Intracavity Raman conversion for 16-μm Stokes pulse generation in para-hydrogen

16-μm Stokes pulses were directly generated for the first time to our knowledge by an intracavity configuration for the para-hydrogen Raman laser. We have analyzed Stokes field growth using a focused gain model and designed a pump/Stokes cavity to satisfy CO₂ pump power and pulse duration requirements for Raman oscillation. The CO₂ laser oscillation with circular polarization was realized by seeding externally circularly polarized CO₂ radiation. An output energy of 2.4 mJ was obtained with the output coupler of 0.5% transmittance, which indicated that 420 mJ of Stokes pulse energy was stored inside the cavity. This suggests that a much higher energy can be extracted by the optimization of cavity parameters. Received: 18 November 1998 / Published online: 26 May 1999     

All-solid-state continuous wave intracavity frequency-tripled Nd:YVO4-LiB3O4 blue laser using double-resonant approach

In the paper, a new way of intracavity frequency-tripled all-solid-state laser to generate continuous wave blue coherent radiation is firstly demonstrated. High-efficiency of continuous wave third harmonic generation using the approach of double-resonance at fundamental frequency and second harmonic is developed by insertion of one wedge prism for the phase control. The maximum output power at the wavelength of 447 nm, which was generated with two long LiB₃O₄ crystals by noncritical phase matching, is about 1.15 W with a beam quality factor of M² of 1.05. From the experimental results, the generation of continuous wave blue light using this way with higher conversion efficiency can be achieved.     

Nonlinear spectroscopy with a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL)

We have evaluated the suitability of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (VCSEL) for spectroscopic applications. Despite its low output power it is possible to observe narrow resonances in a saturated absorption spectroscopy experiment on the cesium D ₂ transition at 852 nm, limited in width by the laser linewidth of several tens of MHz. High modulation efficiency of the VCSEL allows us to create modulation sidebands at 9.2 GHz frequency via direct modulation of the laser injection current. Using the carrier and either one of the sidebands coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in a buffered cesium vapor can be prepared with linewidths below 130 Hz. With this very compact setup we have studied the dependence of CPT resonance position and linewidth as a function of optical detuning and find evidence of the influence of the excited state hyperfine structure. Received: 30 April 1999 / Revised version: 25 June 1999 / Published online: 30 November 1999     

Incoherent solitons in strongly nonlocal media: The coherent density theory

We study the properties of one dimension incoherent accessible solitons in strongly nonlocal media with noninstantaneous Kerr nonlinearity. Following the coherent density theory, we obtain an exact solution of such incoherent solitons. The spatial width of the incoherent solitons is related to the incoherent angular power spectrum θ₀ as well as the incident power. The evolution properties of the intensity profile and the coherence characteristics are also discussed in detail when the solitons undergo periodic harmonic oscillation.     

Development of coherent tunable source in 2–16 μm region using nonlinear frequency mixing processes

A very convenient way to obtain widely tunable source of coherent radiation in the infrared region is through nonlinear frequency mixing processes like second harmonic generation (SHG), difference-frequency mixing (DFM) or optical parametric oscillation (OPO). Using commonly available Nd:YAG laser and its harmonic pumped dye laser radiation as parent beams, we have been able to generate coherent tunable infrared radiation (IR) in 2–16 μm region using different nonlinear crystals by DFM and OPO. We have also generated such IR source in the 4–5 μm region through SHG of CO₂ laser in different infrared crystals. In the process we have characterized a large number of nonlinear crystals like different borate group of crystals, KTP, KTA, LiIO₃, MgO:LiNbO₃, GaSe, AgGaSe₂, ZnGeP₂, AgGa_1?x In _x Se₂, HgGa₂S₄ etc. To improve the conversion efficiencies of such frequency conversion processes, we have developed some novel schemes, like multipass configuration (MC) and positive optical feedback (POF). The significance of the obtained results lies in the fact that to get the same conversion in SHG or DFM, one now requires fundamental input radiation with much lower intensity.     

Pulsed blue-light generation by the frequency doubling of the 4F3/2 to 4I9/2 transition in Nd:YAG and Nd:YAlO3

We report on the frequency doubling of Q-switchedNd:YAG and Nd:YAlO₃ lasers emitting at 946 and 930 nm, respectively (⁴F_3/2 to ⁴I_9/2 transition). The neodymium-doped laser host crystals were excited with a flashlamp-pumped Cr:LiSAF laser operating in a free-running mode. Blue-light pulses were obtained at both 473 nm (9 mJ, 25 ns FWHM) and 465 nm (4.4 mJ, 35 ns FWHM) by using a potassium niobate crystal as an extra-cavity frequency doubler. The second-harmonic generation conversion efficiencies reached 53% and 31%, respectively. Received: 23 June 1999 / Revised version: 8 August 1999 / Published online: 3 November 1999     

