Infrared laser-induced fast photovoltaic effect observed in orthorhombic tin oxide film

The SnO_2/SnO with an orthorhombic structure is a material known to be stable at high pressures and temperatures and expected to have new optical and electrical properties. The authors report a new finding of the infrared laser induced a fast photovoltaic effect arising from orthorhombic tin oxide film with an indirect band gap(~2.4 e V) which is deposited by pulsed laser deposition. The rising time of the photovoltaic signal is about 3 ns with a peak value of 4.48 mV under the pulsed laser beam with energy density 0.015 m J/mm~2. The relation between the photovoltages and laser positions along the line between two electrodes of the film is also exhibited. A possible mechanism is put forward to explain this phenomenon.All data and analyses demonstrate that the orthorhombic tin oxide with an indirect band gap could be used as a candidate for an infrared photodetector which can be operated at high pressures and temperatures.     

Photoelectric skin effect in conducting films

The effect of high-intensity laser radiation on the surface of conducting films is considered as the interaction of photons with free electrons in the skin layer of the films, which induces longitudinal and transverse currents controlled by the laser beam intensity, free electron concentration in the film material, and the angle of incidence of the laser beam on the film surface. The experimentally observed optoelectric effect in nanographite films, which was explained earlier by the optical rectification effect, may be due to the longitudinal photoelectric skin effect due to metal-type conduction of graphite.     

激光光源线宽对外差探测性能的影响

本文根据统计理论分析了激光线宽对外差探测结果的影响, 并讨论了激光线宽对杨氏干涉条纹对比度的影响. 本文基于解析结果做了数值仿真, 所得结果表明激光线宽增加时, 外差探测方式仍可以检测到中频信号, 但在线宽较大时, 受噪声影响无法准确地提取到中频频率. 为验证理论分析结果, 使用线宽为1 MHz的激光光源进行了8.1 km外场实验, 实验结果与数值分析结论一致, 即不会因为线宽增加而无法检测到中频信号. 文中所得结论对于外差探测光源的选择有重要指导意义, 因此根据测量目标的特性和测量要求, 可按照文中结论评估光源的线宽指标.     

Detection sensitivity of the optical beam deflection method characterized with the optical spot size on the detector

Here we describe the effect of the incident optical spot size upon the quadrant photodetector on the displacement detection sensitivity of the optical beam deflection method. By varying the size of the beam spot reaching the photodetector and measuring the optical responsivity, we have determined the optical detection sensitivity as a function of the optical spot size on the photodetector. Also, we have calculated the numerical value of the detection sensitivity with the Gaussian optical spot profile and compared with the experimental data. Both experimental and analytic studies show that the optical displacement detection sensitivity increases with the decrease in the width of the Gaussian optical spot. The study presented here will be beneficial in developing the nanomechanical displacement detection techniques based on the beam deflection method with a position-sensitive detector.     

Experimental demonstration of remote, passive acousto-optic sensing

Passively detecting underwater sound from the air can allow aircraft and surface vessels to monitor the underwater acoustic environment. Experimental research into an optical hydrophone is being conducted for remote, aerial detection of underwater sound. A laser beam is directed onto the water surface to measure the velocity of the vibrations occurring as the underwater acoustic signal reaches the water surface. The acoustically generated surface vibrations modulate the phase of the laser beam. Sound detection occurs when the laser is reflected back towards the sensor. Therefore, laser alignment on the specularly reflecting water surface is critical. As the water surface moves, the laser beam is reflected away from the photodetector and no signal is obtained. One option to mitigate this problem is to continually steer the laser onto a spot on the water surface that provides a direct back-reflection. Results are presented from a laboratory test that investigates the feasibility of the acousto-optic sensor detection on hydrostatic and hydrodynamic surfaces using a laser Doppler vibrometer in combination with a laser-based, surface normal glint tracker for remotely detecting underwater sound. This paper outlines the acousto-optic sensor and tracker concepts and presents experimental results comparing sensor operation under various sea surface conditions.     

