Narrow-line diode laser system for laser cooling of strontium atoms on the intercombination transition

We report a diode laser system developed for narrow-line cooling and trapping on the ¹S₀–³P₁ intercombination transition of neutral strontium atoms. Doppler cooling on this spin-forbidden transition with a line width of /2=7.1 kHz enables us to achieve sub-K temperatures in a two-step cooling process. The required reduction of the laser line width to the kHz level was achieved by locking the laser to a tunable Fabry–Pérot cavity. The long-term drift (>0.1 s) of the reference cavity was compensated by employing the saturated absorption signal obtained from Sr vapor in a heat pipe of novel design. We demonstrate the potential of the system by performing spectroscopy of Sr atoms confined to the Lamb–Dicke regime in a one-dimensional optical lattice. PACS 32.80.Pj; 39.30.+w; 42.55.Px     

40K-87Rb原子冷却的半导体激光系统

对40K-87Rb原子冷却的半导体激光系统提出了一种实验方案,并进行了初步实验.采用三台外腔光栅反馈半导体激光器(ECDL)、四台注入锁定从激光器和一台半导体激光放大器组成激光系统.三台ECDL通过声光调制器产生四束光,分别作为40K和87Rb原子的冷却光和再抽运光,四束不同频率成分的激光分别注入锁定四台从激光器,然后Rb冷却光、K冷却光和K再抽运光再同时注入半导体激光放大器进行放大.该装置可同时产生冷却40K和87Rb原子的冷却光和再抽运光,结构紧凑、工作稳定.     

Solid-state laser sources for (anti)hydrogen spectroscopy

Conclusion Recently developed high-power semiconductor laser amplifiers offer new ways to construct laser sources for high-resolution spectroscopy in the blue and ultraviolet. Such sources overcome a number of limitations that are connected to the standard single-mode ring laser systems. A source of this kind can contribute significantly to the feasibility of antihydrogen spectroscopy. Experiments with hydrogen will also benefit greatly. The construction of an optical hydrogen frequency standard becomes realistic and experiments with demanding atomic preparation techniques as, for instance, optical cooling in magnetic traps are facilitated.     

Optical detection system for laser cooling and precision laser spectroscopy of relativistic highly charged ions at the CSRe

Laser cooling and precision laser spectroscopy experiments of relativistic highly charged ions are being prepared at the heavy-ion experimental cooler storage ring (CSRe). Optical detection of fluorescence photons, emitted from the laser-excited ions, is extremely important for both powerful methods. In this paper, we briefly report on the current status of the existing optical detectors and also on their performance during laser cooling of relativistic Li-like ¹⁶O⁵⁺ ion beams at the CSRe. In addition, we introduce the designs for our new optical detection systems, which have much higher photon detection efficiencies and can cover a much broader wavelength range. These detector systems will be used for the upcoming laser spectroscopy experiment of Li-like ¹⁶O⁵⁺ ions, as well as for future laser spectroscopy experiments with other highly charged ions.     

High-power broad-area diode lasers for laser cooling

Received: 1 April 1996/Revised version: 24 September 1996     

高功率固体激光器喷雾冷却技术

喷雾冷却作为一种解决高功率激光器散热需求的技术得到越来越多的关注。结合近几年的研究工作,综述了喷雾冷却技术的研究现状。针对高功率激光器的散热需求,主要从传热机理、影响因素、温度均匀性方面进行阐述,分析了存在的问题。提出将制冷系统和喷雾系统结合、R600a等制冷剂为冷却剂的冷却方案,设计了气助式制冷喷雾冷却系统,分析了适用于制冷喷雾冷却系统的工质,提出了喷雾冷却技术在高功率固体激光器散热中的发展方向。     

Pulsed laser cooling for cavity optomechanical resonators

A pulsed cooling scheme for optomechanical systems is presented that is capable of cooling at much faster rates, shorter overall cooling times, and for a wider set of experimental scenarios than is possible by conventional methods. The proposed scheme can be implemented for both strongly and weakly coupled optomechanical systems in both weakly and highly dissipative cavities. We study analytically its underlying working mechanism, which is based on interferometric control of optomechanical interactions, and we demonstrate its efficiency with pulse sequences that are obtained by using methods from optimal control. The short time in which our scheme approaches the optomechanical ground state allows for a significant relaxation of current experimental constraints. Finally, the framework presented here can be used to create a rich variety of optomechanical interactions and hence offers a novel, readily available toolbox for fast optomechanical quantum control.     

Optimal modes for the laser cooling of solids

The method of the nonequilibrium statistical operator is employed to derive the kinetic equations for the numbers of phonons and photons and the collective population difference of the working transition that describe the laser cooling of solids. These equations are used to obtain the expressions for the efficiency of an optical heat engine in the inverse thermodynamic cycle and the limiting cooling temperature. Based on these expressions, the criteria for determining the type of the samples and the temperature and spectral ranges for the laser cooling experiments are formulated. The results of the numerical calculations are presented as supporting evidence.     

