Imaging and autocorrelation of ultrafast infrared laser pulses in the 3-11-mu m range with silicon CCD cameras and photodiodes

Standard silicon photodiodes and CCD cameras are convenient and inexpensive alternatives to cryogenically cooled diodes or arrays for autocorrelation and imaging of ultrafast IR laser pulses in the wavelength range 3-11 mum. The response of these Si devices to IR pulses of duration similar to 100 fs is proportional to E-n, where E is the pulse energy and n is approximately the Si electronic bandgap divided by the photon energy. (C) 2001 Optical S ociety of America OCIS codes: 040.1520, 040.3060, 040.6040, 190.7110, 190.4 720, 140.7090.