Velocity sensitivity of laser-speckle velocimeters

The method of increasing sensitivity in laser speckle velocimetry is studied theoretically and experimentally. The sensitivity of the velocimeters is shown to have a fairly strong dependence on the optical configurations, such as the diameter of the incident laser beam-waist, or its position relative to the moving diffuse object to be measured. It is pointed out that the minimal sensitivity appears in the configuration where the converging incident light beam produces its beam waist at the position of a detecting pinhole. In some cases when using image speckles to obtain finite spatial resolution in the object plane, an optimum condition exists which gives the maximal sensitivity. The sensitivity of a laser speckle velocimeter using a spatial filter and two point cross-correlation technique is also discussed.     

Optical method for measuring structural parameters of island films

An optical method for determining characteristics of the submicron structure in island films is proposed. The method is based on the measurements of fluctuations of optical properties of a film detected when a focused laser beam is scanned over it. It is shown that the island size distribution can be determined in principle by the method proposed. Structural inhomogeneity of a Cs film on sapphire is revealed experimentally. Parameters of these inhomogeneities are measured as functions of the film thickness. The correspondence of the results of the optical method and the data of electron microscopy is tested for a In film on glass.     

Dynamic two-frequency interferometry for small displacement measurements

Two-frequency interferometry for small displacement measurements is examined from a practical point of view. A laser beam that is modulated sinusoidally in intensity by an acousto-optic Bragg cell provides signal and reference optical waves to produce dynamic interference. The output signal of a photodetector receiving the interference is composed of optical homodyne and heterodyne components. The heterodyne component carries a vibrational displacement to be detected on its amplitude. A sinusoidal vibration amplitude is measured down to 0.5 nm.     

Detection of the nonballistic component of scattered light in the process of acousto-optic visualization

For determining the optimum conditions of detecting the signal during acousto-optic visualization, the modulation characteristics of radiation of a laser beam crossed by a focused acoustic beam in a medium and scattered by this medium were studied. The characteristics were obtained by measuring the amplitude of the alternating-photocurrent component at the ultrasonic frequency as a function of the geometry of the experiment, the parameters of the scattering medium, and the laser radiation power. Special attention was given to the magnitude of the signal-to-noise ratio. A photodetector recording the field of the nonballistic component of the scattered radiation was positioned outside the geometrical sizes of the laser beam. The photocurrent component corresponding to this radiation at the ultrasonic frequency was used as a parameter of the acousto-optic visualization. Images of optically opaque objects immersed into a medium whose scattering parameters corresponded to the transition from the regime without scattering to the multiple-scattering regime were obtained.     

Optical feedback signals involving the misalignment information

The optical feedback characteristics of the laser intensities at both emission directions are studied in a single-mode HeNe laser under low optical feedback strength. The sign inversion phenomenon can be observed when the photodetector at the main emission direction only receives the main light spot. There is no sign inversion phenomenon but intensity branch phenomena or fringe frequency-doubled phenomenon when the photodetector at the main emission direction receives both the light spots. When the optical feedback signal has intensity branch, it involves the misalignment information of the external cavity which can be used to detect the angular pitching of the reflector. The fringe frequency-doubled phenomenon can be used to double the resolution of an optical feedback system.     

Introducing speckle noise maps for Laser Vibrometry

When coherent light scatters from a surface, which is rough on the scale of the wavelength of the light, a speckle pattern is produced. The Laser Vibrometer measures target vibration velocity in the direction of the incident laser beam and typically samples a region of a speckle pattern on its photodetector. Target motions can cause the speckle pattern to change on the photodetector surface, particularly when target motions are non-normal to the direction of the laser beam. This speckle motion modulates the Doppler signal and adds noise to the demodulated output signal. Periodic target motions can cause the speckle noise to become pseudo-random and produce harmonic peaks, with the same fundamental frequency as the genuine target vibrations, which can be indistinguishable from the genuine target vibrations. Typical speckle noise levels are generally considered to be low-level, but they have not so far been adequately quantified. This paper reports preliminary results quantifying speckle noise levels using controlled experimental configurations incorporating periodic in-plane and tilt target motions. Working with commercial Laser Vibrometers, various target surface finishes and treatments are considered and speckle noise maps are produced for each configuration. For a tilting surface, speckle noise has been quantified at approximately 1 μm s^?1/deg s^?1 while, for surfaces with in-plane motion, the sensitivity to speckle noise has been estimated pessimistically at 0.1% of the in-plane velocity. Ultimately, these speckle noise maps will form a valuable practical resource for the Laser Vibrometer user.     

