Spectral filtering of dual lasers with a high-finesse length-tunable cavity for rubidium atom Rydberg excitation

We propose and demonstrate an alternative method for spectral filtering and frequency stabilization of both 780-nm and 960-nm lasers using a high-finesse length-tunable cavity(HFLTC). Firstly, the length of HFLTC is stabilized to a commercial frequency reference. Then, the two lasers are locked to this HFLTC using the Pound–Drever–Hall(PDH) method which can narrow the linewidths and stabilize the frequencies of both lasers simultaneously. Finally, the transmitted lasers of HFLTC with each power up to about 100 μW, which act as seed lasers, are amplified using the injection locking method for single-atom Rydberg excitation. The linewidths of obtained lasers are narrowed to be less than 1 k Hz, meanwhile the obtained lasers' phase noise around 750 k Hz are suppressed about 30 d B. With the spectrally filtered lasers, we demonstrate a Rabi oscillation between the ground state and Rydberg state of single-atoms in an optical trap tweezer with a decay time of(67 ± 37) μs, which is almost not affected by laser phase noise. We found that the maximum short-term laser frequency fluctuation of a single excitation lasers is at ～ 3.3 k Hz and the maximum long-term laser frequency drift of a single laser is ～ 46 k Hz during one month. Our work develops a stable and repeatable method to provide multiple laser sources of ultra-low phase noise, narrow linewidth, and excellent frequency stability, which is essential for high precision atomic experiments, such as neutral atom quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum metrology, and so on.     

Nonlinear optics with quantum cascade lasers

We discuss new approaches to monolithic integration of quantum cascade lasers with resonant intersubband nonlinearities. We show that the proposed approaches can greatly enhance the performance of quantum cascade lasers and give rise to new functionalities. Examples considered include extreme frequency up-or down-conversion and wide-range electric tuning.     

Performance optimization for terahertz quantum cascade laser at higher temperature using genetic algorithm

The aim of this work is to establish an approach for obtaining improved design parameters for high temperature operation of terahertz quantum cascade lasers using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. For studying the lasing conditions of a quantum cascade laser, a self-consistent model is adopted. This model uses standard wave function approximation and effective mass approximation with relevant scattering mechanisms to solve Schrodinger’s equation for the cascaded quantum wells. Fermi’s Golden Rule is then used to calculate the corresponding lifetime of each eigen states. To describe the coherent evolution of wave functions and phase breaking, density matrix formalism is employed. Subsequently, laser rate equations are used for calculating the parameters related to electronic transport in the device. These parameters are then utilized for investigating the temperature dependence of existing terahertz quantum cascade lasers. Finally, using an optimization technique based on Genetic algorithm, design parameters for resonant-phonon quantum cascade laser are obtained within the terahertz frequency range. The results illustrate that this optimization process can offer improvement in the performance of quantum cascade lasers in terahertz region at an elevated temperature. Moreover, the results also reveal that significant increase in operating temperature of a resonant phonon terahertz QCL is unlikely and hence novel design approaches should be considered for operating THz QCLs at room temperature.     

Free-running frequency stability of mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers

The intrinsic frequency fluctuations of two single-mode quantum cascade (QC) distributed-feedback lasers operating continuously at a wavelength of 8.5 mum are reported. A Doppler-limited rovibrational resonance of nitrous oxide is used to transform the frequency noise into measurable intensity fluctuations. The QC lasers, along with recently improved current controllers, exhibit a free-running frequency stability of 150 kHz over a 15-ms time interval.     

Quantum Cascade Lasers and Applications: State-of-the-Art and Prospects

We briefly review the studies devoted to development and applications of terahertz and multiterahertz quantum cascade lasers on intraband transitions in quantum wells of semiconductor heterostructures, which appeared in the last 5–7 years. Such lasers developed recently for the frequency band 3.5-70 THz find more and more applications in spectroscopy, communication, etc. We describe the first experiments performed at the Institute of the Physics of Microstructures of the Russian Academy of Sciences on studying the parameters of multiterahertz cascade lasers provided by our European colleagues.     

