Quantum memory on the basis of photon echo in three-level optically dense gaseous media with the Ξ-configuration of atomic transitions

A new variant of realization of quantum memory based on the use of a photon echo in an optically dense three-level gaseous medium is proposed. The use of a long-lived highly excited optical level as a storage of quantum information is the characteristic feature of the scheme proposed. This scheme of quantum memory is distinguished by reduced optical noises owing to the possibility of realizing temporal, spectral, and spatial selection of weak quantum radiation relative to the accompanying laser pulsed fields.     

Coherent light generation from a Nd:SBN nonlinear laser crystal through its ferroelectric phase transition

In this Letter we have used the optical pump induced thermal loading to drive Nd(3+) a doped Sr(0,47)Ba(0.53)(Nb)(3))(2) laser crystal during laser operation through its ferroelectric phase transition. We demonstrate that lasing is possible below, at, and above phase transition. For temperatures close to (approximately 105 degrees C) the spatial distribution of laser radiation is remarkably affected. This feature, which leads to a laser gain depression, can be explained in terms of the strong temperature dependence of the thermo-optic coefficient during phase transition. Additionally, the visible radiation generated by intracavity self-frequency doubling disappears when the phase transition is undergone, showing a bistable behavior. The results provide fundamental information on physical parameters along the phase transition and will stimulate further work in the fields of nonlinear optics, optical switching, and data storage.     

Gas Concentration in Industrial Emissions Retrieved from a Laser-Beam Aureole

The feasibility of reconstructing components of industrial emissions by a remote method is studied under conditions of strong laser radiation scattering. It is demonstrated that an aureole around the laser beam bears information on optical parameters of the medium. Formulas for calculating the extinction coefficient of the medium and the concentration of the desired gas component in the emission from the measured radial profile of aureole brightness are derived.     

Photorefractive properties of a nanocomposite based on a ferroelectric polymer

The photorefractive effect is demonstrated for the first time for the composite consisting of a ferroelectric material (polyvinylidenefluoride-trifluoroethylene) and single-walled carbon nanotubes that serve as nonlinear optical chromophores and, simultaneously, spectral sensitizers for the laser radiation with a wavelength of 1064 nm. It is demonstrated that the internal field in the ferroelectric material makes it possible to measure the photorefractive effect in the absence of the external field.     

Terahertz radiation by an ultrafast spontaneous polarization modulation of multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films

Terahertz (THz) radiation has been observed from multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films via ultrafast modulation of spontaneous polarization upon carrier excitation with illumination of femtosecond laser pulses. The radiated THz pulses from BiFeO3 thin films were clarified to directly reflect the spontaneous polarization state, giving rise to a memory effect in a unique style and enabling THz radiation even at zero-bias electric field. On the basis of our findings, we demonstrate potential approaches to ferroelectric nonvolatile random access memory with nondestructive readability and ferroelectric domain imaging microscopy using THz radiation as a sensitive probe.     

Formation of a quadrupole vortex and a second-order optical vortex in caustics upon focusing of light by a two-component crystal-optics element

A wave field of a structurally stable diffraction caustic that is formed upon focusing of a collimated laser beam with the help of a two-component crystal-optics element consisting of uniaxial crystals is characterized by a crystal-like cellular structure. Near the cusp of this caustic (diffraction catastrophe), a well-pronounced localized quadrupole optical vortex is observed that consists of four isolated vortices with pairwise opposite topological charges of −1, +1, +1, and −1. The creation and annihilation points of this combined quadrupole vortex are determined. Upon reversal of the direction of propagation of the laser beam through the crystal-optics element, the caustic in the focal region has already become a binary combination and inhomogeneously polarized, and a second-order optical vortex is observed near the cusp of this caustic.     

Ionization yield of two-step photoionization process in an optically thick atomic medium of barium

The kinetics of a two-step photoionization process in optically thick atomic medium of barium (Ba) is studied using the rate equation approach. In the first step, Ba atoms get resonantly excited by laser radiation from their ground state to an intermediate excited state and subsequently are ionized in the second step by another laser radiation. The absorption of exciting radiation is taken into account along its propagation direction (optically thick). However, the medium is assumed to be optically thin for the ionizing radiation. A numerical simulation is done to estimate the ionization yield for time-varying Gaussian shaped laser pulses. The required energy density of the laser pulse to saturate the excitation transition throughout the thick medium is calculated. The effect of optical delay between the laser beams on the ionization yield is simulated. The calculated ionization yield from the simulation is compared with the measured values.     

Thermomagnetic switching in a GdFeBi-photoconductor sandwich

Magneto-optic films of amorphous rare earth transition metal alloys with uniaxial anisotropy can be used as a memory medium in optical storage systems. The information is written thermomagnetically and is retrieved via the magneto-optic Kerr- or Faraday-effect. The threshold laser power for writing is reduced compared to direct laser heating by a combination of the ferrimagnetic film with a CdS ? Cu ? Cl photoconductor sandwiched between In₂O₃ ? SnO₂ transparent electrodes. The film characteristics and switching properties are discussed.     

Excitation of Raman optical processes in an ultradispersed medium by radiation from a pulsed-periodic laser

A new method of taking Raman and two-photon-excited luminescence spectra in an ultradispersed medium is proposed. In this method, optical fibers serve to introduce an exciting radiation into and extract the secondary radiation from an ultradispersed medium placed in a cavity-type metallic cell. The spectra are initiated with a pulsed-periodic light source (copper vapor laser) and are recorded using a gating system. The contrast of the secondary radiation spectra is high with respect to the exciting radiation, allowing for molecular analysis of ultradispersed media by means of a single small-size monochromator.     

