Terahertz beat frequency generation from two-mode lasing operation of coupled microdisk laser

We propose a coupled microdisk laser as a compact and tunable laser source for the generation of a coherent continuous-wave terahertz radiation by photomixing. Using the Schr?dinger-Bloch model including the nonlinear effect of active medium, we find single-mode and two-mode lasings depending on the pumping strength. We explain the transitions of lasing modes in terms of resonant modes that are the solutions of the Schr?dinger-Bloch model without active medium and nonlinear interaction. In particular, a two-mode lasing is shown to generate a terahertz oscillating frequency originating from the light beating of two nearly degenerated resonant modes with different symmetries.     

Lasing without inversion due to cooling subsystem

The new possibility of inversionless lasing is discussed. We have considered the resonant interaction of a two-level system (TLS) with photons and the adiabatic interaction with an ensemble of Bose particles. It is found out that a TLS with equally populated energy levels amplifies the coherent light with Stokes-shifted frequency. This becomes possible as photon emission is accompanied by Bose particles excitation. The energy flow from the TLS to the photon subsystem is realized due to the Bose subsystem being at finite temperature and playing the cooler role. The advantage of this new lasing principle is discussed. It is shown that lasing conditions strongly differ from conventional ones. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Lasing in random media

A random laser is a non-conventional laser whose feedback mechanism is based on disorder-induced light scattering. Depending on whether the feedback supplied by scattering is intensity feedback or amplitude feedback, random lasers are classified into two categories: random lasers with incoherent feedback and random lasers with coherent feedback. A brief survey of random lasers with incoherent feedback is presented. It is followed by a review of our recent experimental work on random lasers with coherent feedback, including measurement of the lasing threshold, lasing spectra, emission pattern, dynamical response, photon statistics, speckle pattern and the investigation of relevant length scales. Large disorder leads to spatial confinement of the lasing modes, that is the foundation for the micro random laser. Some theoretical models of random lasers with coherent feedback are briefly introduced. The study of random lasers improves our understanding of the interplay between light localization and coherent amplification.     

Light transport and correlation length in a random laser

A random laser is a strongly disordered, laser‐active optical medium. The coherent laser feedback, which has been demonstrated experimentally to be present in these systems beyond doubt, requires the existence of spatially localized photonic quasimodes. However, the origin of these quasimodes has remained controversial. We develop an analytical theory for diffusive random lasers by coupling the transport theory of the disordered medium to the semiclassical laser rate equations, accounting for (coherent) stimulated and (incoherent) spontaneous emission. From the causality of wave propagation in an amplifying, diffusive medium we derive a novel length scale which we identify with the average mode radius of the lasing quasi‐modes. We show that truly localized modes do not exist in the system without photon number conservation. However, we find that causality in the amplifying medium implies the existence of a novel, finite intensity correlation length which we identify with the average mode volume of the lasing quasimodes. We show further that the surface of the laser‐active medium is crucial in order to stabilize a stationary lasing state. We solve the laser transport theory with appropriate surface boundary conditions to obtain the spatial distributions of the light intensity and of the occupation inversion. The dependence of the intensity correlation length on the pump rate agrees with experimental findings.     

Self-tuned quantum dot gain in photonic crystal lasers

We demonstrate that very few (2-4) quantum dots as a gain medium are sufficient to realize a photonic-crystal laser based on a high-quality nanocavity. Photon correlation measurements show a transition from a thermal to a coherent light state proving that lasing action occurs at ultralow thresholds. Observation of lasing is unexpected since the cavity mode is in general not resonant with the discrete quantum dot states and emission at those frequencies is suppressed. In this situation, the quasicontinuous quantum dot states become crucial since they provide an energy-transfer channel into the lasing mode, effectively leading to a self-tuned resonance for the gain medium.     

