Origin of laser-output noise of cataphoretic HeSe+ lasers

We investigated noise and fluctuations of the output power of cataphoretic HeSe⁺ lasers in positive column plasma. Direct coupling of laser output power noise and fluctuations of the local population inversion was found. An investigation of the positive column plasma showed moving striations being responsible for the gain fluctuations. Whereas the local plasma properties are dominated by high frequency striations in the 100 kHz range, integrated quantities such as laser gain per pass are most strongly influenced by low-frequency waves with a continuous noise spectrum below 200 kHz. External modulation of the discharge voltage or current at a frequency near thehf striations reduces laser noise and increases laser output power.     

Chemically pumped O2(a-X) laser

A theoretical and experimental study was conducted aimed at achieving laser oscillation in the (a-X) electronic transition of oxygen molecules. Although this transition is highly forbidden by rigorous selection rules, it may nevertheless concede stimulated emission, if the population inversion is high enough. The idea is based on a recently developed apparatus, namely, a porous pipe type high-pressure chemical singlet oxygen generator. A numerical model which describes the characteristics of this generator was developed to estimate the population inversion and small-signal gain achievable in a laser cavity using this source. The calculations showed that the small-signal gain ought to be sufficient to achieve laser oscillation. Preliminary experiments were conducted, but lasing was not yet observed. It is shown that the scattering losses caused by water droplet aerosols are mainly responsible for preventing our system from laser oscillation.     

Soft X-ray gain in hydrogenic ions: Line pumping,ionization pumping and transient excitation

In a plasma containing hydrogenic ions which is irradiated by appropriate X-ray radiation, gain on the n=3n=2 (Balmer-) transition can be generated. Depending on the spectrum of the pump radiation, there are two different ways of obtaining the inversion: direct excitation of the upper laser level by line radiation, or ionization of the hydrogenic ions by broad band radiation with subsequent population of the upper level by recombination.In the first part of this paper, we present numerical calculations which compare the two pumping methods. The gain is evaluated under idealized conditions, i.e., with a pump spectrum containing only radiation useful for generating an inversion and under more realistic conditions, with a pump spectrum containing radiation at other frequencies as well.In the second part of the paper the possibility of obtaining Balmer- gain in hydrogenic ions under highly transient conditions is investigated, assuming a pump pulse with a duration comparable to the decay time of the lower laser level. Considerable gain is predicted even for a black-body pump spectrum.     

Controlling nonclassical properties of the two-photon process by a time-varying field

The interactions between a two-level atom and a field via two-photon transition without rotating wave approximation have been investigated. We emphasize the dynamic behaviors of the atomic population inversion, the field squeezing, and the atomic dipole squeezing numerically when the field frequency varies with time in the forms of sine and rectangle. Some interesting phenomena are discovered and discussed. The good periodic character of the atomic population inversion in the standard two-photon Jaynes--Cummings model is weakened by the influence of the sine field frequency modulation. The rectangular field frequency modulation can change the correlation among different oscillations suddenly and induce new collapse-revival processes of the atomic population inversion. The field squeezing increases at the beginning of time, but then decreases and loses as the time increases after it reaches the maximum due to the sine modulation. The effects of the rectangular modulation on the field squeezing depend mostly on the appearance time of the modulation. The atomic dipole squeezing is weakened under the influence of the sine or rectangular modulation. Our results indicate that it is possible to perform the dynamic controlling of the system properties by changing the parameters of the system with time. This implies that one can dynamically control a quantum information process by choosing the system modulation properly.     

循环跃迁的Δ 型三能级系统中的无反转激光

研究了在引入非相干抽运的情况下,循环跃迁的Δ型共振三能级系统中产生的无反转激光.利用主方程的方法, 导出了缀饰态中强相干场极限下布居数项和相干项的稳态近似解析解以及产生无反转激光所需要满足的条件;并利用数值模拟的方法讨论了布居数分布、 系统增益对探测场和相干场拉比频率的依赖性以及随时间的演化规律. 结果表明:无论各个参量取何值,共振Δ型三能级系统总是处于无粒子数反转的状态; 只要探测场或相干场之中有一个为强场,便可产生无反转激光; 当其中任意一个场远强于另一个场时,系统的无反转增益将不再依赖于任何一个场的拉比频率.     

Two dimension selective coherent population trapping controlled by a phase shift

Two-dimensional laser cooling based on velocity-selective coherent population trapping is investigated theoretically for the J _g=1J _e=0 atomic transition. Wavevectors and polarizations of three laser beams are chosen to realize a coherent superposition of three degenerate ground states. For the first time in laser cooling, use is made of the electric field phases to realize coherent population trapping selective in two dimensions. Numerical solutions and analytic estimates are presented for laser cooling of helium atoms.     

