Raman lasing with a cold atom gain medium in a high-finesse optical cavity

We demonstrate a Raman laser using cold (87)Rb atoms as the gain medium in a high-finesse optical cavity. We observe robust continuous wave lasing in the atypical regime where single atoms can considerably affect the cavity field. Consequently, we discover unusual lasing threshold behavior in the system causing jumps in lasing power, and propose a model to explain the effect. We also measure the intermode laser linewidth, and observe values as low as 80 Hz. The tunable gain properties of this laser suggest multiple directions for future research.     

Inversionless amplification of light by a two-level medium as a result of mechanical-to-electromagnetic atomic energy conversion

Nonreciprocal effects in the acousto-optical interaction in gyrotropic cubic crystals with electroinduced anisotropy are studied. It is shown that the presence of optical gyrotropy leads to the doubling of the number of peaks of amplitude nonreciprocity, whereas an external electric field causes their shift and enhancement. It is found that the direction of lasing in a ring laser can be reversed by changing the direction of the control field. The results obtained can be used for the development and optimization of polarization-and electro-controlled acousto-optical nonreciprocal elements on the basis of cubic gyrotropic crystals.     

Linearly polarised three-colour lasing emission from an evanescent wave pumped and gain coupled fibre laser

A novel Whispering--Gallery--Mode (WGM) fibre laser, emitting linearly polarised three-colour light, is demonstrated by pumping and gain coupling with evanescent waves. The pump light is longitudinally coupled into a bare optical fibre immersed in a dye solution of lower refractive index. The dye molecules around the bare fibre are excited by the evanescent waves of pump light when they propagate along the fibre in a total internal reflection. When the pump beam within the fibre is a meridian beam, the WGM lasing emission from the fibre laser is a linearly polarised transverse electric wave, while it is a mixed wave of the linearly polarised transverse electric and magnetic waves if the pump beam is a skew beam within the fibre. Because the excited molecules are located within the evanescent field of WGM, a good spatial overlap between the dye gain and the evanescent field leads to a high pumping efficiency and a longer gain distance along the fibre. Once the bare fibre is inserted into three glass capillaries filled with Rhodamine 6G, 610 and 640 dye solutions, respectively, WGM laser oscillations at the wavelengths of 567--575, 605--614 and 656--666~nm occur simultaneously, and a linearly polarised three-colour lasing emission is achieved in a single optical fibre.     

电场作用下染料掺杂手性向列相液晶器件激光辐射谱研究

研究了电场作用下染料掺杂手性向列相液晶器件激光辐射谱。设计了两种电极结构,分别对正性和负性液晶器件施加横向和纵向电场,采用532 nm的Nd∶YAG脉冲固体激光器泵浦样品。对正性液晶器件施加电场,在 630～660 nm范围获得多波长的激光输出。对负性液晶激光器件施加电场,获得调谐范围为18.5 nm的激光输出。由器件织构和光子禁带的变化,进行了深入的分析。正性液晶器件,在电场力矩与扭曲力矩相互竞争过程中,引起液晶的流动,光子禁带上下浮动,因此不仅在禁带边沿,禁带内也出现激光辐射。而负性液晶器件随着电场强度增大,液晶螺距收缩,禁带蓝移,输出激光波长从681.0 nm蓝移到662.5 nm,出射激光波长为光子禁带边沿处。负性液晶器件在电场作用下的稳定性较好。     

轴向隐失波激励的回音壁模式光纤激光器

采用轴向隐失波激励增益的方式,使激光增益区域局限在光纤回音壁模式的模场区域内,显著地降低了回音壁模式光纤激光辐射的抽运阈值,由此形成一种低阈值的回音壁模式光纤激光器.在微焦耳量级的低抽运能量条件下,用回音壁模式光纤激光器研究了激光染料的浓度效应.实验结果表明,随着激光染料浓度的增加,回音壁模式激光辐射的波长向长波方向移动,激光波长范围变宽.用回音壁模式染料激光的四能级模型得到激光上能级和所有能级上的分子数比值γ(λ)曲线后,很好地解释了实验结果.低抽运阈值的回音壁模式光纤激光器,为研究液体激光现象提供了极为便利的手段.     