Transition from amplified spontaneous emission to laser action in strongly scattering media

In an active random medium, the combination of multiple scattering with light amplification may lead to random laser action. However, it is crucial but sometimes difficult to distinguish between amplified spontaneous emission and lasing. By varying the amount of scattering in an amplifying random medium, we have observed the transition from amplified spontaneous emission to lasing with coherent feedback. We have found out when the transition occurs through the measurement of the scattering mean free path. Our numerical simulation based on the direct solution to Maxwell equations clearly illustrates the transition from light amplification to laser oscillation due to an increase of the amount of scattering in active random medium.     

Random laser action in ZnO

We report a direct evidence of random laser in optically pumped ZnO powder. Discrete lasing modes are observed above threshold. The laser emission spectra depend on the angle of observation and are random. The lasing action is attributed to the coherent feedback due to recurrent light scattering in the powder. The lasing threshold intensity depends on the excitation volume. Received: 15 September 1999 / Revised version: 2 February 2000 / Published online: 5 July 2000     

Spatial confinement of laser light in active random media

We have observed spatial confinement of laser light in micrometer-sized random media. The optical confinement is attributed to the disorder-induced scattering and interference. Our experimental data suggest that coherent amplification of the scattered light enhances the interference effect and helps the spatial confinement. Using the finite-difference time-domain method, we simulate lasing with coherent feedback in the active random medium.     

Random lasing from dye-doped chiral nematic liquid crystals in oriented and non-oriented cells

These are the experimental results describing random lasing in dye-doped chiral nematic liquid crystals. A novel random lasing emission is studied in this article based on the helical domains of dye-doped chiral nematic liquid crystals in oriented and non-oriented cells. Under frequency doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser-pumped optical excitation, we carefully observed and analysed random lasing from dye-doped chiral nematic liquid crystals with wavelength ranges from 600 nm to 620 nm. In addition, the line-width of multi-mode peaks is less than 0.2 nm. The difference between the two random lasing behaviours in the oriented and non-oriented cells arises from the fact that random lasing appearing in the oriented cell results from stronger multiple scattering of light generated by the spiral domains of the liquid crystal molecules. Furthermore, chiral nematic liquid crystal micro-domains with different orientations can induce variation of the diffusion constant, thereby resulting in a decrease or increase in the lasing intensity of the random lasers, and an increase or decrease in their energy thresholds. In addition, a detailed comparison of the two experimental results is also presented in the article, showing the dependence of the lasing threshold and the number of lasing modes on the transport mean free path, the excited area, and the sample size. This process allows us to obtain a random laser by changing the structure of the sample, realising tunable random lasers at low cost.     

光子晶体晶粒尺寸和排列结构对随机激光辐射特性的影响

研究了光子晶体对随机激光器的输出特性的调控,并分析了光子晶体的晶粒尺寸和排列结构等对调控作用的影响.对于同一随机介质而言,上下表面用同种材料不同晶粒尺寸的光子晶体覆盖,结果显示:晶粒尺寸合适的光子晶体会使光在系统中来回振荡从而得到很好的放大,使系统中的光与随机增益介质的相互作用加强,激光阈值降低;同时还对激光模式有较强的调制能力,能在一定程度上抑制自发辐射,使之向所需要的频率内辐射.但如果光子晶体的晶粒尺寸与随机增益介质结构匹配不当,则光子晶体对激光模式调制能力较弱,光场能量不能有效地被局域在系统中,系统 关键词： 有限时域差分法 光子晶体 随机激光 辐射特性     

驱动场相位扩散对三能级梯型系统无反转激光的影响

在旋波、慢变振幅近似下,求解考虑了驱动场相位扩散后的系统密度矩阵运动方程,并给出了这个三能级梯型系统稳态线性解析解.利用得到的稳态线性解析解分析驱动场相位扩散是如何影响该系统输出无反转激光的.对稳态线性解析解数值计算的结果显示:由于驱动场相位扩散会导致无反转激光增益减小;即使由于驱动场相位扩散引起的线宽足够大,在该系统中仍能够获得无反转激光;线宽往往是破坏无反转激光产生和折射率的提高;因驱动场相位扩散导致无反转激光增益的减小,并不是总能够通过增大驱动场的Rabi频率得到补偿.     