Exact frequency comb mode number determination in precision optical frequency measurements

We demonstrate a method to determine the absolute mode number of a frequency comb when it is used for high-precision laser frequency measurement, without the help of wavemeters. Our technique involves changing the repetition rate of the frequency comb in a two-step process. Guidelines for choosing the correct repetition rates for different laser linewidths are given. As a demonstration, the absolute frequencies of two lasers with different linewidths are measured with our method.     

约外量子级联激光器

量子级联激光器是一种基于子带间电子跃迁的新型单极光源,文章系统地介绍了量子级联激光器全新的工作原理,结构设计思想以及它所固有的特点,对其研究现状进行了简略总结,同时对其未来的发展作出展望。     

Current and frequency modulation characteristics for continuous-wave quantum cascade lasers at 9.06 μm

We report the characteristics of current induced frequency modulation (FM) for two continuous-wave quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) at 9.06 μm. Both the frequency tuning rate and the phase shift between intensity modulation and FM are measured at different modulation frequencies from 10 Hz to 200 kHz. The frequency tuning rate of the QCLs depends on both the modulation frequency and amplitude. The tested QCL has been used to detect ambient water vapor with wavelength modulation spectroscopy for validation with a numerical model.     

Dye-laser frequency stabilization using optical resonators

We describe a study, performed using heterodyne techniques, of the frequency fluctuations of two completely independent ring dye lasers locked to independent reference cavities. Single laser linewidths of less than 750 Hz were achieved, the principal limitation being residual vibrations from the noisy laboratory environment. With future design and environmental improvements, ultranarrow linewidths are expected thus providing a useful tool for a great variety of high precision experiments.     

差频可调谐太赫兹技术的新进展

太赫兹技术在最近30年来得到快速发展, 并在医学、生物、农业、材料、安检、通信、天文等领域得到广泛应用. 从太赫兹源的频谱特性可以分为窄带(单频)太赫兹源和宽带太赫兹源. 从频谱技术方面来说, 相干的宽带和窄带太赫兹谱是一种互补性关系, 具有各自的技术特点和应用范围. 宽带太赫兹谱可以用于快速获取较宽频谱范围的分子振转谱, 实现混合特征谱的快速检测或成像. 窄带太赫兹源具有很好的光谱灵敏度和分辨率, 适用于太赫兹抽运-探测、分子振转能级谱精细结构分辨 以及太赫兹远程探测和成像. 因此研制具有可调谐的高峰值功率的窄带太赫兹源是适用于探测和识别分子振转能级指纹谱的应用需求, 而差频技术是获得高功率和宽调谐窄带太赫兹源最重要的技术之一. 为了突出该技术的最新进展, 本综述引证论文仅仅限于近5 年来基于差频技术产生太赫兹波的研究进展, 分为光学激光差频源和量子级联激光器差频源两大部分. 对于光学激光差频源, 分别对目前文献报道的各种双波长差频源和太赫兹产生用的非线性晶体进行分类介绍, 并给出所采用的技术和实验结果; 对于量子级联激光器差频源, 分别介绍了量子级联激光器中的差频产生技术和波长调谐技术的最新进展. 量子级联激光器差频太赫兹源是目前实现量子级联激光器在太赫兹波段室温运转的惟一技术, 是实现小型化、窄带宽调谐和室温运转太赫兹源的新发展领域, 值得关注.     

Frequency and phase-lock control of a 3 THz quantum cascade laser

We have locked the frequency of a 3 THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) to that of a far-infrared gas laser with a tunable microwave offset frequency. The locked QCL line shape is essentially Gaussian, with linewidths of 65 and 141 kHz at the -3 and -10 dB levels, respectively. The lock condition can be maintained indefinitely, without requiring temperature or bias current regulation of the QCL other than that provided by the lock error signal. The result demonstrates that a terahertz QCL can be frequency controlled with 1-part-in-10(8) accuracy, which is a factor of 100 better than that needed for a local oscillator in a heterodyne receiver for atmospheric and astronomic spectroscopy.     

