância da modelagem realista destas flutuações. Todos os códigos desenvolvidos são disponibilizados e distribuídos sob uma licença do tipo de software livre através de um portal criado na internet especialmente para esse fim. / Abstract: We introduce optimized models and algorithms for the simulation of non linear propagation in optical fibers using the split-step Fourier Method (SSFM). Dispersion and the Kerr effect are the two main effects considered in the simulations. We study the coupled equations, considering both polarization modes, as well as the scalar equation, which can be applied when the scalar approximation holds, as in isotropic fibers with all fields linearly polarized and parallels. We show that the method that we propose to solve the scalar equation is orders of magnitude faster than other methods recently introduced in the scientific literature for modeling transmission systems. In the coupled-equations case, we show that the proposed method gives accurate results for the modeling of parametric amplifiers, and use it to validate an analytical six-wave model that we developed. We also use the method for the coupled-equations to study the effects of randomly varying birefringence on parametric amplifiers gain, showing the importance of the accurate modeling of these fluctuations. All the codes developed in this thesis are available for download and distributed under a creative commons license in an internet site created specifically for this purpose. / Doutorado / Ótica / Doutor em Ciências

Orientadores: Edson Moschim, Marcelo Luís Francisco Abbade / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T01:03:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Costa_AndreLuizAguiarda_D.pdf: 10372929 bytes, checksum: d9a9fba8345bb6152e472fda3ff293e6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Neste trabalho foram investigadas através de experimentos e simulações computacionais duas novas técnicas de processamento óptico de sinais, que utilizam amplificação paramétrica para multiplexar as informações de dois sinais binários em um único sinal multi-nível. Na primeira delas, o sinal multi-nível corresponde a um sinal quaternário em amplitude, enquanto na segunda este e um sinal ternário em amplitude. Ao contrario da amplificação paramétrica convencional, que utiliza um sinal de bombeio continuo (cw, continuous wave), em ambas as técnicas analisadas neste trabalho, tanto o sinal de bombeio quanto o sinal de prova são modulados em amplitude por duas sequências independentes de bits (informações). Tais sinais são acoplados e propagados por uma fibra óptica. A interação não-linear entre eles, decorrente do processo de amplificação paramétrica, proporciona a multiplexação das informações dos sinais de bombeio e de prova em uma mesma banda. Para os sinais quaternários, os sinais de bombeio e de prova podem apresentar ou não mesma taxa de transmissão, sendo possível ate dobrar a taxa de transmissão dos sinais originais. Verificou-se que a distribuição de seus níveis de potencia e controlada pelas razoes de extinção do sinal de bombeio e de prova. A máxima diferença obtida entre os resultados analíticos e de simulações em relação aos experimentais foi inferior a 1.4 dB. Os experimentos mostraram também que taxas de erro de bit (BER, Bit Erro Rate) inferiores a 7.6 .10-12 podem ser obtidas mesmo apos o sinal quaternário ser propagado por 75 km. Com relação aos sinais ternários, o sinal de prova deve apresentar uma taxa de transmissão N vezes maior que o sinal de bombeio, sendo N inteiro e maior que dois. A taxa de transmissão deste tipo de sinal multi-nível e a soma das taxas de transmissão dos sinais originais. Verificou-se também que com o ajuste da potencia do sinal de bombeio, e possível obter quaisquer razoes de extinção entre o terceiro e o segundo níveis, tornando possível adequar o sinal ternário para minimizar a BER independente do regime de ruído dominante. Apos a propagação do sinal ternário, por 40 km de uma rede de teste de campo, os melhores valores encontrados de BER foram inferiores a 3.5 10-15. Estes baixos valores de BER indicam que ambas as técnicas analisadas podem ser aplicadas a situações práticas / Abstract: In this work two new all-optical signal processing techniques are investigated through computer simulations and experiments; they utilize parametric amplification to multiplex information of two binary input signals into a single multi-level one. In the first of these techniques the multilevel signal corresponds to a quaternary-amplitude one, whereas in the other technique it is a ternary-amplitude signal. In opposition to conventional parametric amplification, where the pump is