A laser pump-re-pump atomic magnetometer

We demonstrate experimentally an atomic magnetometer based on optical pumping theory, a magnetic resonance that is induced by a radio frequency field and dependent on the magnetic field strength. Compared with the conventional method using one radiation field, which is used not only as the probe beam but also as a pump beam, the additional re-pump beam can increase remarkably the amplitude of the signal. It is shown that the amplitude of the magnetic field resonance signal can increase more than 55% by using an additional re-pump beam, which makes the sensitivity of the magnetometer higher. Finally, we investigate the relation between amplitude of the signal and re-pump laser power, and calculate the atomic population in the trapping states with rate equations.     

基于BSO晶体的振动测量系统

利用光折变晶体材料,可实现宽带、微小振动测量。测量系统采用零差干涉结构,使用硅酸铋(BSO)晶体记录信号光与参考光干涉所形成的动态全息,并实时衍射,再由光电探测器探测从BSO晶体出射的透射信号光与衍射参考光所形成的干涉信号,从而实现对振动的测量。通过对BSO晶体中全息记录条件,包括两光束夹角、光强比,与衍射效率关系的研究,确定了最佳记录条件。在参考光路中利用1/4波片改变光束偏振态,使干涉系统在BSO晶体不加外电场情况下,具有较高测量灵敏度。以一定频率驱动的压电陶瓷为被测物体,在0.5～90kHz的频率范围内所测量到的振动频率与预先加载的频率一致。     

Simultaneous measurement of moving particle size and velocity

An optical method that makes it possible to measure the size and velocity of particles in flows and mixtures independently and simultaneously is considered. Measurements are taken by analyzing a moving diffraction pattern using a multielement photodetector and a special signal processing algorithm. The shape of photocurrent pulses arising when the particle crosses a light beam is determined. Examples of applying this method to particles with internal optical inhomogeneities are given in comparison with other methods, such as the method of low-angle scattering.     

等离子体闪光法识别薄膜损伤的误判消除方法

传统的等离子体闪光法,是根据探测器是否接收到来自薄膜样片周围发射的闪光信号,对薄膜是否发生损伤进行评判,这样的评判方法极易把空气与薄膜的等离子体闪光混淆而发生误判。为了消除这种误判,提出通过比较空气和薄膜各自的等离子体闪光的点燃时间,利用两者时间上的差异,实现对传统等离子体闪光法误判现象的消除方法。为了验证新方法的可靠性,借助于多光子吸收和级联电离理论,建立了空气等离体子体点燃时间的计算模型,根据薄膜与激光的相互作用原理建立了薄膜被击穿时的等离子体点燃时间计算模型,利用建立的模型仿真计算了空气和薄膜的等离子体闪光点燃时间分别为1.856和7.843 ns;搭建实验装置以实现对传统等离子体闪光法的更新,在装置中的不同位置设置三个光电探测器分别采集入射激光信号、空气和薄膜等离子体闪光信号,采集入射激光信号的光电探测器置于聚焦透镜的侧面,另外两个探测器位于薄膜样片周围且左右对称放置,分别用于采集薄膜的等离子体闪光信号和空气的等离子体闪光信号,所有光电探测器采集的信号转换为电信号后同步传输至示波器,以入射激光信号为基准信号,其与空气和薄膜等离子体闪光信号的起始时刻之差,分别为空气和薄膜等离子体闪光点燃时间。脉宽为10 ns、波长为1 064 nm的Nd∶YAG脉冲激光以0.015 cm的聚焦光斑半径、82.4 mJ的入射能量作用于光学厚度为λ/4、直径为20 mm的单层Al₂O₃薄膜样片上后,采集上述激光作用条件下的各路信号,经处理后得到的空气和薄膜的等离子体闪光点燃时间测试值分别为2.7和7.8 ns;理论计算和实验测试结果表明,空气的点燃时间总是小于薄膜的点燃时间,二者有很好的一致性。说明当强激光作用于单层Al₂O₃薄膜表面时,空气等离子体闪光先于薄膜等离子体闪光发生。基于空气和薄膜等离子体闪光点燃时间上的这种差异,利用闪光信号时间上的差别就可准确分辨出薄膜是否发生损伤,从而获得识别薄膜损伤与否的判据,这种从时间差异上识别薄膜等离子体闪光损伤的新方法,无论从理论上还是实验上均为传统等离子体闪光法误判现象的消除提供了技术基础。     