染料掺杂聚合物薄膜中金纳米颗粒增强的随机激光

基于金属纳米结构而获得随机激光的增强,其独特的性质及其潜在的应用价值具有重要的研究意义,在表面增强荧光、光学开关器件、表面等离子激元激光等方面实现了较多应用。报道一种快捷有效的制备纳米颗粒的手段并基于该纳米颗粒结构分析了染料掺杂聚合物薄膜涂覆的随机激光现象和规律。利用离子溅射沉积和高温热处理在石英基底上制备了Au纳米颗粒,改变溅射时间Au纳米颗粒的尺寸发生可控变化,该方法便捷、工艺简单。研究采用40,80和120 s三种不同的时间进行Au膜溅射并在650 ℃下高温处理,得到粒径尺寸不同的Au纳米颗粒,随着溅射时间延长Au纳米颗粒的尺寸逐渐变大。通过涂覆有机荧光染料DCJTB掺杂的PMMA聚合物薄膜构建光致激射系统,利用纳秒脉冲激光对样品进行激发,得到随机激光并研究其出射光强度和阈值的变化规律特征。40,80和120 s三种溅射时间下所得Au纳米颗粒的平均粒径尺寸分别为230,250和390 nm,在532 nm激光激发下产生随机激光的阈值分别为20.5,17.5和12.5 μJ·pulse-1。Au纳米颗粒尺寸越大、粒子间距越小时,光子散射的平均自由程越短,光在金属颗粒之间可以多次有效散射,从而显著提高散射效率,产生较低阈值的激光发射;Au纳米颗粒的吸收峰与染料的荧光峰恰好匹配时,将会显著增强染料的荧光效应,激发更多染料分子发生能级跃迁,增加光子态密度,获得峰值更高、阈值更低的激射现象;泵浦光不破坏染料分子的情况下,可以多次循环泵浦获得激光,染料分子的发光效率随着多次激发略有降低,有助于随机激光器件的研究开发。实验研究结果与理论分析相一致,进一步明确了Au纳米颗粒对光子散射和等离子共振对光吸收增强的随机激光发射机理。该研究以Au纳米结构对光子的强散射效应为增益,通过理论分析和实验测量获得随机激光,为实现高效率、低阈值的随机激光研究提供了一种便捷的技术手段,有望促进随机激光器件的开发和应用。     

Accumulation of dwell times in light diffusion

We discuss various speeds of propagation that are relevant for the dynamics of classical waves in random media: phase velocity, group velocity and transport velocity. The transport velocity can be much smaller than the phase velocity due to the long dwelling of classical waves inside resonant scatterers. We show that the transport velocity of light can be obtained experimentally by study both transient and steady-state diffusion of light.     

Bichromatic coherent random lasing from dye-doped polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystals controlled by pump light polarization

In this paper, we investigate the bichromatic coherent random lasing actions from the dye-doped polymer stabilized blue phase liquid crystals. Two groups of lasing peaks, of which the full widith at half maximum is about 0.3 nm, are clearly observed. The shorter- and longer-wavelength modes are associated with the excitation of the single laser dye (DCM) monomers and dimers respectively. The experimental results show that the competition between the two groups of the lasing peaks can be controlled by varying the polarization of the pump light. When the polarization of the pump light is rotated from 0° to 90°, the intensity of the shorter-wavelength lasing peak group reduces while the intensity of the longer-wavelength lasing peak group increases. In addition, a red shift of the longer-wavelength modes is also observed and the physical mechanisms behind the red-shift phenomenon are discussed.     

ZnO random laser spectra under nanosecond pumping

Spectra of ZnO random lasers were obtained using a Peltier-cooled CCD camera Videoscan-285 at a single shot of nanosecond pumping. It was demonstrated that these spectra differ essentially from lasing spectra under picosecond pumping: as a rule, the line widths are significantly larger and the spectra often change essentially from shot to shot in a random manner on the same pumping spot. We suggest that large line widths can be the result of many lasing acts appearing during a single pumping pulse and of the lasing frequency changing in every lasing act. The random variations of spectra from shot to shot can be called forth by spontaneous emission fluctuations.     