Ultra-narrow-linewidth continuous-wave THz sources based on multiplier chains

We demonstrate two different sources at 1.3 THz based on multiplier chains (72nd harmonic generation), which exhibit linewidths at the level of 2×10⁻¹² in relative units. The multiplication processes are shown not to contribute significantly to this linewidth. The phase noise of one of the sources and the fractional power in the carrier (76%) were determined. The application of these sources as references for quantum cascade THz lasers and for spectroscopy of ultracold molecules is suggested. Thus, rotational spectroscopy with few Hz resolution at 1.3 THz is possible with the present easy-to-use sources. An approach for reducing the linewidth by a factor on the order of 10³ to the 1×10⁻¹⁵ level using optical technology is proposed.     

Quantum cascade lasers operating from 1.4 to 4 THz

The development of teranertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) has progressed considerably since their advent almost a decade ago.THz QCLs operating in a frequency range from 1.4 to 4 THz with electron-phonon scattering mediated depopulation schemes are described.Several different types of GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice designs are reviewed.Some of the best temperature performances are obtained by the so-called resonant-phonon designs that are described.Operation above a temperature of 160 K has been obtained across the spectrum for THz QCLs operating at ν > 1.8 THz.The maximum operating temperature of previously reported THz QCLs has empirically been limited to a value of ～ω/k B.A new design scheme for THz QCLs with scattering-assisted injection is shown to surpass this empirical temperature barrier,and is promising to improve the maximum operating temperatures of THz QCLs even further.     

Elimination of pump-induced frequency jitter on fiber-laser frequency combs

Optical frequency combs generated by femtosecond fiber lasers typically exhibit significant frequency noise that causes broad optical linewidths, particularly in the comb wings and in the carrier-envelope offset frequency (f(ceo)) signal. We show these broad linewidths are mainly a result of white amplitude noise on the pump diode laser that leads to a breathing-like motion of the comb about a central fixed frequency. By a combination of passive noise reduction and active feedback using phase-lead compensation, this noise source is eliminated, thereby reducing the f(ceo) linewidth from 250 kHz to <1 Hz. The in-loop carrier-envelope offset phase jitter, integrated to 100 kHz, is 1.3 rad.     

Large-signal modulation in distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers for coherent multiharmonic signal generation

In this Letter, an experimental analysis for coherent multiharmonic signal generation in quantum cascade lasers is presented. The underlying principle relies on the direct modulation of the laser with a large sinusoidal wave to drive the laser above and below threshold. This generates a multiharmonic optical signal in the frequency domain as the device is forced to respond in a nonlinear fashion. The impact of the modulation parameters is assessed in the resultant optical spectrum of a continuous-wave distributed feedback quantum cascade laser. Despite not creating pulses due to the ultrafast dynamics of the laser, the results reveal that a comb structure with uniform line spacing and high phase correlation between teeth can be straightforwardly generated.     

Frequency noise of free-running 4.6 μm distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers near room temperature

The frequency noise properties of commercial distributed feedback quantum cascade lasers emitting in the 4.6 μm range and operated in cw mode near room temperature (277 K) are presented. The measured frequency noise power spectral density reveals a flicker noise dropping down to the very low level of <100 Hz(2)/Hz at 10 MHz Fourier frequency and is globally a factor of 100 lower than data recently reported for a similar laser operated at cryogenic temperature. This makes our laser a good candidate for the realization of a mid-IR ultranarrow linewidth reference.     

Multi‐correlation Fourier transform spectroscopy with the resolved modes of a frequency comb laser

An instrument achieving 100 KHz spectral precision using multiple correlation Fourier transform spectroscopy has been demonstrated. The instrument can measure the individual frequency comb modes of 100 MHz frequency comb lasers in air. The experiments show ～400,000 resolved modes at linewidths of 85 MHz in the region of 829 nm and ～ 182,000 resolved modes at linewidths of 28 MHz in the region of 1.5 μm, with a recording time of few minutes. The precision of the instrument, defined by the frequency positioning, attains sub‐MHz even when the scan is performed in air.     