Stimulated radiative laser cooling

Building a refrigerator based on the conversion of heat into optical energy is an ongoing engineering challenge. Under well-defined conditions, spontaneous anti-Stokes fluorescence of a dopant material in a host matrix is capable of lowering the host temperature. The fluorescence is conveying away a part of the thermal energy stored in the vibrational oscillations of the host lattice. In particular, applying this principle to the cooling of (solid-state) lasers opens up many potential device applications, especially in the domain of high-power lasers. In this paper, an alternative optical cooling scheme is outlined, leading to the radiative cooling of solid-state lasers. It is based on converting the thermal energy stored in the host into optical energy by means of a stimulated nonlinear process, rather than a spontaneous process. This should lead to better cooling efficiencies and a higher potential of applying the principle for device applications.     

Feedback-controlled nonresonant laser cooling

We present a new approach to nonresonant laser deceleration and cooling of atoms based on their interaction with a bistable optical cavity. The cooling mechanism presents a photonic version of Sisyphus cooling, in which the conservative motion of atoms is interrupted by sudden transitions between two stable states of the cavity mode. The mechanical energy is extracted due to the hysteretic nature of those transitions. The bistable character of the cavity may be achieved by an external feedback loop, or by means of nonlinear intracavity optical elements. In contrast to the conventional cavity cooling, in which atoms experience a viscoustype force, bistable cavity cooling imitates “dry friction” and stops atoms much faster. Based on this novel approach, we explore the prospects of using optical bistability for efficient radiation pressure cooling of micromechanical devices that are modeled as a Fabry-Perot resonator with one fixed and one oscillating mirror. In all cases, analytical results are presented, supported by realistic numerical examples.     

Versatile Raman fiber laser for sodium laser guide star

Robust high‐power narrow‐linewidth lasers at 589 nm are required for sodium laser guide star adaptive optics in astronomy. A high‐power 589 nm laser based on Raman fiber amplifier is reported here, which works in both continuous‐wave and pulsed formats. In the continuous‐wave case, the laser produces more than 50 W output. In the pulsed case, the same laser produces square‐shaped pulses with tunable repetition rate (500 Hz to 10 kHz) and duration (1 ms to 30 μs). The peak power is as high as 84 W and remains constant during the tuning. The laser also emits an adjustable sideband at 1.71 GHz away from the main laser frequency for better sodium excitation. The versatility of the laser offers much flexibility in laser guide star application.     

薄片激光介质分区域主动冷却方法

针对高功率、大口径薄片激光器,提出了采用半导体制冷片阵列对薄片激光介质进行分区域主动冷却的方法,通过调节各单元半导体制冷片的工作电压,改变阵列的冷却效率分布,实现了对薄片激光介质的局部温度的控制,进而使得薄片介质的横向温度分布均匀,降低了热效应的影响,为薄片激光器的冷却设计提供了新思路,并通过实验验证了该方法的可行性。     

高功率激光器喷雾冷却的实验研究

以水为冷却介质,采用Spray公司的TG0.3机械雾化实心圆锥喷嘴,在体积通量为0.044,0.049和0.053 m3/(m2·s)情况下,对刻有不同微结构槽道冷却面的无沸腾区换热性能进行实验研究。结果表明：刻有微结构的表面可明显增强换热效果;壁面刻有高为0.2 mm的微结构槽道且壁面温度为52 ℃时,体积通量为0.044 m3/(m2·s则热流可达260 W/cm2,通量为0.053 m3/(m2·s则散热功率高达376 W/cm2,完全可以满足当前高功率激光器的散热需求。对于光滑面以及槽肋高为0.1和0.2 mm的换热面,其换热能力随着体积通量的增加而增强;换热面高度为0.4 mm时,通量对换热的影响变得较微弱。微结构槽道不仅增加了换热面积,还有利于液膜扩散,减小液膜厚度,增强换热。在三种不同的流量通量下,高度为0.2 mm的微结构槽道换热性能最佳。     

Solid-state laser passively Q-switched in a new geometry

A new passive Q-switching geometry of a laser cavity has been proposed. In the proposed scheme, the volume of the passive Q-switch just partially overlaps the intracavity laser beam cross-section, leading, however, to the entire beam modulation. This technique was applied for passive Q-switching of a flash-lamp pumped multimode YAG:Nd³⁺ laser by LiF:F₂⁻ crystals. The giant pulse laser action threshold has been detected in the proposed geometry, and is lower than that in the scheme where the passive Q-switch operates in the traditional manner. Stable giant pulse oscillation of 1064 nm wavelength with a pulse duration of 24 ns, pulse energy of 450 mJ, and pulse repetition rates of up to 100 Hz, have been obtained.