Modulation instability with incoherent white light in self-defocusing photorefractive crystal

We report on the first experimental observation of modulation instability and spontaneous pattern formation with incoherent white light emitted from an incandescent lamp in self-defocusing photorefractive LiNbO₃:Fe crystal. Experimental results show that the modulation instability of white light in self-defocusing medium is related to the input intensity, illumination time and the direction of the crystalline c-axis with respect to that of the lamp filament. At the illumination time t = 0 and the steady-state of MI, we give the spatial distribution of the optical Fourier power spectrum experimentally and the corresponding Fourier transformation of the output intensity numerically, and observe the emergence of the high frequency component along the c-axis.     

Synchronously pumped femtosecond optical parametric oscillator based on AgGaSe2 tunable from 2 μm to 8 μm

The operation of a continuous-wave mode-locked silver gallium selenide (AgGaSe₂) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) is reported. The OPO was synchronously excited by 120-fs-long pulses of 1.55-μm radiation at a repetition rate of 82 MHz. The 1.55-μm radiation is generated by a noncritically phasematched cesium-titanyl-arsenate (CTA)-OPO pumped by a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. The AgGaSe₂-OPO generates signal and idler radiation in the range from 1.93 μm to 2.49 μm and from 4.1 μm to 7.9 μm, respectively. Up to 67 mW of signal wave output power has been obtained. The experimentally determined pulse duration and chirp parameters are in reasonable agreement with results from a numerical model taking into account group velocity mismatch, group velocity dispersion, self phase modulation, and chirp enhancement. Received: 6 August 1999 / Revised version: 4 October 1999 / Published online: 3 November 1999     

Development of injection-seeded, pulsed optical parametric generator/oscillator systems for high-resolution spectroscopy

We report the development and application of pulsed optical parametric generator (OPG) and optical parametric oscillator (OPO) systems that are injection seeded with near-infrared distributed feedback diode lasers. The OPG is injection seeded at the idler wavelength without the use of a resonant cavity. Two counter-rotating, beta-barium-borate (β-BBO) crystals are used in the OPG. These crystals are pumped by the third harmonic, 355-nm output of an injection-seeded Nd:YAG laser. An OPO version of the system has also been developed by placing two flat mirrors around the two β-BBO crystals to form a feedback cavity at the signal wavelength. The OPO cavity length is not actively controlled. The output signal beam from the OPG or OPO is amplified using an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) stage with four β-BBO crystals. The frequency bandwidths of the signal and idler laser radiation from OPG/OPA and OPO/OPA systems have been determined to be slightly greater than 200 MHz. The temporal pulses from each system are smooth and near-Gaussian. High-resolution optical absorption measurements of acetylene (C₂H₂) were performed as another check of the frequency spectrum of the idler beam. The frequency-doubled signal output of the OPO/OPA system was used to perform high-resolution, single-photon, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopic studies of the (0,0) vibrational band of the A ²Σ⁺−X ²Π electronic transition of nitric oxide (NO) at low pressure. Excellent agreement was obtained between the theory and the experiment. The signal output of the OPG/OPA system was also used for sub-Doppler, two-photon LIF spectroscopic studies of the same vibration–rotation manifold of NO.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Longitudinal parametric oscillation in photorefractive sillenites: comparison between theory and experiment

By using an alternative setup for photorefractive parametric oscillation in which wave mixing between the recording beams is avoided it has become possible to make more detailed comparisons with the space-charge wave theory. In the present paper we compare the experimental features of longitudinal parametric oscillation observed in a crystal of Bi₁₂SiO₂₀ with the theoretical predictions. Received: 24 November 1998 / Revised version: 13 January 1999 / Published online: 7 April 1999     

Electrooptic effect for cold neutrons in photorefractive materials

First experimental evidence for the existence of an electrooptic effect for cold neutrons in ⁷LiNbO₃ is reported and discussed. The effect is based on the fact that in certain photorefractive crystals a light-induced space-charge field can be generated which causes a modulation of the density via the inverse piezoelectric effect. From such density structures, induced by the internal electric field, cold neutrons can be diffracted. Received: 13 November 1998 / Revised version: 21 December 1998 / Published online: 12 April 1999     

Enhanced performance of a mutually pumped phase-conjugation setup using two photorefractive crystals

