Continuously coupled parametric generators and their quantum statistics

In this paper the quantum-statistical properties of light beams propagating in a directional nonlinear coupler are investigated. This device is composed of a pair of linearly coupled nonlinear waveguides operating by means of degenerate parametric downconversion. The possibility of generation of nonclassical states of light in single and compound modes, using the short-length approximation, is discussed. Influence of linear and nonlinear mismatches for generation of nonclassical light is taken into account. This work was supported by Project LN00A015, Research Project No. CEZ: J14/98 and the COST project OC P11.003 of the Czech Ministry of Education.     

Memory Effect in Ceramic Superconductors

We measured the time decay of the magnetic moment of high T_c superconductors YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ ceramic samples and found the memory effect which has hitherto been reported only in single crystals. The temperature and field ranges, especially the memory phenomenon in ceramic samples at liquid nitrogen temperature can only be understood in a combined picture of both flux creep and glass behaviour     

Mode splitting in an optical slab waveguide filled with nematic liquid crystals

Mode splitting was observed when a He-Ne laser beam was reflected through a prism-coupled liquid-crystal slab waveguide under an applied electric field. The splitting manifests itself as the imposed voltage reaches a critical level, and diminishes when the voltage increases above a critical high value. If the applied voltage increases even further, mode splitting vanishes, attributing to the result that almost all the directors of the liquid crystal turn upright to the surface. The multi-layer matrix simulation can satisfactorily account for this phenomenon by exploiting the property of the anisotropic optical birefringence of a liquid crystal under applied voltages. Received: 2 December 2002 / Revised version: 24 January 2003 / Published online: 23 May 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +886/3572-3052, E-mail: jtlue@phys.nthu.edu.tw     

Fluorescence of jet-cooled naphthalene: Emission spectra, lifetimes and quantum yields

Fluorescence spectra of naphthalene, C₁₀H₈, were obtained in the laboratory under conditions which provide an appropriate simulation of the cometary conditions: super-cooled gas phase molecules in a collision-free environment. Five spectra were recorded, the excitation energies ranging from 1422 to 5293 cm⁻¹ above the first electronic state S₁ at 32 020 cm⁻¹. A comparison with previous jet-cooled naphthalene fluorescence spectra obtained by Beck et al. [1] and Hermine [2] shows that the former results are not consistent with the present ones. Spectra obtained by Beck et al. show weaker intensities at greater wavelengths compared to those obtained by Hermine and ourselves. We also measured the fluorescence lifetimes by recording the fluorescence decay as a function of time after the excitation of the molecules by monochromatic lasers and deduced the fluorescence quantum yields. A synthetic emission spectrum under solar irradiation is obtained for astrophysical implications.     

Coherent thermal emission by microstructured waveguides

Following Greffet et al. [Coherent emission of light by thermal sources. Nature 2002;416:61-4], we study in this article, the possibility to engineer thermal coherent sources with waveguides. The idea is to rule a grating on a waveguide made of a slice of germanium deposited on a participating media such as glass. The guided waves, thermally excited are coupled to the far field by the grating and increase the system emissivity in certain directions and wavelengths. We numerically compute the diffraction of a plane wave by the grating by a rigorous coupled waves algorithm (RCWA). The reflected, transmitted and absorbed energy calculated allows to obtain the system emissivity by means of the Kirchhoff law.     

Dispersion properties of planar Bragg waveguides

We reformulate the leaky mode condition of planar Bragg waveguides as two simple, separate conditions on the propagation constant; a phase match condition and a loss formula. These relations enable efficient numerical calculations of the mode properties. Furthermore, we use the phase match condition as a starting point to discuss the dispersion of waveguides with advanced cladding structures. In particular, we point out that chirped claddings, where the effective reflection point is dependent on frequency, do not give dispersion characteristics significantly different from metallic waveguides or waveguides with periodic claddings.     

Anomalous lateral beam shift and total absorption due to excitation of surface waves in materials with negative refraction

We studied electromagnetic beam reflection from layered structures that include materials with negative refraction. Excitation of leaky surface waves leads to the formation of anomalous lateral shifts in the reflected beams with single or double peak structures. The presence of reasonable losses within material with negative refraction, besides significant influence on manifestation of the giant lateral shifts, can lead to their total suppression and anomalously high absorption of the incident radiation. If, in addition to the resonant excitation of leaky surface waves, radiation inflow exactly compensates their irreversible damping, total absorption of the incoming radiation can be achieved for moderately wide beams.     

Simulation of the Propagation Property of Metal Wires Terahertz Waveguides

The propagation property of metal wires terahertz waveguides is studied and simulated under the framework of the Sommerfeld model. The group velocity dispersion, attenuation amplitude, transverse magnetic mode and propagating energy have been obtained by numerically solving the complex eigenvalue equation for the propagation constant. It is found that the group velocity dispersion and attenuation amplitude decrease with the increasing radii of metal wires. The energy power within the dielectric layer increase with the increase of radiation frequency.     

Optical properties of dye-doped zirconia films by spectroscopic ellipsometry

The optical properties of zirconia films doped with rhodamine 6G and oxazine 725 by the sol-gel process were investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Accurate refractive index n and the extinction coefficient k were determined using a three-oscillator classical Lorentz model in the wavelength range of 300-800 nm. The derived refractive index of dye-doped films exhibited anomalous dispersion in the absorption region. Wavelength tunable output lasing action yellow and near-infrared wavelength region was achieved by DFB configuration using zirconia films doped with R6G and oxazine 725.     

Optical Planar Waveguides in KTiOPO4 Crystals by MeV Oxygen Ion Implantation

We report on the optical planar waveguide formation in KTiOPO4 crystals by single or double oxygen ion implantation at energies of 2.4-3.0 MeV and doses of 1015 ions/cm^2. The dark-line spectroscopy properties are investigated by a prism-coupling method. With an effective refractive index method, the refractive index profiles of the waveguides are reconstructed. The program code TRIM＇98 （transport of ions in matter） is used to simulate the implantation process of oxygen ions into the KTiOPO4 crystal. It is found that an inherent relationship exists between the nuclear damage and the refractive index changes induced by the ion-beam implantation.