Optimum conditions for correlation of the temporal shape of an object pulse with a stimulated photon echo response in inhomogeneous external electric fields

We have studied the information locking effect and the effect of correlation of the shape of an object laser pulse with the shape of a stimulated photon echo response in the presence of external spatially inhomogeneous electric fields. We have shown that, for the transition ³H₄-³P₀ in a LaF₃:Pr³⁺ crystal, one can observe the effect of the correlation of the shape of an object laser pulse with the shape of a stimulated photon echo response and, depending on the scheme of the action of external spatially inhomogeneous electric fields, either the information locking effect or the information destroying effect.     

Formation of stimulated photon echo in ytterbium vapours in a longitudinal magnetic field

Intensity and polarization are derived for stimulated photon echo produced in a longitudinal magnetic field by transitions between resonance levels with the angular momenta 0 and 1. It is shown that stimulated photon echo generated in a longitudinal magnetic field can be used to obtain spectroscopic data on the times of relaxation of population, orientation, and alignment of the level ³P₁ of a ¹⁷⁴Yb atom.     

Conventional and collision photon echo in ytterbium vapor

The polarization properties of the photon echo generated by two linearly polarized pulses of resonant radiation at the (6s6p)³ P ₁ ? (6s ²)¹ S ₀ transition of ¹⁷⁴Yb are investigated. A complicated polarization behavior of the photon echo versus an angle between the polarization vectors of the excitation pulses is revealed in a mixture of ytterbium vapor with inert gas. For the angles ranging from 0° to 75°, a conventional echo with its linear polarization coinciding with the second excitation pulse dominates and the echo amplitude decreases with an increasing angle. For the angles ranging from 75° to 89°, the photon echo is elliptically polarized. Finally, for an angle of 90°, the conventional echo disappears and the collision echo becomes linearly polarized along the first excitation pulse.     

Photon echo “decay” in LaF3 : Pr3+ as a modulation process

The variation of photon echo intensity in LaF₃ : Pr³⁺ measured as a function of pulse separation for short times is shown to be a consequence of echo modulation as caused by isolated non-interacting Pr³⁺ ions.     

Weak magnetic field behavior of photon echo in a LuLiF4:Er3+ crystal

We report the first observation and study of the photon echo in Er³⁺:LuLiF₄. The energy transition is ⁴ I _15/2 → ⁴ F _9/2 (λ = 6536 Å). The density of ErF₃ is 0.025 wt %. The operation temperature is 1.9 K. Measurements were made at low (up to 1200 Oe) and even zero external magnetic fields. We studied the behavior of the photon echo intensity vs. the magnetic field magnitude and direction about the crystal axis C and vs. the laser pulse separation t ₁₂ and observed an exponential growth and then, after a certain plateau, an exponential decrease in the photon echo intensity as a function of magnetic field upon increasing the magnetic field from zero. The parameters describing the exponential growth and decrease are independent of the direction of magnetic field. The value of the magnetic field (～20–200 Oe) at which the echo intensity is maximal and the value of the maximum itself decrease with increasing pulse separation t ₁₂ and the angle Θ between the magnetic field and crystal axis. The echo intensity decreases exponentially with increasing Θ. The parameter describing the exponential decrease is independent of the magnitude of the field. The echo intensity as a function of pulse separation shows exponential decay. The phase relaxation time depends on the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field. T ₂ is equal to 202 ± 16 ns at zero magnetic field. A phenomenological formula is suggested, which qualitatively presents the mentioned dependences, and the polarization properties of the backward photon echo in this crystal are studied. Because the ion of trivalent erbium is an optimum data carrier, the above results show that fine control of the multichannel transfer of processed optical information may be achieved by weak magnetic fields.     

Photon echo generated at the transition 0–1 in ytterbium vapor

Photon echo generated at the inter-combination transition (6s ²) ¹ S ₀ ? (6s6p) ³ P ₁ of ¹⁷⁴Yb was investigated for pure ytterbium vapor and for its mixtures with atomic buffers. In pure ytterbium vapor, the polarization of photon echoes at this 0?C1 transition coincides with the polarization of the second exciting pulse for all combinations of linear and circular polarizations of exciting radiation pulses. Photon echo does not appear either for linear orthogonal or for opposite circular polarizations of exciting pulses in pure ytterbium. In mixtures of ytterbium with atomic buffers (Kr, Xe), collision induced photon echo arises only for exciting pulses of linear orthogonal polarizations, its power is essentially less than that of the ordinary echo generated by pulses with parallel polarizations in the same mixture. Polarization of collision induced echo is linear, and it coincides with polarization of the first exciting pulse. Experimental results agree with calculations, and they confirm that the collision induced photon echo at this transition arises exclusively due to anisotropy of depolarizing collisions.     

