Reflection confocal microscope readout system for three-dimensional photochromic optical data storage

We propose to use a reflection confocal microscope (RCM) as a readout system for digital data stored in a three-dimensional (3D) photochromic optical memory. We describe the merits and the difficulties for 3D optical memory that are associated with the use of such a RCM.It is shown by means of 3D Fourier space analysis that successful reading of 3D data can be obtained by selection of the appropriate parameter for the RCM.The system parameters include the numerical aperture of the objective lens and the wavelength of the light used for analysis (reading). Experimental results of multilayer recording and reflection confocal reading in photochromic-molecule-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) are presented. Good-contrast images are obtained.     

Homodyne detection readout for bit-oriented holographic memories

Homodyne detection is proposed to increase the readout signal of bit-oriented holographic memories. It can be easily implemented on present memory architectures by making the diffracted signal interfere with a reflection of the reading beam. The large resulting increase of the readout signal can be used to enhance the data transfer rate. A first experimental demonstration of such a readout procedure is presented.     

Reflection-type confocal readout for multilayered optical memory

We present a multilayered optical memory for use in reading data with a confocal reflection microscope system. We use a recording medium in which photosensitive thin films and nonphotosensitive transparent films are stacked alternately. Since the photosensitive films are thinner than the depth of focus of the recording beam, the spatial frequency distribution of the recorded bit data is extended in the axial direction. The extended distribution overlaps the coherent optical transfer function of the reflection-type confocal microscope. Urethane-urea copolymer film is used as a photosensitive material. The recording and reading of two layers are demonstrated.     

Compact laser system for atom interferometry

We describe an optical bench in which we lock the relative frequencies or phases of a set of three lasers in order to use them in a cold atom interferometry experiment. As a new feature, the same two lasers serve alternately to cool atoms and to realize the atomic interferometer. This requires a fast change of the optical frequencies over a few GHz. The number of required independent laser sources is then only three, which enables the construction of the whole laser system on a single transportable optical bench. Recent results obtained with this optical setup are also presented. PACS 32.80.Pj; 42.50.Vk; 39.20.+q     

Compact,temperature-stable multi-gigahertz passively modelocked semiconductor disk laser

We present a compact passively mode-locked semiconductor disk laser at 1045 nm. The gain chip without any post processing consists of 16 compressively strained In Ga As symmetrical step quantum wells in the active region. 3-GHz repetition rate, 4.9-ps pulse duration, and 30-mW average output power are obtained with 1.4 W of 808-nm incident pump power. The temperature stability of the laser is demonstrated to have an ideal shift rate of 0.035 nm/K of the lasing wavelength.     

Compact gas sensor using a pulsed difference-frequency laser spectrometer

We present a novel compact pulsed laser spectrometer based on difference-frequency mixing of a cw tunable external-cavity diode laser (795-825 nm) and a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) in bulk LiNbO(3) . The pulsed mid-IR source is continuously tunable from 3.16 to 3.67microm and exhibits a linewidth of only 154 MHz, a peak power of approximately 50microW , and a pulse duration of 6 ns at a 6.5-kHz repetition rate. Spectra of methane in room air and formaldehyde have been recorded at room-temperature operation in a multipass cell with deduced detection limits of 10 and 40 parts in 10(9) , respectively.     

Spin readout and initialization in a semiconductor quantum dot

Electron spin qubits in semiconductors are attractive from the viewpoint of long coherence times. However, single spin measurement is challenging. Several promising schemes incorporate ancillary tunnel couplings that may provide unwanted channels for decoherence. Here, we propose a novel spin-charge transduction scheme, converting spin information to orbital information within a single quantum dot by microwave excitation. The same quantum dot can be used for rapid initialization, gating, and readout. We present detailed modeling of such a device in silicon to confirm its feasibility.     

Compact and robust laser system for onboard atom interferometry

We propose a compact and robust laser system at 780 nm for onboard atomic inertial sensors based on rubidium atom interferometry. The principle of this system consists in doubling the frequency of a telecom fiber bench at 1560 nm. The same laser source is used to achieve a magneto-optical trap, matter–wave interferences, and the atomic detection. An atomic gravimeter has been realized and the laser system has been validated under hyper- and microgravity.     

Compact, filtered diode laser system for precision spectroscopy

Stable, narrow-linewidth optical sources are necessary in modern atomic physics. An appealing approach to achieving approximately 10 kHz frequency stability is optical feedback. We have designed a compact external cavity diode laser with optical feedback to a filter cavity mounted on a single baseplate and enclosed inside a vacuum sealed box. The design was implemented for three wavelengths addressing the 422 nm cooling, 1091 nm repumping, and 674 nm clock transition lines of Sr(+). We are able to cool a single, trapped strontium ion to approximately 2 mK and observe motional sidebands of the 5S(1/2) <--> 4D(5/2) transition.     