Spatial coherence properties of azimuthally polarized laser modes

Understanding of coherence properties of optical fields is of basic importance both in classical optics and in quantum physics. Coherence properties of electromagnetic laser modes are only now beginning to be explored and have not yet been tested experimentally, except in the simplest cases. In this paper, we first study theoretically the coherence properties of azimuthally polarized laser modes and we clarify the distinction between coherence and correlations in stochastic electromagnetic fields, a distinction which has up to now not been fully understood and has, in fact, been a subject of controversy. Our analysis clearly illustrates the distinction between these two concepts. After elucidating theoretically the coherence properties of radially polarized laser modes, we describe an experimental study of their properties, made by the use of a recently introduced reversed-wavefront Young’s interferometer. A good agreement between theory and experiment has been found.     

变频率光场与二能级原子的相互作用：双光子过程

研究了二能级原子与单模电磁场相互作用时的双光子过程,主要考虑了在相干态初始条件下场频率发生变化时的情况,讨论了场频率随时间作正弦缓慢变化对原子布居数反转、光场压缩与原子压缩等特性的影响.结果显示,场频率的改变将使得原子布居数反转的崩塌回复周期增大,回复值减小,而光场及原子压缩效应减弱. 关键词： 布居数反转 光场压缩 原子压缩 双光子过程     

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     

Generating an Inversion on a Nuclear Transition – Photopumping of 103Rh

Quite a number of proposals for a gamma-ray laser have been made over the years. One first step on the way to a gamma-ray laser is an inversion between nuclear states. For the natural isotope ¹⁰³Rh we have the favorable condition that there are two low-lying nuclear levels at energies of 357 keV and 295 keV with lifetimes of 107 ps and 9.7 ps, respectively. With two Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence (NRF) measurements the population of these low-lying levels via feeding from higher-lying levels was investigated. Altogether 26 higher-lying nuclear levels that show a branching to one or even both interesting low-lying levels have been found. Summing over all contributions from these feeding levels this results in a population inversion between the levels at 357 keV and 295 keV of ¹⁰³Rh. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of pressure ratio on population inversion in a DF chemical laser with concurrent lasing

A numerical simulation is presented for investigating the effects of pressure ratio of D₂ injector to supersonic nozzle on the population inversion in the DF chemical laser cavity, while a lasing concurrently takes place. The chemical laser is generally used for the industrial process and manufacturing as well as the military weapon system, which requires high power characteristic of laser system rather than the others. The population inversion is absolutely needed to generate the laser beam and is non-equilibrium process. The laser beam is generated between the mirrors in the cavity and it is important to obtain stronger population inversion and more uniform distribution of the excited molecules in the laser cavity in order to produce high-power laser beam with good quality. In this study, these phenomena are investigated by means of analyzing the distributions of the DF excited molecules and the F atom used as an oxidant, while simultaneously estimating the maximum small signal and saturated gains and power in the DF chemical laser cavity. For the numerical solution, a fully conservative implicit method and a second order total variation diminishing (TVD) scheme are used with the finite-volume method (FVM). An 11-species (including DF molecules in various excited states of energies), 32-step chemistry model is adopted for the chemical reaction of the DF chemical laser system. The results are discussed by comparison with two D₂ injector pressure cases; 192 and 388.64 torr. Major results reveal that in the resonator, stronger population inversions occur in the all transitions except DF(1)-DF(0), when the D₂ injection pressure is lower. But, the higher D₂ injection pressure provides a favorable condition for DF(1)-DF(0) transition to generate the higher power laser beam. In other words, as the pressure of D₂ injector increases, the maximum small signal gain in the v_1-0 transition, which is in charge of generating most of laser power, becomes higher. Therefore, the total laser beam power becomes higher.     

Three-photon interference spectra in four-level atomic systems

We have considered the interference spectra that occur at the three-photon generated frequency arising from the interaction of three laser fields with a four-level atom, where two of the laser fields are on two-photon resonance with the three levels forming a “λ” scheme while the third laser operates between the second ground and the second excited state of the atom. At low intensities of all three laser fields, the overall intensity of the peak at the three-photon generated frequency, describing the spectrum of an electron in the second excited state, depends on the strength of the combined field of the two laser fields that are on two-photon resonance and it takes negative values. This indicates that light amplification without population inversion is likely to occur at the three-photon generated frequency. The combined field of the three laser fields induces multiphoton excitations near the three-photon generated frequency, whose peaks are characterized by linewidths which are much less than the natural linewidths of the atoms. These excitations describe absorption or stimulating emission processes depending on the values of the detunings of the laser fields. The derived results are graphically presented and discussed. Received: 24 January 2001 / Published online: 8 June 2001     

