Envelope time reversal of optical pulses following frequency conversion with accelerating quasi-phase-matching

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates theoretically that accelerating quasi-phase-matching patterns enable time-reversal of optical pulse envelopes during frequency conversion, with the process controlled by group-velocity mismatch and QPM chirp.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method using accelerating QPM patterns to achieve optical envelope time reversal in frequency conversion processes.

Findings

Time-reversal of pulse envelopes is achievable with accelerating QPM.

The process depends on group-velocity mismatch.

Numerical simulations support the analytical results.

Abstract

It is shown theoretically that the use of accelerating spatiotemporal quasi-phase-matching (QPM) modulation patterns in media with parametric optical interactions makes it possible to generate a time-reversed replica of the pump pulse envelope in a frequency converted signal. The conversion is dependent on the group-velocity mismatch between the fundamental and up-converted harmonics, and controlled by the acceleration rate (chirp) of the QPM phase pattern. Analytical results are corroborated by numerical simulations.