Two-dimensional birefringence measurement system with a polarization modulator and a rotating analyzer

The measuring system of two-dimensional birefringence distribution with a polarization modulator and a rotating analyzer using a rotating analyzer method is presented. The system simply consists of a laser diode, two polarizers, two quarter wave plates and a CCD camera. Thanks to an imaging system, the mechanism to scan a sample is unnecessary and two-dimensional measurement is possible and easy. The birefringence of retardation and orientation of the optic axis can be determined by the azimuth angle of an elliptically polarized light passing through a sample. The azimuth angle is obtained by applying the phase shifting algorithm to measure the polarization properties; by improving the calculation algorithm, wide range measurement is accomplished. The measurement procedure and a number of results are described.     

External-cavity birefringence feedback effects of microchip Nd:YAG laser and its application in angle measurement

External-cavity birefringence feedback effects of the microchip Nd:YAG laser are presented. When a birefringence element is placed in the external feedback cavity of the laser, two orthogonally polarized laser beams with a phase difference are output. The phase difference is twice as large as the phase retardation in the external cavity along the two orthogonal directions. The variable extra-cavity birefringence, caused by rotation of the external-cavity birefringence element, results in tunable phase difference between the two orthogonally polarized beams. This means that the roll angle information has been translated to phase difference of two output laser beams. A theoretical analysis based on the Fabry--Perot cavity equivalent model and refractive index ellipsoid is presented, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. This phenomenon has potential applications for roll angle measurement.     

Laser Intensity Variation in Amplitude and Phase Induced by Elliptically Polarized Feedback

The laser output characteristics under elliptically polarized optical feedback effect are studied. Elliptically polarized light is generated by wave plate placed in the feedback cavity. By analyzing the amplitude and phase of the laser output in the orthogonal direction, some new phenomena are firstly discovered and explained theoretically.Elliptically polarized feedback light is amplified in the gain medium in the resonator, and the direction perpendicular to the original polarization direction is easiest to oscillate. The laser intensity variation in amplitude and phase are related to the amplified mode and the anisotropy of external cavity. The theoretical analysis and experimental results agree well. Because the output characteristic of the laser has a relationship with the anisotropy of the external cavity, the phenomenon also provides a method for measuring birefringence.     

Output response in orthogonal directions of a He–Ne laser caused by birefringent-external-cavity feedback

The output responses of phase, amplitude, and polarization of light intensity of a He–Ne laser with the birefringent external cavity are presented. All phenomena are observed in two orthogonal directions related to the birefringent element’s orientation, and are studied under weak optical feedback. Experiments are carried out in five available detecting positions. It is found that laser intensities are modulated in the two orthogonal directions simultaneously, with a phase difference dominated by the phase retardation of the birefringence element. The modulation amplitudes are different in the two directions. A special polarization phenomenon is also observed and discussed. This research may provide a potential novel measuring principle for transparent birefringent materials.     

拉曼效应对低双折射光纤的偏振态演化分析

在准连续情况下, 通过求解低双折射光纤中含有拉曼效应的右旋与左旋圆偏振光所满足的耦合非线性薛定谔方程, 得到了归一化功率以及相位差的解析解. 利用解析解,推导出了椭圆率和方位角的表达式, 研究了拉曼效应和传输距离对偏振态演化的影响, 并用相平面法对椭圆率和方位角随着输入功率的变化进行了直观描述. 结果表明: 低双折射光纤在传输的过程中, 拉曼效应和传输距离都是影响其偏振态稳定性的因素, 均改变了椭圆率和方位角的演变周期以及振荡幅度.     

Sensitive birefringence measurement in a high-finesse resonator using diode laser optical self-locking

We demonstrate a new method to measure weak birefringence of dielectric mirrors with excellent spatial resolution and sensitivity (<10^-7 radians). We exploit a well-known optical feedback scheme for line-width narrowing and frequency locking of a diode laser to a high-finesse cavity. Feedback comes from the intracavity field which builds up at resonance, selected by its change in polarization with respect to the incident field. This change, due to the residual birefringence of the cavity mirror coatings, was already exploited for birefringence measurements using an active laser-locking scheme. Here we measure the optical feedback rate as a function of rotation angle of one of the cavity mirrors (around the cavity axis). A stable feedback signal is obtained since the laser, as soon as it locks to a cavity resonance, effectively behaves as a monochromatic source. By fitting the data with a theoretical expression, we determine quantitatively the local birefringence vectors of both mirrors, which are around 10^-6 radians. Our scheme is simple, works with cavities of very high finesse (F∼10⁵), and is promising for measuring birefringence in gases induced by external fields. Received: 18 July 2001 / Final version: 14 March 2002 / Published online: 8 May 2002     

激光器内腔频差对双折射外腔激光回馈系统输出影响的理论及实验研究

玻璃材料的内应力关系及所在系统的稳定性、安全性和可靠性,是精密加工领域的重要问题.基于双折射外腔激光回馈效应的应力测量技术以其先进新颖的测量原理受到普遍关注.传统理论普遍认为双折射回馈系统中激光器的输出相位仅由外腔相位延迟决定,而将测量误差归因于外腔镜的非线性运动.本文结合正交偏振激光原理和三镜腔等效模型,测量了激光器的内腔双折射引起的频差大小,进行了频率调谐回馈实验,并根据结论计算了内腔频差对外腔相位延迟测量结果的影响,发现激光器的输出相位由外腔相位延迟、内腔频差、外腔长度共同决定.本文总结了内腔和外腔各向异性共同作用下激光器正交偏振态的相位特性,补充了激光回馈的物理内容,对于应力-双折射、位移、距离等重要参量的精确测量,都具有重要指导意义.     

