An alternate model of CW dye laser intracavity absorption

A new model is presented for intracavity absorption in a CW multimode dye laser based on the similarity between the laser and a self-quenched super- regenerative oscillator. The model suggest that the primary interaction mechanism between the atomic absorber and the laser is through a modification of the background radiation level from which the oscillation builds up. Numerical calculations are carried out leading to a prediction of the spectral line shape to be observed in intracavity absorption as well as the dependence of the signal on absorber density and pump power.     

Quantum correlations of pulses of optical parametric oscillator synchronously pumped above threshold

The quantum analysis of radiation from a degenerate optical parametric oscillator synchronously pumped above its oscillation threshold is presented. It is shown that pulses of signal and pump fields at the output of the oscillator have the following properties: quantum fluctuations of the fields are independent in each individual pulse, but correlated in pulses of the pulse train with a temporal step multiple of the pulse period. The number of essentially correlated pulses is on the order of the oscillator cavity finesse. Cross-correlations between the pump and signal pulses are established above the oscillation threshold. These correlations lead to a significant quantum effect in the integral characteristics of the fields. A theoretical analysis revealed that the spectrum of field fluctuations measured using a balanced homodyne detection technique of phase quadratures of the fields with a pulsed local oscillator reveals quantum noise suppression in the vicinity of frequencies that are multiples of the pulse repetition rate.     

Three-colour entanglement generated by an injection-seeded nondegenerate optical parametric oscillator

Three-colour continuous-variable (CV) entanglement can be directly generated by an injection-seeded nondegenerate optical parametric oscillator (INOPO). The quantum correlations among the pump, signal, and idler beams are calculated and discussed by applying sufficient inseparability criteria for CV entanglement. The results clearly show that strong three-colour CV entanglement can be produced by operating the pump above the oscillation threshold. The INOPO is easier to realize experimentally and more steady in comparison to that without an injected signal since the injected signal can increase the nonlinear conversion efficiency and the stability, as well as allow a large degree of tunability. This scheme can be very useful for the applications in quantum communication and computation networks.     

Stimulated Brillouin scattering of Q-switched laser pulses in large-core optical fibres

Q-switched Nd : glass laser pulses of 60 ns duration are transmitted through multimode fused-silica fibres of 0.4–1 mm core diam and lengths of up to 20 m. For laser radiation with narrow spectral width, stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is observed for energies well below the threshold energy of fibre damage. The SBS threshold is shifted beyond the threshold of fibre damage through increasing the spectral width of the laser radiation. The SBS threshold energies of step-index and gradient-index fibres are measured for various fibre and laser parameters.     

Multimode pumped continuous-wave solid-state Raman laser

We demonstrate the continuous-wave operation of a solid-state Raman laser containing a barium nitrate crystal as the Raman medium. The Raman laser, which has a singly resonant cavity, is pumped by multimode radiation. The Raman oscillation threshold is reached at approximately 2 W of pump power. As much as 500 kW/cm2 of Stokes power density at 60-kW/cm2 pump power density is obtained in the cavity.     

Continuous-wave Raman generation in a diode-pumped Nd3+:KGd(WO4)2 laser

Continuous-wave Raman generation in a compact solid-state laser system pumped by a multimode diode laser is demonstrated. The Stokes radiation of stimulated Raman scattering at 1.181 microm is generated as a result of self-frequency conversion of the 1.067 microm laser radiation in Nd3+:KGd(WO4)2 crystal placed in the cavity. The Raman threshold was measured at 1.15 W of laser diode power. The highest output power obtained at the Stokes wavelength was 54 mW. The anomalous delay of Raman generation relative to the start of laser generation (the oscillation buildup) due to slow accumulation of Stokes photons in the cavity at low Raman gain and Raman threshold dependence not only on the laser intensity but also on the time of laser action are observed.     

