Optically pumped 13CD3I: new TeraHertz laser transitions

We investigated the ¹³CD₃I isotopomer of methyl iodide as a source of TeraHertz laser radiation using the optical pumping technique. We used a pulsed waveguide CO₂ laser as the pump laser and an open Fabry–Pérot cavity for new laser line generation. We discovered 18 new laser lines with wavelengths ranging from 308.4 to 1132.7 μm, plus two lines previously assigned to ¹²CD₃I. All of the lines were characterized in wavelength, pump frequency offset, optimum pressure of operation, and relative polarization and intensity.     

Facteur de landé du niveau (6s26p 7s) 3P1 du plomb et constante de structure hyperfine de l'isotope 207Pb dans ce niveau

The Landé factor g_J of the (6s² 6p 7s)( ³P₁ level of the even isotopes of lead has been measured by Fabry-Pérot interferometry. The result is: g_J=1.3500(4). The agreement with the previously measured hyperfine splitting of this level for the isotope ²⁰⁷Pb and with the level crossing results is good when small corrections (nuclear Zeeman interaction, second-order hyperfine and Zeeman corrections) are taken into account. The corrected hyperfine dipole coupling constant for this level of ²⁰⁷Pb is: A=293.60(13) mK.     

Effect of an internal Fabry-Pérot etalon on the modes of a resonator

The effect of an internal Fabry-Pérot etalon on the modes of a resonator has been calculated. It is found that the modes are pulled towards the peak of the etalon transmission and are no longer equidistant. This has been verified by observing the modes of a N₂ laser pumped dye laser.     

Further new CW FIR lasting investigations in CH3I,13CH3I and CD3I: New lines and assignments

Forty seven new CW FIR emissions lines have been observed in CH₃I,¹³CH₃I and CD₃I, optically pumped by a CO₂ laser and a N₂ laser, in a metallic waveguide resonator. Assignments are given for a large number of these new lines.     

Laser mode selection in reflective multipass optical cavity

The performance of a simple resonator that couples a reflective multipass interferometer cavity and a Fabry-Pérot etalon to obtain high efficiency tunable single-longitudinal mode (SLM) oscillation in a TEA CO₂ laser is reported. A numerical model of the resonator was explained to predict the mode behavior of the laser as well as to optimize the resonator to achieve SLM operation, and the predicted mode characters are experimentally verified.     

Real time linewidth measurement of a continuously tunable multiatmosphere TE CO2 laser

Frequency upconversion as a means of investigating the spectral characteristics of continuously tunable multiatmosphere TE CO₂ lasers has been demonstrated. Phase matched mixing in proustite of 10 μm laser radiation and the output of a single-mode Nd:YAG laser has permitted Fabry-Pérot interferograms, at the 0.96 μm sum frequency, to be recorded with the aid of a conventional image converter tube.     

Stabilization of Fe2+ centers in LiNbO3: Ti waveguides

Holographic measurements in LiNbO₃: Ti waveguides are reported indicating a mode dependent enhancement of photoconductivity. This enhancement can be explained by a stabilization of Fe²⁺ centers in the waveguide which are responsible for optical damage effects.     

Integral plug-in RF module in a CO2 hybrid-waveguide laser: Its performance and overall evaluation

This work describes the performance of a compact “in-house built” radio–frequency (RF)-excited CO₂ slab waveguide laser which has the innovation of having a plugged-in RF generator–amplifier module directly connected into the positive electrode of the laser head. The design circuit parameters include a matching circuit and a feed-through element as a whole. The overall laser performance takes into account the waveguide dimension (y-axis) as approximately one-tenth of the free space transverse dimension (x-axis). The optical resonator is calculated to be in the regime of the negative branch for unstable confocal resonators, having focal lengths of and with geometrical amplification of 1.108. Optical output coupling mirror was set to 9.7%. The calculated waveguide length is 37.73 cm whilst the total resonator length was adjusted to 42 cm to allow coupling losses less than 1%. The laser operational efficiency was about 12% and the output beam quality of 1.13 which is close to the ideal Gaussian beam. The optical output power was accomplished by playing with different gas compositions to have a final optimized gas proportion of 1:1:2.7:0.3 correspondingly to CO₂, N₂, He and Xe as admixture.     

Frequency measurements of far infrared12CH3OH laser lines

We have measured the frequencies of 12 known and 3 new submillimeter laser lines obtained by pumping¹²CH₃OH with a cw waveguide CO₂ laser in a Fabry-Perot far infrared resonator. We have also measured the relative polarization and the pumping CO₂ frequency offset for each line.Supported in part by a joint grant with the U.S. National Science Foundation # INT80-19014 and the Brazilian Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas (CNPq).Work of the U.S. Government; not subject to U.S. copyright.     