Dual-polarization mode-locked Nd:YAG laser

A mode-locked solid-state laser containing a birefringent element is shown to emit synchronously two frequency combs associated to the two polarization eigenstates of the cavity. An analytical model predicts the polarization evolution of the pulse train, which is determined by the adjustable intracavity birefringence. Experiments realized with a Nd:YAG laser passively mode locked by a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror are in perfect agreement with the model. Locking between the two combs arises for particular values of their frequency difference, e.g., half the repetition rate, and the pulse train polarization sequence is then governed by the relative overall phase offset of the two combs.     

A laser feedback interferometer with an oscillating feedback mirror

A method is proposed to solve the problem of direction discrimination for laser feedback interferometers.By vibrating the feedback mirror with a small-amplitude and high-frequency sine wave,laser intensity is modulated accordingly.The modulation amplitude can be extracted using a phase sensitive detector(PSD).When the feedback mirror moves,the PSD output shows a quasi-sine waveform similar to a laser intensity interference fringe but with a phase difference of approximately ±π/2.If the movement direction of the feedback mirror changes,the phase difference sign reverses.Therefore,the laser feedback interferometer offers a potential application in displacement measurement with a resolution of 1/8 wavelength and in-time direction discrimination.Without using optical components such as polarization beam splitters and wave plates,the interferometer is very simple,easy to align,and less costly.     

Polarization locked vector solitons and axis instability in optical fiber

We experimentally observe polarization-locked vector solitons in optical fiber. Polarization locked-vector solitons use nonlinearity to preserve their polarization state despite the presence of birefringence. To achieve conditions where the delicate balance between nonlinearity and birefringence can survive, we studied the polarization evolution of the pulses circulating in a laser constructed entirely of optical fiber. We observe two distinct states with fixed polarization. This first state occurs for very small values birefringence and is elliptically polarized. We measure the relative phase between orthogonal components along the two principal axes to be +/-pi/2. The relative amplitude varies linearly with the magnitude of the birefringence. This state is a polarization locked vector soliton. The second, linearly polarized, state occurs for larger values of birefringence. The second state is due to the fast axis instability. We provide complete characterization of these states, and present a physical explanation of both of these states and the stability of the polarization locked vector solitons. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.     

Non-contact detection of laser-generated surface acoustic waves using fiber optic Sagnac interferometer

A high powered Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was used to excite the surface waves, and an optical fiber sensor was used to detect the out-of-plane displacements due to the propagating waves. This sensor is based on the fiber optic Sagnac interferometer, which has the path-matched configuration and does not require active stabilization. Quadrature phase bias between two interfering laser beams in the Sagnac loop is applied by controlling the birefringence in an optical path using a fiber polarization controller. A stable quadrature phase bias can be confirmed by observing the interferometer output according to the change of phase bias. Additional signal processing is not needed for the detection of ultrasonic waves using the Sagnac interferometer. The performance of the fiber optic Sagnac interferometer was investigated, and laser-generated surface wave signals were detected using this fiber optic sensor. The developed fiber optic sensor configured in this study is very simple and is effective for non-contact detection of ultrasonic waves.     

Generation and Modulation of Phase Difference of Output Intensities in a Feedback Nd:YAG Laser with an Extracavity Waveplate Rotated

External anisotropic feedback effects on the phase difference behaviour of output intensities in a microchip Nd：YAG laser are presented. By rotating a quarter wave plate placed in the external cavity, the angle between laser initial polarization direction and o-axis of the wave plate is tuned from -45°to 45°, which results in variable extra-cavity birefringence along two orthogonal detection directions. With only one optical path and one wave plate, laser intensities of the two orthogonal directions, both modulated by the external cavity length, are output with a tunable phase difference, which can be continuously changed from zero to twice as large as that of the waveplate. Experimental results as well as a theoretical analysis based on Fabry-Perot cavity equivalent model and the refractive index ellipsoid, are presented. The potential applications of this phenomenon are also discussed.     