Effect of Pump Area on Lasing Modes in Active Random Media

We investigate the effect of pump area on lasing modes in an active random medium. Considering the structure characteristics in a real experimental system, the random medium is divided into two regions, i.e. pump and non-pump areas. The dependence of lasing modes on the pump area is qualitatively explained by means of the model in which the lasing is ascribed to the interaction of the complex localized modes in the active random medium with local aperiodic quasi-structure with appropriate pump light. There exist different pump sizes for lasing with different modes. As the pump size decreases in this random system, the pump threshold of the lasing modes increases. There are different lasing modes in different excitation regions in this random system. This gives us some information about the dependence of lasing modes on pump areas in active random media.     

五能级87Rb原子系统中相干诱导的可调谐三光子带隙

研究了一个由两个同向驻波场和一个微波场相干驱动的五能级87 Rb原子系统,并在探测场共振频率处实现了可调谐三光子带隙。利用激光场与多能级原子系综相互作用的密度矩阵方程,结合光脉冲在具有空间周期性介质中的相干传输矩阵理论,推导出了描述相干原子系统稳态条件下的反射谱和透射谱。由数值模拟发现,通过改变驱动场的失谐和拉比频率可以动力学地调控光子带隙的位置和宽度,而且这种相干诱导三光子带隙能够同时操控三个不同中心频率光脉冲的传播。     

Maximization of the efficiency of the frequency conversion with a spin multiplet subjected to three frequency-correlated fields

We investigate theoretically the coherent resonant enhancement of three-field mixing processes in a nonlinear medium characterized by a spin multiplet. The discussion is based on the analytical steady-state solutions of the density matrix equation. These solutions do not assume simplified approximations concerning the number of levels or the relative magnitudes of the Rabi frequencies and relaxation rates. Consequently, they contain interference effects among single- and multiplequantum absorption and emission processes, and parametric processes. This makes it possible to maximize the efficiency and the resonant enhancement of the frequency conversion in a nonlinear medium by manipulating the degree of coherent mixing. The highest efficiency and resonant enhancement of the frequency conversion could be obtained if the three fields are strong, their coherent mixing is negligible, and the differences of the corresponding Rabi frequencies are small. If these differences are large, the conversion efficiency is maximized if the coherent mixing is maximized too. For a spin multiplet, the resonant enhancements of three-field mixing processes have strong temperature dependences and exhibit maximum values at optimum temperatures that are relatively high. Although the discussion is applied to a spin multiplet, it can also be extended to the general case of multilevel atomic systems.     

Tailoring of random lasing characteristics in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals

Amplified spontaneous emission and random lasing are investigated in random systems with dye-doped nematic liquid crystals. And that temporal stability of random lasing is analyzed. The influence of pumping polarization as well as the multiple scattering and reflection between boundaries on the emission behavior and the formation of coherent feedback is investigated in detail. For freely suspended samples, certain emission wavelength can be obtained by changing the pump wavelength. This feature is useful in making wavelength-tunable lasers. Moreover, as the pumping thickness of wedge sample increases, the emission spectrum is red shifted and the average spacing of adjacent spikes decreases. This property can be applied in laser mode selection, i.e., the number of modes within certain wavelength range can be chosen.     

Role of incoherent pumping field on absorption–dispersion properties of probe pulse in a graphene nanostructure under external magnetic field

The optical properties of weak probe light based on quantum coherence and interference in Landau-quantized graphene nanostructure driven by two coherent fields and incoherent pumping field is investigated. The linear dynamical properties of the graphene by means of density matrix method and perturbation theory are discussed. It is found that under certain condition and for appropriate choosing the parameters of the medium, the absorption, dispersion, group index of the weak probe light can be controlled. Moreover, it is shown that by means of incoherent pumping field the superluminal light propagation in the system is accompanied by amplification to make sure that the probe field is amplified as it passes through the system. Moreover, it is observed that the probe amplification can be obtained in the presence or absence of population inversion by properly choosing of system’s parameters. We hope that these results may have useful in the future quantum communicational system and networks.