Highly tunable low-threshold optical parametric oscillation in radially poled whispering gallery resonators

Whispering-gallery resonators (WGR's), based on total internal reflection, possess high quality factors in a broad spectral range. Thus, nonlinear-optical processes in such cavities are ideally suited for the generation of broadband or tunable electromagnetic radiation. Experimentally and theoretically, we investigate the tunability of optical parametric oscillation in a radially structured WGR made of lithium niobate. With a 1.04 μm pump wave, the signal and idler waves are tuned from 1.78 to 2.5 μm--including the point of degeneracy--by varying the temperature between 20 and 62?°C. A weak off centering of the radial domain structure extends considerably the tuning capabilities. The oscillation threshold lies in the mW-power range.     

Quantum vacuum radiation spectra from a semiconductor microcavity with a time-modulated vacuum Rabi frequency

We develop a general theory of the quantum vacuum radiation generated by an arbitrary time modulation of the vacuum Rabi frequency of an intersubband transition in a doped quantum well system embedded in a planar microcavity. Both nonradiative and radiative losses are included within an input-output quantum Langevin framework. The intensity and the spectral signatures of the extra-cavity emission are characterized versus the modulation properties. For realistic parameters, the photon pair emission is predicted to largely exceed the blackbody radiation in the mid and far infrared. For strong and resonant modulation a parametric oscillation regime is achievable.     

A continuous-mode model of the mode locking in a pump-modulated laser

The active mode-locking process of the multimode laser with an external pump modulation is theoretically investigated in the frequency domain within the framework of the continuous-mode approximation. Intermode interaction and mode-coupling effects, including both AM and FM modulations, are naturally considered in a hierarchical equation of the mode components derived from the multimode Maxwell-Bloch equations. It is reduced to a continuous-mode equation that can be solved analytically in a stationary case, and used to discuss the spectral line shape and the phase dynamics of mode-components as a function of modulation amplitude and detuning of the modulation frequency. We predict a novel oscillation existing below the threshold of the ordinary complete mode-locking: The intensity of the total electric field yields a stable pulse train but its phase varies irregularly in time. This semi-locked state is characterized by a nonlinear chirping, an asymmetric spectrum, and drifting phases of the field mode-components.     

Rabi oscillations and generalizations

A unified, quantum mechanical account of the behavior of a model atom with few relavant energy eigenstates and subject to intense monochromatic incoming radiation is given. The modifications of the standard application of quantum electrodynamics needed to include incoming fields of finite intensity are described. A projected Green's function method for evaluating either the time evolution or spectral properties of systems is developed and applied to a variety of systems, including: (1) An atom with two to four levels interacting with a radiation field of one or two modes, resulting in various forms of Rabi oscillation; (2)_An atom interacting with all modes of the radiation field in its vacuum state, resulting in the possibility of spontaneous radiation; (3) An atom interacting with all modes of the radiation field with one highly excited, resulting in damped Rabi oscillation, resonance fluorescence, optical pumping, and in a continuing sequence of photon emissions which are studied in some detail.     

超晶格量子阱的沟道辐射及其谱分布

在经典物理框架内和偶极近似下, 导出了超晶格量子阱沟道辐射频率和辐射谱分布。指出了对于自发辐射谱分布, 存在一个普适的线型因子, 而粒子的最大辐射能量与相对论因子γ 有关, 且与γ3/2成正比。以正弦平方势为例进行了具体讨论。结果表明, 由于势阱深度和噪音的影响, 谐波数l只取少数几个值。超晶格量子阱沟道辐射只存在不多的几条谱线, 为进一步应用提供了可能。最后, 还给出了一种可能的实验方案, 讨论了如何利用弯晶把超晶格量子阱的沟道辐射改造为相干辐射。 In the frame of classical physics and the dipole approximation the radiation frequency and the spectral distribution are derived for the channeling radiation of a charged particle in a superlattice quantum well. It indicated that there is a line type factor f(ξ) suited to various cases in the spontaneous radiations spectrum. Results also show that the maximum radiation energy is proportional to γ3/2 , but the relativistic effects have double effects in the spontaneous radiation of a charged particle. The case for the sine squared potential is discussed specifically. The harmonic number can be defined as a few variable values by the effects of the potential well depth and noise. In general there is a few spectral lines in the channeling radiation spectrum for the superlattice quantum well, and possibilities are provided for further application. Finally, a possible experimental scheme is proposed, and it is discussed that how to transform the channeling radiation in the quantum well into the cohenent radiation by the bent crystal.     

