Broad-spectrum frequency comb generation and carrier-envelope offset frequency measurement by second-harmonic generation of a mode-locked fiber laser

A frequency comb spanning more than one octave has been achieved by injecting the second-harmonic generation (780 nm) of a mode-locked fiber laser (1.56 microm) into a photonic crystal fiber. We propose and realize a novel interferometric scheme for observing the carrier-envelope offset frequency of the frequency comb. Frequency noise has been observed on the measured carrier-envelope offset frequency, which has been confirmed to be generated in the photonic crystal fiber by comparing the measured beat frequencies between cw lasers and frequency combs before and after the photonic crystal fiber. The mode-locked fiber laser is considered to be an important candidate for the light source used in realizing a compact optical frequency measurement system including applications in the telecommunication bands.     

利用钟跃迁谱线测量超稳光学参考腔的零温漂点

在87Sr光晶格钟实验系统中,通过将自由运转的698 nm激光频率锁定在由超低膨胀系数的玻璃材料构成的超稳光学参考腔上,从而获得短期频率稳定性较好的超稳窄线宽激光.超稳光学参考腔的腔长稳定性决定了最终激光频率的稳定度.为了降低腔长对温度的敏感性,使激光频率具有更好的稳定度和更小的频率漂移,利用锶原子光晶格钟的钟跃迁谱线,测量了698 nm超稳窄线宽激光系统中超稳光学参考腔的零温漂点.通过对钟跃迁谱线中心频率随温度的变化曲线进行二阶多项式拟合,得到698 nm超稳窄线宽激光系统的零温漂点为30.63℃.利用锶原子光晶格钟的闭环锁定,测得零温漂点处698 nm超稳窄线宽激光系统的线性频率漂移率为0.15 Hz/s,频率不稳定度为1.6×10^–15@3.744 s.     

Multiplexed Optical Fiber Interferometric Sensor System by Synthesis of Optical Coherence Function with Phase Generated Carrier

A novel system for multiplexed optical fiber interferometric sensors is proposed applying the synthesis of optical coherence function with phase generated carriers. The ideal parameters of the laser diode frequency modulation for the phase generated carrier with the synthesis of the optical coherence function are discussed. A basic experimental setup including two interferometric sensors is constructed. The results show that the phase signal from the two sensors can successfully be demultiplexed by scanning the synthesized coherence peak.     

Laser frequency stabilization based on Sagnac interferometric spectroscopy

A simple method based on Sagnac interferometric spectroscopy (SIS) is applied for frequency stabilization of diode lasers. Sagnac interferometric spectra of rubidium vapor are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The interference signal at the output of the Sagnac interferometer displays a sharp dispersion feature near the atomic resonance. This dispersion curve is used as the feedback error signal to stabilize the laser frequency. Linewidth of a diode laser is stabilized down to 1 MHz by this modulation-free method.     

基于光纤色散相位补偿的高分辨率激光频率扫描干涉测量研究

为了实现更高分辨率的激光频率扫描干涉测量, 增大光源的扫频范围以及减小扫描频率的非线性成为关键. 采用外腔式大带宽扫频光源结合光纤辅助干涉仪构建的外部时钟频率采样非线性校正是目前较为常用的方法. 本研究发现随着扫频带宽和测量范围的增加, 光纤辅助干涉仪与测量光路中存在的色散失配导致频谱出现严重展宽, 极大的降低了测量的分辨率. 本文建立了辅助干涉仪和测量干涉仪色散失配影响的理论模型, 利用该模型分析了扫频带宽和测量范围与测量分辨率的变化关系, 与实验结果相一致, 并进而提出了基于峰值演化消畸变的色散相位补偿方法, 有效地提高了测量的分辨率, 在2.53 m 处实现了接近理论值的64.5 μm的测量分辨率. 该色散失配模型及补偿方法为提高大尺寸激光频率扫描干涉仪的测量分辨率及测距范围提供了参考.     