Dynamic modes of wide-aperture laser systems above the second lasing threshold

The processes of the formation of optical field structures in the transverse profile of wide-aperture laser radiation are studied within the model described by the system of Maxwell-Bloch equations. The main types of instabilities appearing above the second lasing threshold and corresponding mechanisms controlling the laser dynamics at negative frequency detuning are considered. The characteristic lasing modes and conditions of the spontaneous formation of transverse optical structures are determined.     

Intense laser effects on the optical properties of asymmetric GaAs double quantum dots under applied electric field

We investigated the combined effects of a non-resonant intense laser field and a static electric field on the electronic structure and the nonlinear optical properties (absorption, optical rectification) of a GaAs asymmetric double quantum dot under a strong probe field excitation. The calculations were performed within the compact density-matrix formalism under steady state conditions using the effective mass approximation. Our results show that: (i) the electronic structure and optical properties are sensitive to the dressed potential; (ii) under applied electric fields, an increase of the laser intensity induces a redshift of the optical absorption and rectification spectra; (iii) the augment of the electric field strength leads to a blueshift of the spectra; (iv) for high electric fields the optical spectra show a shoulder-like feature, related with the occurrence of an anti-crossing between the two first excited levels.     

带有多孔二氧化硅间隔层的导模共振光栅实现染料激光器发射增强

导模共振光栅是一种典型的平面波导共振结构,可在光栅表面或波导层内形成较强的局域电场,能增强光与物质的相互作用.本文在导模共振结构的光栅层和基底层之间,引入低折射率的多孔二氧化硅间隔层,显著增强了局域电场与增益介质的接触度.结果表明,引入多孔二氧化硅后,共振产生的电场增强区域上移至激光染料层,增加了激光染料与电场的相互作用,实现了激光出射增强.本文基于时域有限差分法,对结构参数进行分析优化,研究了820 nm共振波长激发下的出射激光特性,得到了连续的激光出射,其能量阈值约为2.5 mJ/cm^2,线宽约为0.3 nm.本文提出的结构实现了对表面局域电场的有效调控,增强了激发光与增益介质的相互作用,不但可应用于激光器,还为其它发光器件的设计提供了参考.     

New quasilinear effects of interaction of elliptically-polarized light with degenerate atoms under optical self-pumping in axial magnetic field

It is reported that under stationary optical pumping with elliptically-polarized light in the absence of optical saturation (the range of quasilinear interaction) the sublevel populations of the ground state are dependent only on the degree of circular polarization and independent of the total intensity of the pumping beam. It is shown that in magnetic fields there exists a strong correlation between the projections of spins in the ground state and atom velocities. This correlation results in a significant selectivity of the non-equilibrium dependence of sublevel populations of the ground state on the velocities. The anisitropy in the linear dielectrical gas susceptibility is calculated. New peculiarities on the propagation and absorpion of elliptically-polarized pumping field are discussed.     

Photon BLOCH oscillations in porous silicon optical superlattices

We report the first observation of oscillations of the electromagnetic field in an optical superlattice based on porous silicon. These oscillations are an optical equivalent of well-known electronic Bloch oscillations in crystals. Elementary cells of our structure are composed by microcavities whose coupling gives rise to the extended collective modes forming optical minigaps and minibands. By varying thicknesses of the cavities along the structure axis, we have created an effective electric field for photons. A very high quality factor of the confined optical state of the Wannier-Stark ladder may allow lasing in porous silicon-based superlattices.     

