Abstract: A short intense pulse of radiation is generated by shining radiation through a magneto-optical material and providing multiple stimulations to the material. The material is excited multiple times to rapidly change a property of the radiation, such as the angle of its polarization. The first excitation rotates the polarization in a first direction and the second excitation can rotate the polarization further. Alternatively the second excitation can bring the polarization back to its initial direction. Effect of lengthy relaxation times in the material cancel each other out and the pulse of light has a length that depends on the time difference between the two excitations and the spacing between them. This allows a pulse of light to be produced that has more rotation or has a shorter pulse width than the time for excitation plus the time for normal relaxation of the magneto-optical material.

Abstract: A short pulse of radiation is generated by shining radiation through a magneto-optical material. The material is excited twice to rapidly change a property of the wave, such as the direction of the polarization. The first excitation rotates the polarization in a first direction and the second excitation brings the polarization back to its initial direction before the first excitation. Although the time for relaxation from the excitations may be lengthy, a pulse of light can be produced that is shorter in time than the time for excitation plus the time for relaxation. Light experiencing the pair of lengthy relaxations has each cancelling the effect of the other. The pulse of light has a length that depends on the time difference between the two excitations and the spacing between them. The rapid excitations are provided by pulses of current in a superconductor located near the magneto-optical material.

Abstract: A short pulse of radiation is generated by shining radiation through a magneto-optical material. The material is excited twice to rapidly change a property of the wave, such as the direction of the polarization. The first excitation rotates the polarization in a first direction and the second excitation brings the polarization back to its initial direction before the first excitation. Although the time for relaxation from the excitations may be lengthy, a pulse of light can be produced that is shorter in time than the time for excitation plus the time for relaxation. Light experiencing the pair of lengthy relaxations has each cancelling the effect of the other. The pulse of light has a length that depends on the time difference between the two excitations and the spacing between them. The rapid excitations are provided by pulses of current in a superconductor located near the magneto-optical material.

Abstract: A short intense pulse of radiation is generated by shining radiation through a magneto-optical material and providing multiple stimulations to the material. The material is excited multiple times to rapidly change a property of the radiation, such as the angle of its polarization. The first excitation rotates the polarization in a first direction and the second excitation can rotate the polarization further. Alternatively the second excitation can bring the polarization back to its initial direction. Effect of lengthy relaxation times in the material cancel each other out and the pulse of light has a length that depends on the time difference between the two excitations and the spacing between them. This allows a pulse of light to be produced that has more rotation or has a shorter pulse width than the time for excitation plus the time for normal relaxation of the magneto-optical material.

Abstract: The optical assembly for modulating input light and providing modulated light at an output thereof includes a first arrangement, which includes a layer of a superconductive material having at least a part of the input light incident thereon as incident light. The superconductive material is switchable between a first state, in which the superconductive material exhibits a first refractive index, and a second state, in which the superconductive material exhibits a second refractive index. The first arrangement is configured to direct to the output as the modulated light a first fraction of the incident light, when the superconductive material is in the first state, and a second fraction of the incident light, when the superconductive material is in the second state, such that the modulated light exhibits a given value of extinction ratio, which is defined as a ratio of the first fraction of the incident light to the second fraction of the incident light at the output.