Laser frequency offset locking using a side of filter technique

We report on the demonstration of a novel scheme for laser frequency offset locking. Following standard techniques, a beat signal is generated between the laser to be frequency stabilized and a second laser with known frequency. A frequency dependent error signal is derived from this beat note by using the amplitude response of an electronic high pass filter. The steep slope of the error signal near the zero-crossing allows for precise frequency locking by a servo loop, while simultaneously a broad capture range of several hundreds of MHz is obtained. PACS 42.55.Px; 42.60.Fc     

Subpicometer length measurement using heterodyne laser interferometry and all-digital rf phase meters

We present an all-digital phase meter for precision length measurements using heterodyne laser interferometry. Our phase meter has a phase sensitivity of 3 μrad/√Hz at signal frequencies of 1 Hz and above. We test the performance of our phase meter in an optical heterodyne interferometric configuration, using an active Sagnac interferometer test bed that is flexible and low noise. We demonstrate more than 70 dB of laser frequency noise suppression to achieve an optical phase sensitivity of 5 μrad/√Hz and a corresponding displacement sensitivity of 0.5 pm/√Hz at signal frequencies above 10 Hz. In addition, we demonstrate the ability of our phase meter to follow full fringe signals accurately at 100 Hz and to track large signal excursions in excess of 10(5) fringes without cycle slipping. Finally, we demonstrate a cyclic error of ≤1 pm/√Hz, above 10 Hz.     

基于扫频采样的飞秒激光大尺寸测距方法研究

作为一种高精度测量工具,飞秒激光具有优于传统激光技术的特性,已被广泛应用于工业生产、航空航天、科学研究等领域。扫频采样法在很大程度上改善了机械振动、扫描速度过慢等问题,对飞秒激光的绝对测距性能提升有着重要的意义。基于扫频采样原理,提出了一种利用飞秒激光的大尺寸距离测量方法,并对该技术的测量原理、干涉光谱和解调算法等方面进行了研究。首先,根据飞秒激光的锁模生成原理和压电陶瓷的压电效应,介绍了飞秒激光器连续扫描重复频率的方法。在此基础上,结合传统的光学采样法原理,解释了扫频采样法的测距原理,推导并讨论了光纤延迟线的长度对扫描距离的影响。然后,搭建了基于扫频采样的飞秒激光测距系统,在线性导轨上进行了远距离的测量实验,同时设计了基于迈克尔逊干涉原理的He-Ne激光参考光路。根据实验环境修正了空气群折射率,分析了测量距离对光谱条纹峰值和宽度的影响,测量了不同目标位置处的激光扫描距离。在50.4 m的测量范围内,扫描距离从0.56 mm增加到1.12 mm,充分验证了光纤延迟线对提升大尺寸测距能力的重要性。周期性的频率扫描可产生互相关条纹,通过对测量光谱条纹进行希尔伯特变换处理,解算出实时的频率变化量和采样倍乘系数,从而获取被测的距离信息。此外,为了减小系统的时间延迟误差,提高测量的准确性,采用差分原理对算法进行了改进。在希尔伯特算法基础上,分别对频率和距离进行差分处理,解算距离信息。实验结果表明,经过对比,采用基于距离差分的改进算法处理数据,性能结果较好。算法改进后,系统在50 m范围内的测量精度从11 μm提高到4 μm,相对精度从2.2×10-9提高到8×10-8,测距准确性明显提高。通过分析重复性测量数据,并与增量式激光干涉仪结果比对,测量误差的标准差从10 μm提高到2 μm,最大相对稳定性从2×10-9提高到4×10-8,测距稳定性明显提高。因此,该方法有较为优秀的大尺寸测距能力,具有同时实现高精度、大尺寸、快速绝对测距的潜力,在未来的精密光谱测量领域有着很大的前景。     

激光器特性在痕量气体检测中的影响

研究了激光器扫描步长和线宽两种特性对可调谐半导体激光吸收光谱检测系统的影响,理论上推导出激光与气体吸收谱线的作用原理,分析出扫描信号(锯齿波)的台阶间隔和高度影响激光器中心波长的扫描原理.设定了仿真参数,仿真出锯齿波台阶数与最大扫描误差关系曲线,得出扫描信号的一个周期内具有4000个台阶时,半高全宽(FWHM)大于0.01 cm-1,误差小于1‰;仿真出激光器线宽与最大幅值、线宽误差关系曲线,给出线宽误差最大为1%,0.5%时激光器线宽对应的最小FWHM.在温度系数n取0.9,大气展宽系数γair取0.005的条件下,给出温度T,压强P与FWHM关系图,推出了适用的压强与温度范围.为指导选取激光器与气体吸收谱线、提高系统检测限提供了相关理论依据.     