Reduced minimum configuration fiber optic gyro for land navigation applications

Further cost reduction of the fiber optic gyroscope is necessary in order to meet the economic requirements of land navigation systems. We have previously concentrated on the reduction of the number of splices and component improvements in the open-loop, minimum configuration. Now we eliminate nonessential components and splices. The source-detector coupler is not part of the Sagnac interferometer and serves solely to provide isolation between the broadband optical source and the photodetector. Many commercial laser diodes incorporate a back-facet photodetector to monitor laser intensity. The signal returned from the Sagnac interferometer traverses the laser, is received at this photodetector, and can be distinguished from the laser signal by the bias modulation. Configuring a gyro in this manner eliminates a directional coupler and the separate photodetector as well as up to three fiber splices in an all-fiber gyroscope. A production, open-loop, fiber optic gyroscope has been modified to demonstrate this principal. The gyroscope can be constructed with only two fiber splices and exhibits performance comparable to the conventional minimum configuration.     

Optical rectification effect in nanostructured carbon films

Electrically conducting nanostructured carbon films obtained by chemical vapor deposition and composed of nanodimensional graphite crystals exhibit the effect of optical rectification on exposure to nanosecond pulsed laser radiation. Experiments show that the amplitude and polarity of the pulsed voltage strongly depend on the angle of incidence and polarization of the laser radiation and on the spatial orientation of a carbon film with electrodes relative to the laser beam. Under the optimum conditions corresponding to maximum amplitude of the response signal, the factor of conversion of the laser pulse power into electric voltage was about 500 and 650 mV/MW at a laser wavelength of 1064 and 532 nm, respectively.     

微弱激光脉冲信号的相关检测

利用二元光电探测器接收激光脉冲信号,然后根据互相关检测的原理设计了信号处理电路,对接收到的信号进行处理,使其信噪比得到改善。在实验中选用不同的延迟时间τ进行检测,并给出了实验结果,且对实验结果进行了比较。实验表明,根据实际情况选择正确的延迟时间,可以达到较高的信噪改善比,满足大多数使用需求。     

Signal recording in acoustooptical imaging of scattering media

An expression for a signal at the ultrasonic frequency from a photodetector arising when diffraction waves at the cathode mix is obtained for the case when the optical and acoustic beams are space-limited and Bragg angles are small. The alternating current generated when the scattering medium is crossed by a focused 3-MHz ultrasonic beam and illuminated by a cw He-Ne laser is measured. Satisfactory agreement between experimental results and those calculated from the formulas obtained indicates that our model treating acoustooptical interaction in the medium in terms of Raman-Nath diffraction is valid. Conditions for measuring the alternating current (which is a parameter of acoustooptical imaging) that are optimal from the viewpoint of maximizing the signal and signal-to-noise ratio are predicted theoretically and corroborated experimentally.     

Linear and nonlinear response of the avalanche breakdown far-infrared photodetector

It is found that the Avalanche Breakdown far-infrared photodetector responds linearly with incident power, i_s ∝ P_s, when subjected to a specially coherent signal, for example to the beam of a free electron laser, but responds according to a law, i_s ∝ P^β_s, with 0.5 ⩽ β ⩽ 1.0, when irradiated with incoherent radiation, as from a multimode far-infrared laser. Here the detector signal current is i_s and the incident signal intensity is P_s.