A mutually pumped phase-conjugator (MPPC) consisting of two photorefractive crystals is investigated experimentally at a wavelength of about 807 nm. In addition to a Rh:BaTiO₃ crystal, which is used in a modified bridge configuration for phase-conjugation, a Co:BaTiO₃ crystal is used to amplify the phase-conjugate beam by wave-mixing. The phase-conjugate power is at least doubled compared to that using only one crystal, and the beam quality of the phase-conjugate beam is distinctly improved. Moreover, the temporal stability of the phase-conjugate output using two crystals is much higher than that using only one crystal. Received: 7 December 2000 / Revised version: 12 January 2001 / Published online: 27 April 2001     

Generation of 200 femtosecond pulses tunable between 2.5 and 5.5 µm

The signal and idler output of an optical parametric oscillator are mixed in LiIO₃ and AgGaS₂ crystals to generate infrared pulses with a repetition rate of 82 MHz and an average power of 500µW. The infrared pulses are tunable between 2.5 and 5.5 µm, have a duration of 200 fs and a peak-to-peak intensity fluctuation of less than 5 %.     

Spectral dependence of cross-talk between photorefractive gratings in Bi12SiO20 in diffusion regime

12 SiO₂₀ crystals in the diffusion regime. We find unusually high cross-talk for two gratings with close spatial frequencies at wavelengths 488 and 476 nm. The results indicate that the density of free charge carriers does not directly follow light modulation at low spatial frequencies. Received: 2 December 1996/Revised version: 20 February 1997     

Self-deflection of partially spatially incoherent beams and solitons in photovoltaic photorefractive crystals

By considering the effect of background light and diffusion, the self-deflection process of partially spatially incoherent (PSIC) beams and photovoltaic (PV) solitons in open-circuit PV photorefractive crystals has been investigated by employing numerical method and the perturbation technique, respectively. The results from the two approaches are in good agreement: the center of PSIC PV solitons moves on a parabolic trajectory, which is similar to those of coherent solitons. In addition, we also discuss that the dependence of self-deflection effect on the coherent parameter θ₀ and find it is slight relative to θ₀ for quasi-soliton but decreases monotonously with θ₀ for PSIC beam.     

Simultaneous and sequential power transfer between coherent beams by photorefractive coupling

The power of several coherent laser beams can be transferred into a single diffraction-limited signal beam by photorefractive coupling. The efficiency of the power transfer is investigated experimentally in the case of two pump beams. Two different geometrical arrangements, one with overlapping (simultaneous) and the other with separate (sequential) pump beams are compared in a BaTiO₃:Ce crystal, with diffusion-driven photorefraction. We measured about the same power transfer efficiency in both arrangements for strong signal beams, but the efficiency was higher in the sequential arrangement for weak signals. A simple theoretical model of the power transfer process based on the standard linear two-wave-mixing theory is presented and the observed stationary beam-coupling behavior for different pump-to-signal intensity ratios is found to be in qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions. Received: 10 November 1998 / Revised version: 22 December 1998 / Published online: 24 March 1999     

Phase mismatch effects on the dynamics of a semilinear photorefractive oscillator with reflection-type gratings

This paper describes the effect of pump waves misalignement on the performance of the semilinear photorefractive coherent oscillator with the reflection gratings. The oscillation intensity and its modulation frequency are calculated numerically for different misalignement angles, coupling strengths and pump intensity ratios. It is shown that a small angular detuning of the pump wave, less than one milliradian, extends the range of pump ratios and the range of coupling strengths for which a non-degenerate oscillation occurs. The results of experiments with the BaTiO₃-based semilinear oscillator are in qualitative agreement with the calculated data.     

Nonlinear refraction of undoped and Fe-doped KTiOAsO4 crystals in the femtosecond regime

The third-order optical nonlinearities in undoped and Fe-doped KTA crystals have been measured using the Z-scan technique with femtosecond pulses at 780-nm wavelength. The nonlinear refractive index is determined to be 1.7×10⁻¹⁵ cm²/W and 0,9×10⁻¹⁵ cm²/W for undoped and Fe-doped KTA, respectively. No two-photon absorption occurs in these crystals. It is shown that doping with Fe₂O₃ could weaken refractive nonlinearity of KTA, suggesting that Fe:KTA will improve the performance of KTA in high-intensity femtosecond laser applications. In addition, the measured nonlinear index of refraction in KTA crystals is about five times lower than that predicted by the two-band theory. One of the reasons for the discrepancy is given as the applicable limit of the simple theory in which a two-parabolic band model has been assumed in the analysis. Received: 3 June 1999 / Published online: 20 October 1999     

Mirrorless coherent oscillation due to vectorial four-wave mixing in LiNbO3

Mirrorless coherent oscillation in a four-wave mixing arrangement with two phase-conjugate counterpropagating pump waves is studied in a LiNbO₃:Fe crystal. Oscillation waves are observed within a wide, but limited angular window where the gain factor takes its maximum value. The spatial structure and the intensities of particular oscillating components vary continuously in time.