Quantum cascade transitions in nanostructures

In this article we review the physical characteristics of quantum cascade transitions (QCTs) in various nanoscopic systems. The quantum cascade laser which utilizes such transitions in quantum wells is a brilliant outcome of quantum engineering that has already demonstrated its usefulness in various real-world applications. After a brief introduction to the background of this transition process, we discuss the physics behind these transitions in an externally applied magnetic field. This has unravelled many intricate phenomena related to intersubband resonance and electron relaxation modes in these systems. We then discuss QCTs in a situation where the quantum wells in the active regions of a quantum cascade structure are replaced by quantum dots. The physics of quantum dots is a rapidly developing field with its roots in fundamental quantum mechanics, but at the same time, quantum dots have tremendous potential applications. We first present a brief review of those aspects of quantum dots that are likely to be reflected in a quantum-dot cascade structure. We then go on to demonstrate how the calculated emission peaks of a quantum-dot cascade structure with or without an external magnetic field are correlated with the properties of quantum dots, such as the choice of confinement potentials, shape, size and the low-lying energy spectra of the dots. Contents PAGE 1 Introduction 456 2 Intersubband transitions in quantum wells 458 3 Quantum cascade transitions 462 3.1. Basic principles 462 3.1.1. Minibands and minigaps 464 3.1.2. Vertical transitions 464 3.1.3. GaAs/AlGaAs quantum cascade lasers 464 3.1.4. QCLs based on superlattice structures 465 3.1.5. Type-II quantum cascade lasers 466 3.1.6. Recent developments 466 3.2. Applications: sense-ability and other qualities 466 4 Quantum cascade transitions in novel situations 467 4.1. External magnetic field 467 4.1.1. Parallel magnetic field 468 4.1.2. Many-body effects: depolarization shift 470 4.1.3. The role of disorder 471 4.1.4. Tilted magnetic field 475 4.2. Magneto-transport experiments and phonon relaxation 479 4.3. Magneto-optics experiment and phonon relaxation 484 5 A brief review of quantum dots 485 5.1. From three- to zero-dimensional systems 485 5.2. Making the dots 487 5.2.1. Lithographic patterning 487 5.2.2. Self-assembled quantum dots 488 5.3. Shell filling in quantum dots 489 5.4. Electron correlations: spin states 490 5.5. Anisotropic dots 491 5.6. Influence of an external magnetic field 491 5.6.1. The Fock diagram 491 5.6.2. The no-correlation theorem 492 5.6.3. Correlation effects and magic numbers 492 5.6.4. Spin transitions 493 5.7. Quantum dots in novel systems 494 5.8. Potential applications of quantum dots 494 5.8.1. Single-electron transistors (SETs) 494 5.8.2. Single-photon detectors 494 5.8.3. Single-photon emitters 495 5.8.4. Quantum-dot lasers 495 6 Quantum cascade transitions in quantum-dot structures 496 6.1. Quantum dots versus quantum wells 496 6.2. QCT with rectangular dots 497 6.2.1. Vertical transitions 500 6.2.2. Diagonal transitions 501 6.3. QCT in a parabolic dot 504 6.4. Magnetic field effects on intersubband transitions 506 6.5. Mid-IR luminescence from a QD cascade device 512 7 Summary and open questions 513 Acknowledgements 515 References 515     

半导体带间级联激光器研究进展

半导体带间级联量子阱是实现3~5μm波段中红外激光器的重要前沿,其在半导体光电器件技术、气体检测、医学医疗以及自由空间光通信等诸多领域具有重要科学意义和应用价值。半导体带间级联量子阱发光机理是以二类量子阱中的电子与空穴的带间辐射复合发光为主导,再通过电子注入区与空穴注入区形成级联放大,实现多个量子阱周期内电子与空穴的重复利用。本文综述了半导体带间级联激光器从提出能带结构、外延材料到器件制备技术的发展历程,剖析了器件结构各功能区基本概念和工作原理,介绍了器件结构设计与制备工艺技术难点的里程碑突破,详细解释了载流子再平衡、分别限制层等设计,最后展望了半导体带间级联激光器的发展方向和趋势。     

Spectral Dynamics of Quantum Cascade Lasers Generating Frequency Combs in the Long-Wavelength Infrared Range

Technical Physics - We have studied the spectral and dynamic characteristics of quantum cascade lasers emitting in the long-wavelength infrared range. It is shown that lasers with a short cavity...