Prof. Harith Ahmad

Prof. Harith Ahmad

University of Malaya, Malaysia

Speech Title: Mode-locked infra-red fiber lasers at 2 μm using nanomaterials

Harith Ahmad, Muhamad Zharif Samion, Leonard Bayang, Mohammad Faizal Ismail

Photonics Research Centre, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

Generally, mode-locked fiber lasers with nanomaterials can be a useful source in photonics applications. Mode locking is a technique used to generate ultra-shortoptical pulses in optical fiber gain materials opening up numerous applications in areas such as communication, sensing, and medical sciences. Usually, generating these ultrashort pulses can be undertaken using active means such as electro-optical and acoustic-optic crystals. These have been superseded by nanomaterials such as graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, topological insulators, transition-metal dichalcogenides, and many others.

In this presentation, the basic idea of mode locking will be presented, and different approaches to obtaining ultrashort pulses will be discussed. Also, the historical development of nanomaterials on saturable absorbers will be elaborated. At the same time, the fabrication of these materials will be highlighted, especially the preparation, and also how these materials are deposited on the optical fibers to act on saturable absorbers.

Biography

Professor Datuk Dr Harith Ahmad FASc obtained his in BSc in Physics with First Class Honours from the University of Malaya in 1979. Subsequently, he obtained his MSc from the University of Wales in 1980, followed by his PhD in 1983 from the same institution. Upon returning to Malaysia in 1983, he became a member of the academic staff of UM, and since then has led the university’s research into the area of photonics. He is currently a Distinguished Professor, and is also the director of the Photonics Research Centre of the University of Malaya, a Higher Education Centre of Excellence (HiCoE) under the purview of the Ministry of Education, Malaysia (MOE). His substantial contributions in the area of photonics has been acknowledged with multiple awards and recognitions, including as a Fellow of Akademi Sains Malaysia and recipient of the Malaysia-Toray Science Foundation Award, Merdeka Award for Scholastic Achievement and ASEAN Outstanding Scientist and Technology Award. He is very active as both a researcher and an academician, with numerous ISI ranked research publications to his name, as well as supervising numerous undergraduate and postgraduate students in photonics.