External anisotropic feedback effects on the phase difference behavior of output intensities in microchip Nd:YAG lasers

We present the effects of optical feedback from an anisotropic external cavity on the characteristics of the output intensities in a single mode Nd:YAG laser. Due to the birefringence effect, the external cavity modulates laser intensities in the two orthogonal directions with a phase difference, which is twice as large as that of the birefringence element in the external cavity. Experimental results are presented, as well as a theoretical analysis. The potential applications of this phenomenon are also discussed. PACS 42.60.Jf; 42.62.Eh; 42.25.Lc; 42.60.By     

双频氦氖激光回馈位移测量系统的实验与应用研究

研究了一种全新的纳米尺度位移测量系统。将双折射元件插入He-Ne激光器谐振腔内产生频率分裂效应，使原本单模谐振的激光器输出变成了频差可调的2个正交偏振频率（o光和e光），而形成双频激光器。在激光谐振腔外放置沿激光轴线位移的反射表面，将输出的激光束反射回腔内，以便对激光的光强进行调制，可实现高分辨率非接触式可判向位移测量。提出了一种细分方法，该方法突破了传统干涉系统的衍射极限（1/2波长）。对于633nm波长He-Ne激光，本系统的理想分辨率为1/8波长（约为79nm）。     

Compact, single-frequency all-fiber Q-switched laser at 1 microm

We demonstrate a unique, all-fiber, actively Q-switched laser operating in the 1 microm region. The laser is compact, single mode, single frequency, highly polarized, and exhibits high peak power. The laser cavity is constructed without external coupling, utilizing fiber Bragg gratings that permit feedback at only a single polarization. By using a piezoelectric to press the fiber and modulate the fiber birefringence, the cavity is switched between high and low loss states, permitting Q-switching. We demonstrate this Q-switching at repetition rates up to 700 KHz.     

Jones matrix analysis for a polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography system using fiber-optic components

We present an analysis for polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography that facilitates the unrestricted use of fiber and fiber-optic components throughout an interferometer and yields sample birefringence, diattenuation, and relative optic axis orientation. We use a novel Jones matrix approach that compares the polarization states of light reflected from the sample surface with those reflected from within a biological sample for pairs of depth scans. The incident polarization alternated between two states that are perpendicular in a Poincaré sphere representation to ensure proper detection of tissue birefringence regardless of optical fiber contributions. The method was validated by comparing the calculated diattenuation of a polarizing sheet, chicken tendon, and muscle with that obtained by independent measurement. The relative importance of diattenuation versus birefringence to angular displacement of Stokes vectors on a Poincaré sphere was quantified.     

Reflectometric measurements of polarization properties in optical-fiber links

Polarization sensitive reflectometric techniques can be effectively used to perform spatially resolved measurements of polarization properties of fiber optic link — such as birefringence, polarization mode dispersion and polarization dependent loss. In particular, this contribution is focused on polarization sensitive OTDR and provides a survey of its theory and main applications. Special emphasis is given to the characterization of fiber birefringence, that allows to inspect the fiber while cabled and, consequently, to test and improve the cabling process. In addition, the analysis of the birefringence also allows to define reliable mathematical models, which are essential for the design of low polarization mode dispersion fibers. Reflectometric measurements of polarization mode dispersion and polarization dependent loss are also discussed.     

Induced solitons formed by cross-polarization coupling in a birefringent cavity fiber laser

We report on the experimental observation of induced solitons in a passively mode-locked fiber ring laser with a birefringence cavity. Owing to the cross coupling between the two orthogonal polarization components of the laser, it was found that if a soliton was formed along one cavity polarization axis, a weak soliton was also induced along the orthogonal polarization axis, and depending on the net cavity birefringence, the induced soliton could have either the same or different center wavelengths to that of the inducing soliton. Moreover, the induced soliton always had the same group velocity as that of the inducing soliton. They formed a vector soliton in the cavity. Numerical simulations confirmed the experimental observations.     

光学玻璃应力双折射叠加

为解决在光学玻璃应力双折射测量中遇到的双折射叠加问题,利用光学等效原理,使用一个线性双折射模型和一个旋转器来代替叠加模型。对叠加的情况做了分析和计算,得到了叠加后的特征延迟、主应力方向和旋转角随两个应力模型主应力方向夹角变化的曲线。理论分析表明,应力双折射叠加不是应力双折射的简单相加,而是与叠加模型各自的应力双折射值和主应力方向的夹角有关。实验结果与理论计算相吻合。应力双折射叠加对实际光学玻璃测试造成不良影响,使测量精度降低,特别是有透光支撑机构或折射液容器的情况下,应力双折射叠加的影响不可忽略。     

频率调制强吸收光谱中残余幅度调制的理论分析

由电光调制器(EOM)中双折射效应及线偏光不完全沿EOM调制方向诱发的残余幅度调制(RAM)使频率调制(FM)光谱技术在微量气体检测中的应用受到极大的限制。基于光场与晶体相互作用及光学干涉原理推导出存在RAM时FM光谱的线型表达式,确定出输入线偏光角度、EOM中双折射效应、FM系数等是影响线型的主要因素,且当入射EOM光的偏振角度偏离调制方向越大,双折射效应引起的特征偏振方向相位差越大,线型扭曲越严重;同时在FM色散光谱中存在一个受两者影响的直流偏置;最后给出通过伺服控制这两过程可以达到抑制RAM的目的。这些现象及线型的分析将为基于光纤器件的FM光谱提供必要的理论支持。