Graphene and thin graphite films for ultrafast optical Kerr gating at 1 GHz repetition rate under focused illumination

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Farrag, Amr, Flatae, Assegid M., Agio, Mario
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Farrag, Amr
Flatae, Assegid M.
Agio, Mario
author_facet Farrag, Amr
Flatae, Assegid M.
Agio, Mario
contents The ability to address sub-picosecond events of weak optical signals is essential for progress in quantum science, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast spectroscopy. While up-conversion and optical Kerr gating (OKG) offer femtosecond resolution, they are generally limited to ensemble measurements, making ultrafast detection in nano-optics challenging. OKG, with its broadband response and high throughput without phase-matching, is especially promising when used at high repetition rates under focused illumination. Here, we demonstrate an ultrafast detection scheme using the third-order nonlinearity of graphene and thin graphite films, operating at 1 GHz with sub-nanojoule pulses and achieving 141 fs temporal resolution. Their exceptionally large nonlinear refractive index, orders of magnitude higher than conventional Kerr media, enhances detection efficiency at smaller thicknesses, enables sub-picosecond response, and supports broadband operation. Their atomic-scale thickness minimizes dispersion and simplifies integration with microscopy platforms, optical fibers, and nanophotonic circuits, making them a compact, practical material platform for nano-optical and on-chip ultrafast Kerr gating.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_17713
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Graphene and thin graphite films for ultrafast optical Kerr gating at 1 GHz repetition rate under focused illumination
Farrag, Amr
Flatae, Assegid M.
Agio, Mario
Optics
The ability to address sub-picosecond events of weak optical signals is essential for progress in quantum science, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast spectroscopy. While up-conversion and optical Kerr gating (OKG) offer femtosecond resolution, they are generally limited to ensemble measurements, making ultrafast detection in nano-optics challenging. OKG, with its broadband response and high throughput without phase-matching, is especially promising when used at high repetition rates under focused illumination. Here, we demonstrate an ultrafast detection scheme using the third-order nonlinearity of graphene and thin graphite films, operating at 1 GHz with sub-nanojoule pulses and achieving 141 fs temporal resolution. Their exceptionally large nonlinear refractive index, orders of magnitude higher than conventional Kerr media, enhances detection efficiency at smaller thicknesses, enables sub-picosecond response, and supports broadband operation. Their atomic-scale thickness minimizes dispersion and simplifies integration with microscopy platforms, optical fibers, and nanophotonic circuits, making them a compact, practical material platform for nano-optical and on-chip ultrafast Kerr gating.
title Graphene and thin graphite films for ultrafast optical Kerr gating at 1 GHz repetition rate under focused illumination
topic Optics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.17713