Modeling of Nonlinear Ultrashort Optical Pulse Propagation

I present a numerical package, written in MATLAB, which provides a simplified scripting interface for simulating a host of ultrashort pulse propagation phenomena. With the proliferation of ultrashort laser technologies, the demand for efficient and accurate simulations has grown significantly. Here I introduce a linear-operator-based formalism for nonlinear pulse propagation beyond the slowly-varying-envelope approximation, which includes phenomena such as nonlinear wave mixing, plasma blue-shifting, and high harmonic generation. I also demonstrate the capabilities of our versatile simulation package, which can handle optical pulse propagation through a host of geometries and guiding structures. Finally, the simulation package is used to investigate a number of effects, particularly that of modulational instability in Kagome-type hollow-core photonic crystal fibers. Thesis Supervisor: Franz X. Kärtner Title: Adjunct Professor Thesis Supervisor: Erich P. Ippen Title: Elihu Thomson Professor of Electrical Engineering Emeritus Professor of Physics Emeritus