飞秒钛宝石激光脉冲的载波包络相移测量研究

飞秒激光脉冲的载波包络相移测量与控制是实现阿秒脉冲与光学原子钟的重要内容，在利用光子晶体光纤扩展飞秒钛宝石激光振荡器光谱的研究基础上，通过自参考技术测量并优化了该激光输出脉冲的载波包络相移所引起的拍频信号.实验上采用半导体抽运的倍频Nd:YVO4532nm激光器作为抽运源，对钛宝石激光器所产生的平均功率500mW、脉宽18fs的光脉冲进行拍频测量后观察到约23MHz的频移，对应于每周期053π的载波包络相移.飞秒激光脉冲载波包络相移测量的实现对于进一步利用电子反馈系统精确控制载波包络相移，从而得到高稳定的飞秒激光频率梳具有重要意义. 关键词： 载波包络相移 光子晶体光纤 飞秒 超连续     

Measurement of the temporal and spatial phase variations of apulsed free electron laser amplifier

We report temporal and spatial phase measurements of a pulsed free electron laser amplifier (FEL) operating in combined wiggler and axial guide magnetic fields. The system uses a mildly relativistic electron beam (750 kV, 90-300 A, 30 ns), and is excited by a high power 33.39 GHz magnetron source. The phase during the voltage pulse is measured by an interferometric technique from which frequency chirping is determined     

激光干涉法测量硅高温环境下的线膨胀系数的实验研究

利用中国计量科学研究院自行设计的基于激光干涉法的材料线膨胀系数测量装置进行了材料线膨胀系数测量试验。该装置采用单频激光干涉，对称光路设计，其干涉仪分辨率小于1nm。实验过程中改进并完善了该装置，重新设计了加热炉，改进了实验方法，使该装置在800K以上的高温环境下能进行材料线膨胀系数的测量。在800K到1200K温度范围内，对单晶硅试样采用分段加热进行测量,并对样品变化过程及测量结果作了分析，得到了单晶硅线膨胀系数的曲线，实现了在1200K环境下采用激光干涉法材料线膨胀系数的纳米级测量。     

Dual-frequency paired polarization phase shifting ellipsometer

A novel dual-frequency paired polarization phase shifting ellipsometer (DPPSE) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. It combines the features of the phase shifting interferometer and common-path polarized heterodyne interferometric ellipsometer where the ellipsometric parameters (EP) of a specimen are measured accurately. The experimental results verify that DPPSE is capable of determining the full dynamic range of EP. In addition, the properties of dual-frequency paired linearly polarized laser beam in DPPSE perform in common phase noise rejection mode. It is insensitive to environmental disturbance and laser frequency noise. The capability of DPPSE to perform higher accuracy EP measurement than conventional ellipsometer is verified according to error analysis.     

Attosecond relative timing jitter and 13 fs tunable pulses from a two-branch Er:fiber laser

We present what is believed to be the first direct measurement of the relative timing jitter between the two parallel pulse trains of a two-branch femtosecond erbium-doped fiber laser, operated without active stabilization. The system provides independently tunable pulses in the near infrared with durations down to 13 fs. Using an interferometric optical cross-correlator, the phase-noise spectral density is measured with high sensitivity in a range from 1 Hz up to the Nyquist frequency of 24.5 MHz. We find an integrated jitter of 11 attoseconds directly after the amplifier stages and 43 as after propagation through free-space optics and nonlinear fibers for frequency conversion.     

Intermittent frequency offset lock of a symmetric three-mode stabilized He-Ne laser to an iodine stabilized He-Ne laser

There is a need for an intense, unmodulated single-frequency stabilized laser light that guarantees absolute optical frequency in a rapid laser calibration or an ultra-high resolution interferometer. To obtain such a light, we developed a new laser system that uses an intermittent frequency offset lock of a symmetric three-mode stabilized He-Ne laser to an iodine stabilized He-Ne laser. The proposed laser system provides two operational modes: (1) independent and (2) slave mode. In the independent mode, frequency of the three-mode laser is stabilized via control of frequency difference between two intermode beats. The resultant output is a single longitudinal mode light of maximum intensity that locates at the top of the gain curve. Frequency instability of 8X10^-12 (at a sampling time of 100 s) which is better than conventional stabilized lasers is attained in the independent mode. Slow optical frequency drift during the independent mode is periodically corrected by the offset lock to the iodine stabilized laser (slave mode), resulting in accurate reset of the frequency drift. After reset of the frequency deviation, the three-mode laser is again operated in the independent mode. Due to such intermittent offset lock, duty factor of the iodine stabilized laser was reduced to a few % of continuous operation.     