a continuous wave signal that interacts with one or more modulated probe signals, in both techniques analyzed in this work, the pump and probe signals are modulated by two independent bit sequences. Such signals are coupled and propagated through an optical fiber where parametric interaction causes information carried by these signals to be multiplexed in a single bandwidth. In the generation of quaternary-amplitude signals (QAS), the bit rates of the pump and probe signals may but do not need to be the same; thus, the QAS may convey twice information as each individual binary input signal. It is theoretically demonstrated and experimentally verified that the power level distribution of the QAS may be properly regulated by changing the extinction ratios of the pump and probe signals. Results concerning this analysis show that predictions based on the analytical model presented in this thesis and simulation results are at most 1.4 dB apart from experimental measurements; this is a quite good agreement. Experiments showed that bit error rates (BERs) as low as 7.6 .10-12 may be obtained even after the QAS is propagated for 75 km of standard fibers, with no filtering or any other kind of optimization. In the case of ternary-amplitude signals (TAS), the bit rate of the probe signal needs to be N times larger than the one the pump signal, where N is an integer number greater than 2. It is shown that the power level distribution of TAS may be arbitrarily chosen by simply adjusting the power associated with the "bit-1" pump level; this is an interesting feature because it allows the BER of the TAS to be minimized for any kind of dominant noise. In fact, in one of the presented experiments the TAS generated by parametric amplification was propagated by a 40-km long standard fiber link of a field-trial network and BERs inferior to 3.5 10-15 were obtained. The low BER values obtained by the QAS and TAS generated by parametric amplification suggest that both of the techniques investigated in this work could be utilized in practical applications / Doutorado / Eletrônica, Microeletrônica e Optoeletrônica / Doutor em Engenharia Elétrica

Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) and optical parametricamplifiers (OPAs) constitute a class of optical frequencyconverting devices that have many possible applications, e.g.in range finding, molecular spectroscopy and medicine. They canconvert the frequency of the incident pump field with highefficiency, and generate two waves at new frequencies that willbe continuously tuneable over a wide spectral range. Virtuallyany wavelengths within the transparency region of the nonlinearmaterial can be generated if the material can bequasi-phasematched (QPM). In addition, QPM gives thepossibility to utilise the largest nonlinear tensor element ofthe material and allows walk-off free interaction between thewaves. The aims of this thesis have been to investigate thepossibility to use QPM KTiOPO4crystals as nonlinear material in nanosecond OPOsand OPAs operating at room-temperature, and to explore theadvantages and shortcomings of these devices. The technique ofelectric field poling has been employed to implement the QPMstructure in flux grown KTiOPO4(KTP). The main conclusion is that periodically poled KTP (PPKTP)is a suitable material to use in nanosecond OPOs and OPAs. Thematerial properties that foremost make KTP into an attractivenonlinear material are: The large value of the nonlinearcoefficient d33, the high resistance to optically inducedbreakdown, the low susceptibility to grey-track formation, theinsensitivity to the photorefractive effect, the widetransparency and the low coercive field. The thesis shows that it is possible to pole large volumesof KTP with a high quality of the QPM structure. Highlyefficient nanosecond OPOs have been constructed during thisproject. Maximum conversion efficiencies have reached 45 % inthe case of a singly resonant OPO (SRO) built around a 3 mmthick PPKTP crystal. Total pulse energies for both the signal(1.72 µm) and the idler (2.8 µm) of up to 18 mJ wasreached and an average output power of 2 W was obtained forthis sample. However, up to 24 W was produced in a doublyresonant OPO operating close to degeneracy. The efficiencyreached 48 % for that case. Truly continuous and very widespectral tuning has also been demonstrated, as well as a narrowbandwidth OPO operating on one single longitudinal mode. <b>Keywords:</b>optical parametric oscillators, opticalparametric amplifiers, quasi-phasematching, KTiOPO4, nonlinear optics, frequency conversion, periodicelectric field poling, ferroelectrics, high-order secondharmonic generation, electro-optic effect.