Squeezed two-mode lasers without and with inversion

On the basis of the nondegenerate quantum-beat laser model, we introduce a coherent field which drives the transition between the upper lasing level and an auxiliary level. We demonstrate that such a four-level system can produce squeezed two-mode laser without and with inversion. When the laser is operated well above threshold, the intensity fluctuation in the average mode is reduced below the shot noise with an optimum Mandel parameter Q=- 1/2. At the same time, the noises in the relative amplitude and the relative phase drop to their vaccum noise levels. Furthermore, regardless of inversion, noninversion, and transition between inversion and noninversion, the optimum Mandel Q parameter of Q=- 1/2 is retained when the system operates well above threshold. A simple physical explanation of the squeezing mechanism for two-mode squeezing is given. Received: 22 December 1997 / Revised: 25 March 1998 / Accepted: 9 September 1998     

Amplitude modulation of the cw laser light in the TEM mn mode by means of a mechanical chopper

Amplitude modulation of the laser beam in a TEM _mn mode by means of a mechanical chopper is investigated on the basis of the chopping model represented by a moving system of infinitely long, parallel slots and mark spaces. The cases of rectangular and axial symmetry of the laser beam are both treated. The explicit expressions for the waveform of the modulated normalized transmitted laser power are deduced and their consequences investigated. It is found that in the case of rectangular symmetry, unlike the case of axial symmetry, the TEM _mn modes give, for a constant value of the mode numbern and for any value ofm, the same time dependence of the amplitude modulated laser power. The notion of the equivalent modulation widths is introduced and conditions for the efficient amplitude modulation are found.     

Effect of Phase Shifted Frequency Modulation on Two Level Atom-Field Interaction

We have studied the effect of phase shifted frequency modulation on two level atom with field interaction using Jaynes-Cummings model.Here the frequency of the interacting field is sinusoidally varying with time with a constant phase.Due to the presence of phase in the frequency modulation,the variation of population inversion with time is different from the standard case.There are no exact collapses and revivals in the variation of population inversion but it oscillates sinusoidally with time.In coherent field atom interaction the population inversion behaves as in the case of Fock state atom interaction,when frequency modulation with a non zero phase is applied.The study done with squeezed field has shown the same behavior of the population inversion.     

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Neon-Hydrogen Penning Recombination Laser

A theoretical and experimental study of Ne - H₂ Penning Recombination Laser operating on the Nel 585.3 nm line in the negative glow of a helical hollow cathode discharge is presented. A detailed kinetic model of the plasma-chemical reactions determining the inversion population on the Nel (2p₁-1s₂) transition is developed. The time dependent behaviour of the main plasma and laser parameters is numerically calculated. The behaviour of the plasma and laser parameters as a function of the discharge conditions is investigated and compared with the experimental results.     

A continuous-mode model of the mode locking in a pump-modulated laser

The active mode-locking process of the multimode laser with an external pump modulation is theoretically investigated in the frequency domain within the framework of the continuous-mode approximation. Intermode interaction and mode-coupling effects, including both AM and FM modulations, are naturally considered in a hierarchical equation of the mode components derived from the multimode Maxwell-Bloch equations. It is reduced to a continuous-mode equation that can be solved analytically in a stationary case, and used to discuss the spectral line shape and the phase dynamics of mode-components as a function of modulation amplitude and detuning of the modulation frequency. We predict a novel oscillation existing below the threshold of the ordinary complete mode-locking: The intensity of the total electric field yields a stable pulse train but its phase varies irregularly in time. This semi-locked state is characterized by a nonlinear chirping, an asymmetric spectrum, and drifting phases of the field mode-components.     

A kinetic model for alternate oscillation of self-terminating and recombination lasers in strontium ions

A self-consistent model has been developed to simulate the kinetics of alternate oscillation of self-terminating and recombination lasers in univalent ions of strontium excited by the high-repetition-rate (HRR) pulsed discharge. Photoelectric pulse waveforms predicted by the model are in good agreement with the experimental measurement. The model also gives temporal behaviors of long-life particles, the population densities of upper and lower laser levels and the electron temperature (Te) in He-Sr discharge plasma. The emission process of the two laser alternate oscillations, the characteristic of the laser pulse width and the population inversion mechanics are also analyzed.     

Excitation,inversion, and relaxation mechanisms of the HCN FIR discharge laser

Millimeter/submillimeter rotational absorption spectroscopy has been used as a diagnostic probe of a cw HCN discharge laser. This sensitive technique allowed in situ absolute population measurements of a number of vibrational states of HCN (including the upper lasing state) and other pertinent molecules. This unique set of data, which was obtained under a variety of discharge and laser conditions, is directly related to excitation, inversion, and relaxation processes. Along with elucidating several fundamental aspects of inversion and relaxation these results also strongly indicate that the primary laser excitation mechanism is near-resonant energy transfer from vibrationally excited nitrogen, N₂ (v=1), to the fundamental symmetric stretching mode of hydrogen cyanide, HCN(100), and subsequent thermal population exchange between HCN (100) and the upper laser state, HCN (110).Work supported by ARO Contract DAAG-29-83-K-0078