A universal angular-dispersion synthesizer

TL;DR

This paper introduces a universal angular-dispersion synthesizer that enables access to all physically admissible pulsed optical field configurations via angular dispersion, overcoming longstanding limitations in optics.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel universal AD synthesizer capable of producing arbitrary wavelength-dependent angles, expanding the range of accessible optical field configurations.

Findings

Revealed a gap in the understanding of angular dispersion in optics.

Developed a versatile beam shaper for arbitrary spectral profiles.

Enables new applications in dispersion management and nonlinear optics.

Abstract

We uncover a surprising gap in optics with regards to angular dispersion (AD) that has persisted for decades. A systematic examination of pulsed optical-field configurations classified according to their three lowest dispersion orders resulting from AD (the axial phase velocity, group velocity, and group-velocity dispersion) reveals that the majority of possible classes of fields have eluded optics thus far. This gap is due in part to the limited technical reach of the standard components that provide AD such as gratings and prisms, but due in part also to misconceptions regarding the set of physically admissible field configurations that can be accessed via AD. For example, it has long been thought that AD cannot yield normal group-velocity dispersion in free space. To rectify this state of affairs, we introduce a 'universal AD synthesizer': a pulsed-beam shaper that produces a wavelength-dependent propagation angle with arbitrary spectral profile, thereby enabling access to all physically admissible field configurations realizable via AD. This universal AD synthesizer is a versatile tool for preparing pulsed optical fields for dispersion compensation, optical signal processing, and nonlinear optics.