IR luminescence of thulium-activated crystals of double sodium yttrium fluoride Na0.4Y0.6F2.2:Tm3+: Self-quenching of luminescence from the 3H4 level

Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2:Tm³⁺ crystals with thulium contents of 0.5–20% have been grown by the Stockbarger-Bridgman method. The concentration dependences of the steady-state spectra and luminescence kinetics from the ³ H ₄ and ³ F ₄ thulium levels upon selective laser excitation of a series of Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2:Tm³⁺ crystals (0.5–20% Tm) are investigated. It is shown that the luminescence from the ³ H ₄ level becomes significantly quenched with an increase in the concentration due to the nonradiative energy transfer. No concentration quenching of luminescence from the ³ F ₄ level is observed. Possible schemes of self-quenching are considered for the ³ H ₄ thulium level, the self-quenching microparameters and macrorates are estimated using model quantum-mechanical calculation, and the most likely self-quenching mechanisms and schemes are found from comparison of the calculated and experimental self-quenching rates. Good agreement is obtained between the experimental and calculated kinetic curves. It is shown that, under pumping near ∼0.8 μm, self-quenching of the ³ H ₄ thulium level leads to effective occupation of the ³ F ₄ level and increases the luminescence intensity in the range of 1.7–1.9 μm. It is concluded that Na_0.4Y_0.6F_2.2:Tm³⁺ crystals are promising active media for tunable lasers in the range of 1.7–1.9 μm, with small thermal loss under laser-diode pumping near 0.8 μm. Original Russian Text ? S.é. Ivanova, A.M. Tkachuk, A.A. Mirzaeva, F. Pellé, 2009, published in Optika i Spektroskopiya, 2009, Vol. 106, No. 6, pp. 922–930.     

Luminescence kinetics of LiNbO3:Yb3+-Er3+, LiNbO3:Er3+, and LiNbO3:Yb3+ crystals under selective excitations in the impurity subsystem

The results of investigations of luminescent radiations’ kinetic characteristics for LiNbO₃:Yb³⁺-Er³⁺, LiNbO₃:Er³⁺, and LiNbO₃:Yb³⁺ crystals under optical excitations at 532 nm and 1064 nm wavelengths are presented. The shapes and times of rise and damping of luminescent signals at 550 nm, 980 nm and 1555 nm wavelengths under selective excitations in the impurity subsystem of the investigated materials are determined. Comparison of the temporal characteristics of luminescent responses of LiNbO₃ crystals doped separately with Yb³⁺ and Er³⁺ ions with those of the LiNbO₃:Yb³⁺-Er³⁺ crystal allows identifying the contributions from different energy transfer processes of optical excitation taking place in the impurity subsystem of the material.     

In‐band pumped Ti:Tm:LiNbO3 waveguide amplifier and low threshold laser

The fabrication by diffusion doping and a detailed optical investigation of a Ti:Tm:LiNbO₃ waveguide amplifier and of a Fabry‐Pérot type Ti:Tm:LiNbO₃ laser are reported. Both devices are in‐band pumped by a laser diode at 1650 nm. The wave‐guide amplifier shows broad‐band optical gain in the wavelength range 1750 nm < λ < 1900 nm. The laser emits at 1890 nm, the longest emission wavelength of a Tm:LiNbO₃ laser reported so far; also 1850 nm emission could be demonstrated. Laser threshold (1890 nm) is at 4 mW coupled pump power; the slope efficiency is ∼13.3%. Properties and potential of both devices are analyzed by extensive modeling.     

Waveguiding behavior of VLS-grown one-dimensional Ga-doped In2O3 nanostructures

Highly crystalline undoped and Ga-doped indium oxide nanorods with square-shaped faceted morphology were fabricated through the vapor-liquid-solid process at moderate temperature. Effects of Ga incorporation on the growth rate, morphology, and crystallinity of the nanostructures were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Defect structure and waveguiding behavior of the 1-D In₂O₃ nanostructures have been studied using microRaman and micro photoluminescence spectroscopies. The appearance of several resonant modes superposed over the broad room temperature micro-photoluminescence spectra of the nanostructures demonstrates their waveguiding behaviors. While the pristine or undoped In₂O₃ nanostructures of 20–150 nm widths revealed Fabry-Pérot resonance modes, the Ga-incorporated nanostructures of 20–100 nm width revealed whispering gallery modes due to their smaller widths. The quality factor (Q) of the resonators was estimated to be about 20.86 and 188.79 for the pristine and Ga-incorporated nanostructures, respectively, indicating a huge enhancement due to Ga incorporation. The increment in the Q factor on Ga incorporation in In₂O₃ nanorods opens up the possibility of their utilization for the development of new optical transmitters and resonators, and fabrication of nanoscopic lasing devices.     