Effect of the translational velocity of active particles on the properties of a photon echo

The photon echo method was used to detect an increase in the relaxation rate in the vibrational-rotational transition of fluoromethane in ¹³CH₃F gas and a ¹³CH₃F-argon mixture upon an increase in the velocity of active particles. For a photon echo in the 0–1 transition in a Yb + Xe mixture, the dependence of the relaxation parameters on the direction of the translational velocity of Yb leads to qualitative changes and a collision photon echo arises.     

Photon echoes in LaF3:Nd3+ and YAG:Nd3+

Magnetic field and temperature dependent photon echo behavior in LaF₃:Nd³⁺ and YAG:Nd³⁺ is reported and compared with corresponding behavior in CaWO₄:Nd³⁺.     

Self-induced three-level echo

A new type of three-level photon echo has been predicted and analytically described. In contrast to the conventional three-level echo, whose formation involves three resonant ultrashort excitation pulses spaced in time, two of which are resonant to different optically allowed and adjacent transitions with different frequencies, the echo predicted arises under the conditions of formation of the conventional two-pulse echo and requires only two pump pulses of the same frequency. A theory is developed for the conditions of experiments on generation of a superradiance pulse at the ³ P ₀-³ H ₆ transition in impurity praseodymium ions in the LaF₃ matrix upon ultrashort coherent excitation of the adjacent optically allowed ³ H ₄-³ P ₀ transition in praseodymium. It is shown that the superradiance pulse after its deexcitation does not polarize the medium at the ³ P ₀-³ H ₆ generation transition and completely eliminates polarization at the ³ H ₄-³ P ₀ excitation transition. However, simultaneously, the superradiance pulse transfers the optical coherence from the excitation transition to the optically forbidden ³ H ₆-³ H ₄ transition. Thus, the phase memory about the effect of the excitation superradiance pulse is retained in the medium within a time interval that is shorter than the irreversible relaxation time of the optically forbidden transition.     

Modulation of the shape of the photon echo pulse by a pulsed magnetic field: Zeeman splitting in LuLiF4:Er3+ and YLiF4:Er3+

A spectroscopy method has been proposed involving a change in the time shape of the echo signal in the presence of a perturbation, which splits the frequencies of the transitions of two or more ion subgroups of the echo-active ions. This method has been applied to optical systems in which the Zeeman effect is manifested. The ion transition frequencies of ions are switched by a weak pulsed magnetic field acting during the time of the radiation of the photon echo pulse. The modulation of the photon echo signal shape was observed in LuLiF₄:Er³⁺ and YLiF₄:Er³⁺. The time interval between the two nearest minima corresponds to the accumulated phase of the electric dipole moment ?? and makes it possible to determine the difference of the g factors of the ground and excited ⁴ F _9/2(I) states of the Er³⁺ ion in the LuLiF₄ the YLiF₄ matrices for the known amplitude of the pulsed magnetic field. It has been shown that the echo response of the system can be programmed by the weak magnetic field pulses.     

Photon echo in the presence of a magnetic field: New prospects for data accumulation and processing

The possibility for echo signal switching-off and the switching of echo polarization between the ±45° positions is demonstrated for the photon echo (PE) and stimulated photon echo (SPE) generated in Yb vapor at the (6s6p)³ P ₁ ? (6s ²)¹ S ₀ transition by two pulses of the resonant linearly polarized radiation at appropriate experimental parameters in the weak magnetic field limit. The experimental data are in qualitative agreement with the theoretical analysis and the calculations made for the 1 ? 0 transition. The strong magnetic field limit leads to unpolarized PE and SPE signals generated by linearly polarized radiation pulses. The possibility of the generation of a long-lived echo in ytterbium vapor due to the magnetic field induced mixing of the upper working level with the metastable level is discussed. The results can be employed for the optical data storage and processing.     

Velocity effects in atomic and molecular collisions: Study by coherent transients

The effect of translational velocity of active atoms and molecules on the properties of photon echo is investigated using the technique of coherent transient processes. A variation in the photon-echo decay with a frequency detuning of the excitation radiation relative to the center of the vibrational-rotational transition 0 ? 1 ν₃ R(4, 3) is observed in a mixture of ¹³CH₃F with atomic buffers. The results are interpreted using the dependence of the echo decay rate on the magnitude of the translational velocity of active particles. The dependence of the relaxation matrix on the direction of the velocity of active atoms results in a new phenomenon of the collision-induced echo, which is investigated at the transition 0 ? 1 ¹⁷⁴Yb in mixtures with atomic buffers.     

Depolarizing collision anisotropy and collision echo in ytterbium vapor

A photon echo induced exclusively by collisions of ytterbium atoms with buffer gas atoms has been observed at a 0 ? 1-type¹ S ₀(6s ²)-³ P ₁(6s6p) ¹⁷⁴Yb transition. The polarization properties of a collision echo and the buffer gas density dependence of its intensity agree with theoretical predictions of a model of depolarizing collisions that takes into account the dependence of a relaxation matrix on the velocity of active particles. Thus, direct experimental evidence of the relaxation anisotropy due to depolarizing collisions has been obtained.     

