New autocorrelation technique for the IR FEL optical pulse width measurements

We have developed a new technique for the autocorrelation measurement of optical pulse width at the Vanderbilt University FEL center. This method is based on nonlinear absorption and transmission characteristics of semiconductors such as Ge, Te and InAs suitable for the wavelength range from 2 to over 6 microns. This approach, aside being simple and low cost, removes the phase matching condition that is generally required for the standard frequency doubling technique and covers a greater wavelength range per nonlinear material. In this paper we will describe the apparatus, explain the principal mechanism involved and compare data which have been acquired with both frequency doubling and two-photon absorption