基于半解析自洽理论研究相对论激光脉冲驱动下阿秒X射线源的产生

发展了一种描述相对论激光脉冲与稠密等离子体相互作用产生阿秒X射线源的半解析自洽理论.该理论模型不仅可以获得等离子体界面的振荡轨迹、振荡面电场和磁场等物理参数,而且能够精确计算出激光脉冲驱动下阿秒X射线源的频谱,结果与粒子模拟程序一致.理论计算结果表明阿秒X射线源的辐射特性与等离子体界面随时演化过程相关,在周期量级激光场驱动下等离子体界面振荡振幅呈现中心不对称,通过改变激光场的载波包络相位实现对等离子体界面振荡的控制,获得准单阿秒X射线源.     

Review of collisional excitation neon-like and nickel-like soft X-ray lasers pumped by multiple infrared laser pulses at the Institute of Laser Engineering,Osaka University

We report on the soft X-ray laser developments performed at the Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University especially for the collisional excitation X-ray lasers at wavelengths between 25 nm and 4 nm. The performance of neon-like and nickel-like ion X-ray lasing pumped by a train of short laser pulses has been investigated. We have also demonstrated double pass amplification using a soft X-ray multi-layer mirror at wavelengths of 19.6 nm and 7.9 nm. Based on these results and experimental technique, two targets were placed in series to double the gain length. Two opposing laser beams irradiated the double targets with a suitable time difference for quasi-traveling wave pumping. The double target amplification was successfully demonstrated with two beam irradiation for Ag, Nd, Yb, Hf and Ta lasing. The estimated absolute photon flux from the saturated amplification Ag X-ray laser was ∼300 μJ. Based on the experimental results, we also discuss the applications of an X-ray laser as a super-high brightness soft X-ray source.     

亚波长尺度下混合等离子泄漏模式激光

由于光存在衍射极限,因此传统方法不能实现亚波长尺度下的激光激射.为了打破这一衍射极限,本文设计了金属-介电层-半导体堆叠结构来实现深亚波长尺度下的激光激射,并讨论了相关结构对模式传播的影响.结构设计上,采用低介电常数金属银作为衬底、10?nm厚的LiF作为介电层、具有六边形截面的半导体纳米线ZnO作为高介电常数层,采用...     

脉冲激光沉积法制备的ZnO薄膜的低阈值电抽运紫外随机激射

分别采用直流反应溅射法和脉冲激光沉积法在硅衬底上沉积ZnO薄膜, 用X射线衍射、扫描电镜、光致发光谱等手段对两种方法沉积的ZnO薄膜的结晶状态、 表面形貌和光致发光等进行了表征. 进一步对比研究了以上述两种方法制备的ZnO薄膜作为发光层的金属-绝缘体-半导体结构器件的电抽运紫外随机激射. 结果表明, 与以溅射法制备的ZnO薄膜作为发光层的器件相比, 以脉冲激光沉积法制备的ZnO薄膜为发光层的器件具有更低的紫外光随机激射阈值电流和更高的输出光功率. 这是由于脉冲激光沉积法制备的ZnO薄膜中的缺陷更少, 从而显著地减少了紫外光在光散射过程中的光损耗. 关键词： 随机激射 ZnO薄膜 脉冲激光沉积 溅射     

Lasing characteristics of a pendant drop deformed by an applied electric field

The lasing properties of an oval-shaped resonant cavity (ORC) with a continuously variable aspect ratio have been studied. The ORC was formed with a dye-doped pendant drop placed inside a variable static electric field. When the drop ORC was pumped by a nitrogen laser, lasing from the ORC was found to have strong directional emission characteristics and an intensity enhancement factor as great as 19.5. Calculated results of light rays escaping from ORC's by refraction are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Investigation of cw injection laser with external dispersive cavity

Tunable single-frequency lasing with output power up to 9 mW was achieved in an injection laser with an external dispersive cavity. The bistable lasing mode was investigated theoretically and experimentally. It is shown that its presence is due to the laser-diode active-region optical nonlinearity. Investigation of equal-frequency fluctuation spectra of the output power has shown that only modes with differing transverse structures can be excited simultaneously. Suppression of weak modes by the field of a strong mode was observed. This increases the stability of the single-frequency lasing as the laser output power is increased.Translated from Trudy Ordena Lenina Fizicheskogo Instituta im. P. N. Lebedeva, Vol. 141, pp. 62–88, 1983.     

