The expected permittivity and third-order nonlinear susceptibility of a composite consisting of semiconductor nanorods (NRs) dispersed in a polymer host are derived using a generalized Maxwell Garnett model under various NR axis orientation statistics, achieved by an aligning electric field. The semiconductor NRs are analyzed as prolate spheroids and modeled as more realistic capsule shapes. From the angular distribution function of the NRs, the composite macroscopic characteristics are found for low filling fractions. As the alignment field strength increases, the composite optical properties asymptotically converge toward the nematic case. Aligning fields of order 107 V/m are required for the optical properties to increase to half the value between random orientation and nematic array composites. © 2013 Optical Society of America

We present a new micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) spatial light modulator (SLM) with a two-dimensional array of tightly-spaced square micromirrors (or pixels) designed to sag (or piston motion). This diffractive MEMS modulator is to be used for independently applying amplitude attenuation and phase control to spectrally-dispersed light along one dimension. The spectral phase and amplitude modulator operate in conjunction with a dispersive optical setup, where spatially resolved frequency components are to be incident onto and independently modulated by the device. The MEMS design is based on two common actuators per array column, in order to set the two degrees of freedom of amplitude and phase for every spectral component. This MEMS SLM is thus optimal in actuator/electrode count, especially when compared to conventional SLM where each pixel is independently actuated. The MEMS sag range is compatible with near-IR wavelengths used in the fiber-optic communication band.

We employ a spatial-light-modulator-based colorless photonic spectral processor with a spectral addressability of 100 MHz along 100 GHz bandwidth, for multichannel, high-resolution reshaping of Gaussian channel response to square-like shape, compatible with Nyquist WDM requirements. © 2013 Optical Society of America

We report the first demonstration, to our knowledge, of time-to-space conversion of subpicosecond pulses in a slab nonlinear waveguide. By vertically confining the nondegenerate sum-frequency generation interaction between a spatially dispersed 100 fs signal pulse at 1.55 μm and a reference pulse in a titanium indiffused planar periodically poled lithium niobate crystal waveguide, we have attained a conversion efficiency of 0.1% and a conversion efficiency slope of 4% per watt of reference beam power. This was achieved while maintaining high conversion resolution, with a measured time window of operation of 48 ps resulting in a serial-to-parallel demultiplexing factor of 90. © 2013 Optical Society of America