Optical decoherence and persistent spectral hole burning in Er:LiNbO3

Developing new resonant optical materials for spatial-spectral holography and quantum information applications requires detailed knowledge of the decoherence and population relaxation dynamics for the quantum states involved in the optical transitions, motivating the need for fundamental material studies. We report recent progress in studying these properties in erbium-doped lithium niobate at liquid helium temperatures. The influence of temperature, applied magnetic fields, measurement timescale, and dopant concentration were probed using photon echo spectroscopy and time-resolved spectral hole burning on the 1532 nm transition of Er³⁺:LiNbO₃. Effects of spectral diffusion due to interactions between Er³⁺ ions and between the Er³⁺ ion and ⁷Li and ⁹³Nb nuclear spins in the host lattice were observed. In addition, long-lived persistent spectral storage of seconds to minutes was observed due to non-equilibrium population redistribution among superhyperfine states.     

Coherent control of optical transient processes in a gas

The possibility of controlling the processes of the free-polarization decay and photon echo in a gas by means of resonant CW radiation has been shown. The photon echo and free-polarization decay are formed using the method of the Stark switching of levels in a low-intensity radiation field in the presence of an orthogonally polarized strong field. The experiments in the gas at the R(4, 3) transition in the vibrational band 0 ? 1 v₃ ¹³CH₃F in the presence of radiation from a CW CO₂ laser and the calculations by the evolution operator method show a strong effect of the high-intensity radiation field on the photon echo and free-polarization decay to its complete suppression.     

Luminescence properties of NaGd(PO3)4:Eu3+ and energy transfer from Gd3+ to Eu3+

The luminescence properties of polyphosphates NaEu _x Gd_(1?x)(PO₃)₄ (x = 0–1.00) and the energy transfer from Gd³⁺ to Eu³⁺ were studied. In undoped NaGd(PO₃)₄ sample, the photon cascade emission of Gd³⁺ was observed under ⁸S_7/2 → ⁶G_J excitation (201 nm) in which the emission of a red photon due to ⁶G_J → ⁶P_J transition is followed by an ultraviolet photon emission due to ⁶P_J → ⁸S_7/2 transition. When part of Gd³⁺ ions in the host NaGd(PO₃)₄ were substituted by Eu³⁺ ions, the NaGd(PO₃)₄:Eu³⁺ sample showed intensive red emission under 172-nm vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) excitation which is suitable for mercury-free fluorescent lamps and plasma display panel applications. Based on the VUV–visible spectroscopic characteristics and the luminescence decay properties of NaGd(PO₃)₄:Eu³⁺, it was found that the quantum cutting by a two-step energy transfer from Gd³⁺ to Eu³⁺ can improve the red emission of Eu³⁺ ions under VUV excitation but only a part of the excitation energy in the excited ⁶P_J states within Gd³⁺ ions can be transferred to Eu³⁺ ions for its red emission, and the nonradiative energy transfer efficiencies from the excited ⁶P_J states within Gd³⁺ to Eu³⁺ were calculated.     

Depolarizing collisions in ytterbium vapor: Isotropic and anisotropic relaxation

Isotropic depolarizing collisions are studied using a stimulated photon echo with a specific polarization of the excitation radiation pulses in a mixture of ytterbium with krypton for the J = 1 ? J = 0 transition of ¹⁷⁴Yb. The difference between the relaxation rates of orientation and alignment γ _b ⁽²⁾ ? γ _b ⁽¹⁾ of the ³ P ₁(6s6p) ¹⁷⁴Yb level is measured as a function of the krypton pressure. The collision photon echo at the J = 1 ? J = 0 transition induced by the anisotropic relaxation is studied for the Yb + Xe mixture. The power of the collision echo increases from zero with the addition of a buffer gas to ytterbium, reaches an optimal level, and decreases with an increase in the buffer gas pressure. The polarization of this collision-induced echo differs from the polarization of the conventional echo. The experimental results are in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions.     

Observation of photon echoes using a nitrogen laser pumped dye laser

Photon echoes have been observed using a nitrogen laser pumped dye laser as the excitation source. The echo was obtained in the ³H₄→³P₀ transition in Pr³⁺:LaF₃. The dependence of echoes on magnetic field and temperature was measured.     

PbCl2分子的光解离

用YAG激光的四次谐波光解离PbCl₂分子。实验确认了这种光解过程是双光子过程。通过对激光诱导荧光的测量,发现这一光解过程造成了Pb原子的亚稳态6p^{2 3}P₂与基态6p^{2 3}P。间的粒子数反分布。同时观察到基于6p^{2 3}P₂能级的受激共振辐射及受激喇曼散射。 关键词：     

Photon echo area theorem for optically dense media

The McCall–Hahn area theorem for a photon echo in an optically dense medium is generalized in light of an absorption line consisting of several spectrally unresolved optical transitions and characterized by symmetrical form. Certain theoretical results are compared to experimental data obtained for a photon echo in a Tm³⁺:Y₃Al₅O₁₂ crystal.