<p>Optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) and optical parametricamplifiers (OPAs) constitute a class of optical frequencyconverting devices that have many possible applications, e.g.in range finding, molecular spectroscopy and medicine. They canconvert the frequency of the incident pump field with highefficiency, and generate two waves at new frequencies that willbe continuously tuneable over a wide spectral range. Virtuallyany wavelengths within the transparency region of the nonlinearmaterial can be generated if the material can bequasi-phasematched (QPM). In addition, QPM gives thepossibility to utilise the largest nonlinear tensor element ofthe material and allows walk-off free interaction between thewaves.</p><p>The aims of this thesis have been to investigate thepossibility to use QPM KTiOPO₄crystals as nonlinear material in nanosecond OPOsand OPAs operating at room-temperature, and to explore theadvantages and shortcomings of these devices. The technique ofelectric field poling has been employed to implement the QPMstructure in flux grown KTiOPO₄(KTP).</p><p>The main conclusion is that periodically poled KTP (PPKTP)is a suitable material to use in nanosecond OPOs and OPAs. Thematerial properties that foremost make KTP into an attractivenonlinear material are: The large value of the nonlinearcoefficient d₃₃, the high resistance to optically inducedbreakdown, the low susceptibility to grey-track formation, theinsensitivity to the photorefractive effect, the widetransparency and the low coercive field.</p><p>The thesis shows that it is possible to pole large volumesof KTP with a high quality of the QPM structure. Highlyefficient nanosecond OPOs have been constructed during thisproject. Maximum conversion efficiencies have reached 45 % inthe case of a singly resonant OPO (SRO) built around a 3 mmthick PPKTP crystal. Total pulse energies for both the signal(1.72 µm) and the idler (2.8 µm) of up to 18 mJ wasreached and an average output power of 2 W was obtained forthis sample. However, up to 24 W was produced in a doublyresonant OPO operating close to degeneracy. The efficiencyreached 48 % for that case. Truly continuous and very widespectral tuning has also been demonstrated, as well as a narrowbandwidth OPO operating on one single longitudinal mode.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>optical parametric oscillators, opticalparametric amplifiers, quasi-phasematching, KTiOPO₄, nonlinear optics, frequency conversion, periodicelectric field poling, ferroelectrics, high-order secondharmonic generation, electro-optic effect.</p>

We investigate the resonant characteristics of superconducting meandering nanowires to design a nonlinear kinetic inductance traveling-wave parametric amplifier. The devices are patterned out of 15 nm thick NbTiN films. They consist of a coplanar waveguide, that shrinks into 100 nm wide meandering nanowires. For a total kinetic inductance of ∼1 μH, our simulations show that these structures behave as resonators with fundamental mode frequency around 1 GHz and a phase velocity of the signal as low as c/1000. The resonance peaks correspond to the presence of current antinodes within the meandering structure. Samples were fabricated at the Albanova Nanolab facility and measured in a sample-in-vacuum dipstick at 300 mK. Frequency sweeps in the 0.1-10 GHz range confirm the presence of these resonance peaks. In addition, we investigate the current nonlinearity of our devices. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the resonant peaks revealed the critical temperature of the film, TC = 14.0 ± 0.5 K. The dispersion relations showed that the device impedance exceeds the resistance quantum RQ = 6.5 kΩ when close to resonance or below 87 MHz. A second design was realized in order to reduce the device’s characteristic impedance to ≈ 50 Ω. This design, accomodating a micro stripline, embedded a significantly longer nanowire, with a total kinetic inductance ∼10 μH. Measurements showed a dramatically reduced impedance to ≈ 700 Ω, but still not matched to 50 Ω, giving rise to a dense frequency comb of standing modes in the 0-3 GHz bandwidth, with a constant spacing of ≈ 45 MHz. / Vi undersöker egenskaperna hos supraledande slingrande nanotrådar i syfte att designa en ickelinjär kinetisk induktans parametrisk förstärkare. Våra prov är mönstrade ur 15 nm tjocka NbTiN-filmer. De består av en koplanär vågledare som krymper till 100 nm breda slingrande nanotrådar. Med en sammanlagd kinetisk induktans på ∼1 μH visar våra simuleringar att dessa strukturer beter sig som resonatorer med en funda- mental modfrekvens runt 1 GHz och en fashastighet för signalen så låg som c/1000. Resonanserna motsvarar närvaron av strömantinoder inom den slingrande strukturen. Proverna tillverkades i Albanovas Nanolab och mättes i en prov-i-vakuum-sticka runt 300 mK. Frekvenssvepen i området 0,1-10 GHz bekräftar förekomsten av dessa res- onanser. Dessutom undersökte vi den strömberoende ickelinjäriteten i våra enheter. Analys av resonansernas temperaturberoende ger ett värde på filmens kritiska temper- atur, TC = 14.0 ± 0.5 K. Dispersionsförhållandena visade att provens impedans över- stiger resistanskvantumet RQ = 6, 5 kΩ nära resonanserna. En andra design realiserades för att reducera provens karakteristiska impedans till ≈ 50 Ω. Denna design, med en mikrostripline, har en betydligt längre totaltsträcka med en sammanlagd kinetisk induk- tans på ∼10 μH. Mätningarna visade en dramatiskt reducerad impedans på ≈ 700 Ω, men inte till det matchade värdet på 50 Ω, vilket gav upphov till en tät frekvenskam inom bandbredden 0- 3 GHz, med ett avstånd på ≈ 45 MHz mellan resonanserna.