红外地球敏感器扫描镜摆角激光动态测试方法

为解决扫描镜摆角实时动态非接触测量问题,基于激光检测技术和CCD探测技术,提出一种红外地球敏感器扫描镜摆角激光动态测试方法,并研制了扫描镜摆角动态测试系统,其可实现扫描镜的摆动频率、零位角、幅值、峰峰值平均等参量的动静态激光非接触测量。介绍了系统的组成和总体结构,着重对扫描镜摆角动态测量理论和大视场、大相对孔径特殊线性扫描光学系统的设计方法进行了分析与探讨,通过建立系统的数学模型,解决了测量数据误差修正与图形处理问题。对测量系统的精度进行了验证,结果表明系统的摆角测量范围为0~±12°,分辨力为0.01°,动静态测量精度优于±0.04°。     

基于光频调节的干涉型光纤水听器相位补偿检测方法

提出了一种基于光源频率调节的干涉型光纤水听器主动相位补偿的信号检测方法。详细介绍了该方法的基本检测原理,对信号解调误差进行了理论分析与仿真。为了验证该方法的可行性,搭建了实验系统,并编写了实时的信号采集、处理程序,对某一干涉型光纤水听器的声压灵敏度进行了测试。在频带20 Hz-1.3 kHz上,平均声压灵敏度为-162.2 dB(0 dB=1 rad/μPa),波动小于±0.8 dB,与采用相位载波调制解调方法测量的结果基本吻合。实验结果证明该方法是有效的。由于传感部分不含有源器件,便于实现全光纤化,且解调算法简单、检测频带宽,该方法能被广泛应用到各种干涉型光纤传感器的信号检测当中。     

Measurement of the frequency response of a diaphragm-based pressure sensor by use of a pulsed excimer laser

We present a novel method for measuring the frequency response of a diaphragm-based optical fiber Fabry-Perot interferometric pressure sensor. The impulse response of the sensor to the radiation pressure generated by an excimer laser pulse is measured. The Fourier transform of the impulse response yields the frequency response of the pressure sensor. Experimental results show that it is a convenient and efficient method for measurement of the frequency response of diaphragm-based pressure sensors.     

大尺寸平面激光扫描补偿系统误差分析

扫描补偿系统是3DLIF水体测量系统中实现大尺寸平面激光等光程扫描的关键部分,决定了平面激光光束在流体水槽中的定位精度;系统3 000 mm长的光程和500 mm宽的光源使定位精度难以保证。针对该问题,分析了扫描补偿系统中可能存在的误差因素和各项因素之间的影响关系,建立了相关误差模型并进行仿真分析,对得到的误差数据进行了多项式拟合,拟合结果显示,棱镜制造角差和平面反射镜绕z轴的俯仰为影响位置误差的主要因素;为了减小误差,进一步分析拟合结果,得到了两项因素之间的关系表达式,提出了以仿真结果指导装调来减小误差的方法。最终仿真结果显示,通过该方法使平面激光在水槽中的位置误差可以从0.618 mm减小到0.103 mm。     

激光调制参数对光纤环型谐振腔光谱特性影响

谐振光学环型腔作为光学陀螺的核心敏感单元,其光学调制谱和与之对应的鉴频曲线的特性成为提高光学陀螺系统检测灵敏度的关键。为了研究光学陀螺的调制和鉴频谱线特性,优化陀螺性能,设计并搭建了实验测试系统,光纤环形谐振腔采用分光比为50∶50、直径17 cm的保偏光纤,总长2.2 m。使用直流高压放大器扫描窄线宽激光器（线宽小于1 kHz）的压电转化模块,扫描频率和电压分别选取20 Hz和1 V,使用模拟比例积分电路进行锁频并反馈给激光器的压电转化模块,使激光器的输出频率跟踪谐振腔实时变化。研究分析了光纤环型谐振腔在两种情况下所对应的透射谱和鉴频曲线:第一种情况为调制电压分别为2 V和4 V,对应调制频率从100 kHz到4 MHz变化;第二种情况为当调制频率为900 kHz,调制电压从2 V到10 V变化。通过实验,得到了不同调制参数下光学陀螺谱线的谐振深度、半高全宽、线性带宽、动态范围、品质因数、标度因数以及对应的锁频精度七种物理量的详细变化情况,并进一步得到了静态测试条件下三种陀螺的最佳调制频率及与之所匹配的调制电压。为进一步研究激光调制对光纤环型谐振腔光谱的影响提供指导。