Abstract: Radiation source assembly and method for generating broadband radiation by spectral broadening. The radiation source assembly includes a pump assembly configured to provide broadband input radiation. The pump assembly includes a pump source configured to provide first radiation at a pump wavelength, and a broadband assembly configured to provide second radiation including a continuous wavelength range, wherein the first radiation and the second radiation form the broadband input radiation. The radiation source assembly further includes an optical fibre configured to receive the broadband input radiation. The optical fibre includes a core configured along at least a part of the length of the fibre to guide the received broadband input radiation during propagation through the fibre, so as to generate broadband radiation by spectral broadening to be output by the fibre.

Abstract: A monolithic optical element for generating broadband radiation upon receiving input radiation at an input end of the optical element is disclosed, the optical element including: a hollow core region for guiding the input radiation along a longitudinal axis of the optical element towards an output end of the optical element; a cladding region surrounding the core region along the longitudinal axis and including transversally arranged micro-structures configured to provide non-linear optical behavior to the optical element causing the generation of the broadband radiation; and a supporting region surrounding the cladding region along the longitudinal axis of at least part of the optical element, wherein the supporting region has a transversal dimension which is sufficiently large to render the at least part of the optical element substantially rigid.

Abstract: An optical fiber, manufacturing intermediate for forming an optical fiber and a method for forming an optical fiber. The method includes providing a manufacturing intermediate having an elongate body and having an aperture extending through the elongate body along an axial dimension of the elongate body, a boundary of the aperture defining an internal surface of the manufacturing intermediate. The method further includes etching the internal surface of the manufacturing intermediate using an etching substance, and drawing the manufacturing intermediate along the axial dimension so as to form the optical fiber.

Abstract: A radiation source arrangement including: a radiation source operable to generate source radiation including source energy pulses; and at least one non-linear energy-filter operable to filter the source radiation to obtain filtered radiation including filtered energy pulses. The at least one non-linear energy-filter is operable to mitigate variation in energy in the filtered radiation by reducing the energy level of the source energy pulses which have an energy level corresponding to one of both extremities of an energy distribution of the source energy pulses by a greater amount than the source energy pulses which have an energy level corresponding to a peak of the energy distribution.

Abstract: An optical component for a broadband radiation source device, the optical component configured for generating a broadband output upon receiving pump radiation and including: a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF); and a gas mixture filling the HC-PCF, wherein the gas mixture includes a mixture of at least one first gas configured for the generation of the broadband radiation and at least one second gas including or consisting of helium.

Abstract: A method of processing an out-coupling end of a hollow core fiber including a plurality of anti-resonance elements surrounding a hollow core, and a hollow core fiber having been so processed. The method may include performing a tapering step to form a taper in the anti-resonance elements; performing a cleaving step at the taper to form at least one tapered out-coupling end of the hollow core fiber; and performing an end processing step including further heating the out-coupling end in a controlled manner to smoothen the out-coupling end.

Abstract: The invention relates in a first aspect to a process for preparing a 3-dimensional body, in particular a vitreous or ceramic body, which comprises at least the following steps: a) providing an electrostatically stabilized suspension of particles; b) effecting a local destabilization of the suspension of particles by means of a localized electrical discharge between a charge injector and the suspension at a predetermined position and causing an aggregation and precipitation of the particles at said position; c) repeating step b) at different positions and causing the formation of larger aggregates until a final aggregate of particles representing a (porous) 3-dimensional body (green body) having predetermined dimensions has been formed; wherein the charge injector includes i) at least one discharge electrode which does not contact said suspension of particles or ii) a source of charged particles.

Abstract: A broadband source device configured for generating broadband radiation or white light output. The broadband source device includes a gas cell, and a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber at least partially enclosed within the gas cell. A gas mixture is within the gas cell and the hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. The gas mixture includes at least one Raman active molecular gas constituting more than 2% of the gas mixture, such that the broadband source device operates in a balanced Kerr-Raman nonlinear interaction regime.

Abstract: A broadband source device configured for generating broadband radiation or white light output. The broadband source device includes a gas cell, and a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber at least partially enclosed within the gas cell. A gas mixture is within the gas cell and the hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. The gas mixture includes at least one Raman active molecular gas constituting more than 2% of the gas mixture, such that the broadband source device operates in a balanced Kerr-Raman nonlinear interaction regime.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a radiation source is disclosed. In one arrangement, the radiation source includes a gas cell having a window, an optical fiber that is hollow and has an axial direction, an end thereof being enclosed within the gas cell and optically coupled to the window via an optical path, and a surface, disposed around the end of the optical fiber, and extending past the end of the optical fiber in the axial direction towards the window so as to limit one or more selected from: the exchange of gas between the optical path and the remainder of the gas cell, ingress of plasma towards or into the optical fiber, and/or radical flux towards etch-susceptible surfaces.

Abstract: An optical component for a broadband radiation source device, the optical component configured for generating a broadband output upon receiving pump radiation and including: a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF); and a gas mixture filling the HC-PCF, wherein the gas mixture includes a mixture of at least one first gas configured for the generation of the broadband radiation and at least one second gas including or consisting of helium.

Abstract: An optical fiber, manufacturing intermediate for forming an optical fiber and a method for forming an optical fiber. The method includes providing a manufacturing intermediate having an elongate body and having an aperture extending through the elongate body along an axial dimension of the elongate body, a boundary of the aperture defining an internal surface of the manufacturing intermediate. The method further includes etching the internal surface of the manufacturing intermediate using an etching substance, and drawing the manufacturing intermediate along the axial dimension so as to form the optical fiber.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a radiation source is disclosed. In one arrangement, the radiation source includes a gas cell having a window, an optical fiber that is hollow and has an axial direction, an end thereof being enclosed within the gas cell and optically coupled to the window via an optical path, and a surface, disposed around the end of the optical fiber, and extending past the end of the optical fiber in the axial direction towards the window so as to limit one or more selected from: the exchange of gas between the optical path and the remainder of the gas cell, ingress of plasma towards or into the optical fiber, and/or radical flux towards etch-susceptible surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates in a first aspect to a process for preparing a 3-dimensional body, in particular a vitreous or ceramic body, which comprises at least the following steps: a) providing an electrostatically stabilized suspension of particles; b) effecting a local destabilization of the suspension of particles by means of a localized electrical discharge between a charge injector and the suspension at a predetermined position and causing an aggregation and precipitation of the particles at said position; c) repeating step b) at different positions and causing the formation of larger aggregates until a final aggregate of particles representing a (porous) 3-dimensional body (green body) having predetermined dimensions has been formed; wherein the charge injector includes i) at least one discharge electrode which does not contact said suspension of particles or ii) a source of charged particles.

Abstract: A method of spectrally broadening light pulses includes the steps of providing the light pulses with a laser source, said light pulses having a pulse duration below 1 ps, in-coupling the light pulses into a hollow optical waveguide device, and spectrally broadening the light pulses propagating along the pulse guiding medium by subjecting them to a Raman nonlinearity via excitation of a Raman polarization having a first Raman period, wherein the optical waveguide device subjects the light pulses to anomalous group velocity dispersion which combines with the spectral broadening of the light pulses to result in a Raman-enhanced self-compression of the light pulses, and the light pulses further propagate along the optical waveguide device such that the Raman-enhanced self compression results in a further excitation of a Raman polarization having a second Raman period which is faster than the first Raman period.