Compact spectroscopy system based on tunable organic semiconductor lasers

We applied a continuously tunable organic semiconductor thin film laser for high resolution transmission spectroscopy. Using a suitable encapsulation application of that low-cost laser device allowed us to realize a very compact and durable measurement system incorporating only very few optical components. To demonstrate the capability of our setup for high-resolution photospectroscopy, we measured the transmission curve of a narrow laser line filter. The resulting data was in good agreement with a measurement of the filter characteristic done using a commercial spectrometer. Our system is capable of measuring optical density (OD) values up to OD 5. A key for future systems is a novel low-cost mechanical tuning method for position-dependent distributed feedback lasers which enables high-speed tuning with wavelength access times under 10 ms independent of the tuning bandwidth.     

Performance of a dual-stage semiconductor laser amplifier for optical transmission repeater system

The performance of a dual-stage semiconductor laser amplifier consisting of a preamplifier and a power amplifier is evaluated theoretically and experimentally. The dual-stage optical amplifier can offer high-gain amplification with low noise figure by using a low-noise amplifier as a preamplifier. Using the dual-stage amplifier, 2.4 Gbits^–1 193 km optical fibre transmission was demonstrated. In addition, by applying an automatic power control system to the dual-stage amplifier, output power stabilization with wide dynamic range was obtained.     

Design of aspheric collimation system for semiconductor laser beam

In this paper, semiconductor laser beam collimation lenses system has been optimum simulated and designed. The new design methods for aspheric cylinder lenses collimation system have been discussed in detail and the system parameters are calculated and optimized by using a geometrical ray optics approximation. The optical system has been further simulated by software MATLAB, and the simulation results showed that the emergence angle can be collimated effectively, and the output beam can be expanded to a circular spot in centimeter level beam radius.     

Single-shot readout of electron spins in a semiconductor quantum dot

We report on a method for single-shot readout of spin states in a semiconductor quantum dot that is robust against charge noise and can be used even when the electron temperature exceeds the energy splitting between the states. The spin states are first correlated to different charge states using a spin dependence of the tunnel rates. A subsequent fast measurement of the charge on the dot then reveals the original spin state. The method is analyzed theoretically, and compared to a previously used method. We experimentally demonstrate the method by performing readout of the two-electron spin states, achieving a single-shot visibility of more than 80%. We find very long triplet-to-singlet relaxation times (up to several milliseconds), with a strong dependence on in-plane magnetic field.     

半导体激光器拍摄全息图的研究

半导体激光器输出的光束为椭圆高斯光束,若直接用于全息照相非常不利.采用梯形棱镜对将半导体激光器输出光束进行整形,并且在输出光束束腰位置进行全息照相,拍摄的全息图效果非常逼真.     

Investigation of the structure of water using a laser confocal scanning microscope

Measurements of water as the most available and vitally important element were performed using the laser confocal scanning microscope with the purpose of extending the range of its application. In this work, the measured Raman spectra of water obtained for different water samples—unprocessed, purified, and mineral, in different phase states, and after filtration and processing using different methods—are presented.     

Passively Q-switched Er-doped fiber laser using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror

A passively Q-switched Er-doped fiber laser using a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) is demonstrated. Q-switching is observed with the output power produced at a slope efficiency of 29.4% with respect to the absorbed pump power. The maximum average output power of 8.37 mW is achieved. The pulse repetition frequency obtained can be turned from 1.72 to 7.95 kHz. The pulse energy of 17.2 nJ has been obtained at the pump power of 46.75 mW, and the pulse width is 30 μs.     

A new model for a mode-locked semiconductor laser

We consider a new model for passive mode locking in a semiconductor laser comprising a set of delay differential equations. Bifurcations leading to the appearance and break-up of the mode-locking regime are studied numerically.     

Polariton laser using single micropillar GaAs-GaAlAs semiconductor cavities

Polariton lasing is demonstrated on the zero-dimensional states of single GaAs/GaAlAs micropillar cavities. Under nonresonant excitation, the measured polariton ground-state occupancy is found as large as 10(4). Changing the spatial excitation conditions, competition between several polariton lasing modes is observed, ruling out Bose-Einstein condensation. When the polariton state occupancy increases, the emission blueshift is the signature of self-interaction within the half-light half-matter polariton lasing mode.     

System for nanosecond and picosecond laser synchronization using high-voltage semiconductor switches

Results are presented on the development and investigation of a system for the synchronization of the emission of a nanosecond laser, used for plasma heating, with the emission of a diagnostic picosecond laser. The system is based on the use of the fast-semiconductor-switch technology, and ensures a temporal synchronization instability not higher than 100 psec.Laser-Plansma Laboratory and Special Design Office. Lebedev Physics Institutes, Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Translated from Preprint No. 85 of the Lebedev Physics Institute, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Moscow, 1988.