注入电流引起质子轰击VCSEL中的模式竞争

为了分析质子轰击垂直腔面发射激光器(VCSEL)中注入电流引起的激光模式竞争过程,在三维空间中对VCSEL激射后光电热进行了研究。给出仿真光电热的方程之后,在室温连续工作条件下,对电流孔半径r为4μm、阈值电流Ith为4.5 m A的VCSEL进行自洽求解。当注入电流Iin分别为5.0,5.5,6.0 m A时,得到了对应的外加电压和输出光功率,并绘制了VCSEL的电势、注入电流、载流子、光场和热场的空间分布,给出了连续工作下输出光功率随注入电流变化的曲线。仿真结果表明:随着注入VCSEL中的电流增加,电流密度增大,激光的横向基模和横向一阶模式同时增强。横向一阶模式增加的强度及扩展的范围大于横向基模,激光输出能量逐渐向横向一阶模式过渡,横向模式竞争的同时产生载流子空间烧孔,因此在电流孔半径r≥4μm的VCSEL中,连续工作激光模式不稳定。     

Atomic self-trapping induced by single-atom lasing

We study atomic center of mass motion and field dynamics of a single-atom laser consisting of a single incoherently pumped free atom moving in an optical high-Q resonator. For sufficient pumping, the system starts lasing whenever the atom is close to a field antinode. If the field mode eigenfrequency is larger than the atomic transition frequency, the generated laser light attracts the atom to the field antinode and cools its motion. Using quantum Monte Carlo wave function simulations, we investigate this coupled atom-field dynamics including photon recoil and cavity decay. In the regime of strong coupling, the generated field shows strong nonclassical features such as photon antibunching, and the atom is spatially confined and cooled to sub-Doppler temperatures.     

Resonating properties of passive spherical optical microcavities

As an optically pumped device, the lasing characteristics of a spherical microcavity laser depend on the optical pumping processes. These characteristics can be described in term of the Q factor and the optical field distribution in a microsphere. We derived analytical expressions and carried out numerical calculation for Q factor and optical field. The Q factor is found to be oscillatory functions of the radius of a microsphere and the pumping wavelength, and the pumping efficiency for a resonating microsphere is much higher than that for an anti-resonating microsphere. Using tunable lasers as pumping sources is suggested in order to achieve a higher pumping efficiency. Numerical calculation on optical field distribution in spherical microcavities shows that a well focused Gaussian beam is a suitable incident wave for cavity quantum electrodynamics experiments in which strong confinement of optical field in the center of a microsphere is requested, but higher order spherical wave should be used instead for exciting whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microsphere lasers, for the purpose of favoring optical energy transferring to WGM in optical microspheres.     

A review of Ni-like X-ray laser experiments undertaken using the VULCAN laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

Recent progress using the VULCAN laser at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory to pump X-ray lasing in nickel-like ions is reviewed. Double pulse pumping with ∼100 ps pulses has been shown to produce significantly greater X-ray laser output than single pulses of duration 0.1–1 ns. With double pulse pumping, the main pumping pulse interacts with a pre-formed plasma created by a pre-pulse. The efficiency of lasing increases as there is a reduced effect of refraction of the X-ray laser beam due to smaller density gradients and larger gain volumes, which enable propagation of the X-ray laser beam along the full length of the target. The record shortest wavelength saturated laser at 5.9 nm has been achieved in Ni-like dysprosium using double pulse pumping of 75 ps duration from the VULCAN laser. A variant of the double pulse pumping using a single ∼100 ps laser pulse and a superimposed short ∼1 ps pulse has been found to further increase the efficiency of lasing by reducing the effects of over-ionisation during the gain period. The record shortest wavelength saturated laser pumped by a short ∼1 ps pulse has been achieved in Ni-like samarium using the VULCAN laser operating in chirped pulse amplified (CPA) mode. Ni-like samarium lases at 7.3 nm.