Annealing behaviour of structure and morphology and its effects on the optical gain of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped Al2O3 planar waveguide amplifier

Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction analysis, we have studied the structural and morphological evolution of highly Er/Yb co-doped Al₂O₃ films in the temperature range from $600\,^{\circ}\mkern-1mu$C--900$\,^{\circ}\mkern-1mu$C. By comparison with TEM observation, the annealing behaviours of photoluminescence (PL) emission and optical loss were found to have relation to the structure and morphology. The increase of PL intensity and optical loss above 800$\,^{\circ}\mkern-1mu$C might result from the crystallization of amorphous Al₂O₃ films. Based on the study on the structure and morphology, a rate equation propagation model of a multilevel system was used to calculate the optical gains of Er-doped Al₂O₃ planar waveguide amplifiers involving the variation of PL efficiency and optical loss with annealing temperature. It was found that the amplifiers had an optimized optical gain at the temperature corresponding to the minimum of optical loss, rather than at the temperature corresponding to the maximum of PL efficiency, suggesting that the optical loss is a key factor for determining the optical gain of an Er-doped Al₂O₃ planar waveguide amplifier.     

KZnF3:Cr3+ — A tunable solid state NIR-laser

Pulsed laser operation at room temperature and cw laser output below 260 K has been demonstrated with the laser material KZnF₃:Cr³⁺ in the spectral range between 775—826 nm. The system can be tuned by dispersive elements in the resonator or by temperature variation.     

Spontaneous and stimulated red luminescence of Lu2O3: Eu nanocrystals

The spectra of spontaneous and stimulated luminescence of Lu₂O₃: Eu (7 at %) nanopowders at different optical pumping intensities have been investigated. The obtained results—changes in the shape of the red luminescence spectra and in the lifetime of the ⁵ D ₀ excited state of Eu³⁺ ions—indicate the onset of superluminescence with an increase in the excitation power. It has been found that an increase in the optical pumping intensity leads to a decrease in the luminescence decay time of the Lu₂O₃: Eu (7 at %) phosphor in the stimulated luminescence regime and to an increase in the quantum efficiency of red luminescence with a maximum at 611 nm.     

The optical properties of planar waveguides in LiB3O5 crystals formed by Cu implantation

A planar optical waveguide has been formed in a LiB₃O₅ crystal using 6.0 MeV Cu⁺-ions with a dose of 1 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm² at room temperature. Possible propagating modes were measured at a wavelength of 633 nm using the prism-coupling method. The refractive index profiles of the waveguide were reconstructed by an effective refractive index method and the beam propagation method was used to investigate the properties of the propagation modes in the formed waveguide. The results suggest that the fundamental TE₀ and TM₀ modes may be well-confined and propagate a longer distance inside the waveguide. The implantation process was also simulated using the transport of ions in matter code (TRIM), which indicates that the nuclear energy deposition may be the main factor for the refractive index change.     

Analysis and optimization of propagation losses in LiNbO3 optical waveguides produced by swift heavy-ion irradiation

The propagation losses (PL) of lithium niobate optical planar waveguides fabricated by swift heavy-ion irradiation (SHI), an alternative to conventional ion implantation, have been investigated and optimized. For waveguide fabrication, congruently melting LiNbO₃ substrates were irradiated with F ions at 20 MeV or 30 MeV and fluences in the range 10¹³–10¹⁴ cm⁻². The influence of the temperature and time of post-irradiation annealing treatments has been systematically studied. Optimum propagation losses lower than 0.5 dB/cm have been obtained for both TE and TM modes, after a two-stage annealing treatment at 350 and 375^∘C. Possible loss mechanisms are discussed.     

High-power end-pumped CW Nd:GdVO4 laser formed with a flat–flat cavity

Formed with a flat–flat resonator, a diode-laser-array end-pumped CW Nd:GdVO₄ laser at 1.06 μm, capable of generating 8.6 W of TEM₀₀ output power with optical conversion efficiency of 43% and slope efficiency of 48%, has been developed. The laser beam was nearly diffraction limited, with the beam quality factor measured to be M²=1.22. Under the conditions of multi-mode operation, the laser was able to produce 11.2 W of low-order transverse mode radiation (M²<2) at the incident pump power of 22 W, giving an optical conversion efficiency of 51%, and a slope efficiency of 55%.     

Study of depolarized Rayleigh scattering in liquid benzene derivatives

The spectrum of the depolarized Rayleigh line has been measured for benzene, toluene, fluorobenzene and bromobenzene (at 22°c). The central part of the spectrum was measured at high resolution using a piezoelectric scanned Fabry-Pérot with a maximum free-spectral range of about 20 cm^-1. The entire spectrum was also measured with a monochromator extending the region to 100 cm^-1. The results from the two techniques were combined in order to deduce the correct line shape from which we were able to determine two relaxation times τ1 and τ2.