Atomic-vapor-based high efficiency optical detectors with photon number resolution

The ability to detect very weak optical fields with high efficiency (>99%) and to distinguish the number of photons in a given time interval is a very challenging technical problem with enormous potential payoffs in quantum communications and information processing. We propose to employ an atomic vapor as the active medium, prepared in a specific quantum state using laser radiation. The absorption of a photon will be aided by a dressing laser, and the presence or absence of an excited atom will be detected using the "cycling transition" approach perfected for ion traps. By incorporating an appropriate up-conversion scheme, our method can be applied to a wide variety of optical wavelengths.     

Single-shot time-frequency imaging spectroscopy using an echelon mirror

We demonstrate single-shot time-frequency imaging spectroscopy with an echelon mirror for measuring ultrashort laser pulses as well as ultrafast responses of materials using the same optical setup. The echelon mirror produces a spatially encoded time delay for the probe pulse whereby both the probe and pump pulses are focused on samples with small spot size. Using the optical Kerr gate apparatus, we successfully mapped the time-frequency images of ultrashort laser pulses and subsequently evaluated the chirp characteristics with the phase-retrieval procedure on a single-shot basis. By simply replacing the Kerr medium with samples, we could also visualize the phonon-polariton oscillations in ferroelectric LiNbO3.     

Spectral diagnostics of a vapor-plasma plume produced during welding with a high-power ytterbium fiber laser

We have conducted spectroscopic studies of the welding plasma formed in the process of welding with an ytterbium fiber laser delivering output power of up to 20 kW. The influence of shielding gases (Ar, He) on different parts of the welding plume is investigated. The absorption coefficient of the laser radiation by the welding-plume plasma is estimated. Scattering of 532-nm probe radiation from particles of the condensed metal vapor within the caustic of a high-power fiber laser beam is measured. Based on the obtained results, conclusions are made on the influence of the plasma formation and metal vapor condensation on the radiation of the high-power fiber laser and the stability of the welding process.     

Periodically poled potassium niobate for second-harmonic generation at 463 nm

We report on the fabrication and characterization of quasi-phase-matched potassium niobate crystals for second-harmonic generation. Periodic 30-mum -pitch antiparallel ferroelectric domains are fabricated by means of poling in an electrical field. Both birefrigence and periodic phase shift of the generated second harmonic contribute to phase matching when the d(31) nonlinear optical tensor element is used. 3.8 mW of second-harmonic radiation at 463 nm is generated by frequency doubling of the output of master-oscillator power-amplifier diode laser in a 5-mm-long crystal. The measured effective nonlinear coefficient is 3.7pm/V. The measured spectral acceptance bandwidth of 0.25 nm corresponds to the theoretical value.     

The doppler frequency shift caused by the inhomogeneities of a medium induced by pulses of intense laser radiation

Self-reflection of pulses of intense laser radiation from an inhomogeneity induced by them in a medium with fast optical nonlinearity is analyzed. The reflected radiation is characterized by a considerable Doppler shift and by a signal magnitude that is sufficient for experimental detection.     

串口型铁电存储器总剂量辐射损伤效应和退火特性

对一款商用串口I2C型铁电存储器进行了⁶⁰Coγ 辐射和退火实验, 研究了铁电存储器的总剂量效应和退火特性. 使用了超大规模集成电路测试系统测试了铁电存储器的DC, AC, 功能参数, 分析了辐射敏感参数在辐射和退火过程中的变化规律. 实验结果表明: 总剂量辐射在器件内产生大量氧化物陷阱电荷, 造成了铁电存储器外围控制电路MOS管阈值向负向漂移, 氧化物陷阱电荷引入附加电场使铁电薄膜受肖特基发射或空间电荷限制电流的作用, 产生辐射感生漏电流. 由于浅能级亚稳态的氧化物陷阱电荷数量上多于深能级氧化物陷阱电荷, 使得器件功能和辐射敏感参数在常温退火过程中快速恢复. 关键词： 铁电存储器 总剂量辐射 退火特性     

Determination of nonlinear optical characteristics of transparent materials using single laser pulses

A new method of express analysis of nonlinear optical properties of materials by determining their nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption upon irradiation by a single laser pulse is proposed. The nonlinear optical characteristics of media are determined based on an analysis of variations in the spatial distribution of radiation focused by a cylindrical lens and passed through the medium. The method proposed is tested by the example of optical nonlinearities of CS₂.     

Observation of the optoacoustic effect in an optical fibre

The rediationless absorption of light propagating in optical fibres induces both stress waves and thermal waves in the fibre medium. Detection of such waves is termed the optoacoustic effect. Successful detection in optical fibres is easily obscured by scattered light impinging on the detector. We have obtained a signal of 2 mV on a piezoceramic transducer attached to a commercial step-index optical fibre after passage of a 1 J ruby laser light pulse along the fibre axis. No signal was, however, produced when the transducer was not in contact with the fibre. Similar results were obtained using chopped cw laser radiation but then more care had to be taken since the transducers used had a measureable sensitivity to the low frequency chopped radiation emitted perpendicular to the optical fibre axis.     

基于光放大的长脉冲抽运太赫兹激光

为了获得较窄增益带宽、较大光强的太赫兹辐射,尝试了利用TEA CO₂激光器对6 W可调谐连续波CO₂种子激光实行双程光放大实验,以期望获得长脉冲、高峰值功率的抽运光.通过实验,获得了大约30倍的放大系数,放大光输出功率随种子光注入功率的增加而增加,其中10 P （20）支线表现更加突出,并且被放大的激光支线半峰全宽在14 μs左右.基于这种长脉冲抽运源,建立了一种产生脉冲太赫兹的动力学模型,给出了产生太赫兹辐射的饱和抽运光强表达式,确定了抽运光的光强范围.另外, 关键词： 激光物理 长脉冲 动力学模型 太赫兹激光