Optical Autocorrelation Measurement for Ultrafast Pulses at NIR Wavelengths Using GaP, GaAsP, and Si Photoconductive Detectors

In this article, we report on an optical real-time autocorrelator readout with a 5 Hz refresh rate, equipped with a transimpedance amplified photodetector based on the two-photon absorption (TPA) of semiconductor photodiodes (PDs) for ultrashort (1 < ps) pulse measurement. By replacing the GaP PD of a commercial TPA detector with GaAsP and Si PD elements, we demonstrated that the spectral response based on the TPA of each photodetector followed the linear response of the corresponding semiconductor PD within accessible wavelength regions. The TPA spectral response of the GaAsP detector exhibited a peak at 1200 nm and a long wavelength limit near 1300 nm. The TPA spectral response of the Si detector exhibited a short wavelength limit near 1170 nm and a linear response up to 1300 nm. The two types of PD were compared with the characteristics of the GaP photodiode. These photoconductive detectors are efficient, compact, and robust sensors and can be used to diagnose the pulse characteristics of ultrafast fiber lasers and light sources near IR wavelengths.