Phase diagrams for semilinear photorefractive coherent oscillator

The sequence of optical phase transitions is considered for a photorefractive coherent oscillator with a conventional mirror and a four-wave mixing phase conjugate mirror. Analogous to phase transitions in solids, the phase diagrams are constructed and defined qualitatively as different states of a whole system (light-induced scattering below the threshold of oscillation, single-frequency oscillation, two-frequency oscillation, and multimode mirrorless oscillation). The attempt of experimental mapping of a phase diagram is presented for a coherent oscillator with Co-doped BaTiO₃. PACS 42.65.Hw; 05.45.-a; 42.65.Pc; 42.65.Sf.     

Quantum memory on the basis of photon echo in three-level optically dense gaseous media with the Ξ-configuration of atomic transitions

A new variant of realization of quantum memory based on the use of a photon echo in an optically dense three-level gaseous medium is proposed. The use of a long-lived highly excited optical level as a storage of quantum information is the characteristic feature of the scheme proposed. This scheme of quantum memory is distinguished by reduced optical noises owing to the possibility of realizing temporal, spectral, and spatial selection of weak quantum radiation relative to the accompanying laser pulsed fields.     

Quantum memory for images with feedback

A spatially multimode scheme of the quantum memory for light is presented that can be considered to be a thin hologram, whose long-lived spin subsystem of a multiatomic ensemble stores image peculiarities, such as the multimode superposition and entangled quantum states, which is unattainable for ordinary holography. In the recording process, the measurement of polarization parameters of the transmitted light wave and the feedback are used for the action on an ensemble of fixed atoms (obtained, for example, by means of the laser cooling). The information capacity of a quantum hologram with a feedback will considerably exceed that of a spatially singlemode quantum memory.     

4.4 μm中红外激光外差光谱探测技术研究

在国内首次报道以窄线宽的4.4 μm外腔量子级联激光(QCL)作为本地振荡光源,黑体作为辐射光源的激光外差光谱实验装置的建立和测量工作。激光外差光谱是一种高灵敏度的光谱探测技术,并可以用于发展一种小型的光谱探测系统,进行地基或星载的地球大气或天文观测。介绍了激光外差的基本理论、装置的建立和实验测量工作。此激光外差光谱实验装置采用4.4 μm外腔量子级联激光,出光功率高达180 mW,在4.38～4.52 μm间连续可调,具有很宽的光谱调谐范围,能实现CO₂,CO和N₂O等大气重要分子的同时测量。通过开展不同压力下CO₂气体的激光外差光谱测量,对激光外差光谱实验装置的性能进行了评估。目前该激光外差系统的信噪比达到86,低于散粒噪声极限条件的理论计算值287,系统的光谱分辨率约为0.007 8 cm-1,能满足较窄线宽条件下的高分辨率激光外差光谱的测量。分析结果表明,中红外激光外差光谱系统具有很高的瞬态信噪比及光谱分辨率,在高精度测量大气温室气体的柱浓度和温室气体垂直廓线分布方面具有广阔的应用前景。     

Theory of an intracavity Raman laser

The quantum mechanical Langevin equations of a cavity where laser action takes place both by ordinary population inversion and stimulated Raman scattering is discussed for both single mode and multimode oscillation of the pump and Raman laser. Expressions for amplitude correlation and linewidth due to phase diffusion are obtained both for homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening.     

Generalized transfer function: A simple model applied to active single-mode microring resonators

The spectral properties of an active single-mode microring resonator are investigated in the frame of the generalized transfer function (GTF) approach, as derived from extended scattering and/or transfer matrix formalism. Spontaneous emission, looked upon as the driving source of the radiation, is described in a semi-classical way in the spectral domain. The internal and emitted fields are filtered into the resonance modes of the whole structure. The generalized transfer function expresses the spectral density of internal saturating intensity and includes all essential mechanisms at work in a laser oscillator: gain, losses and sources. The active zone is saturated through amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), integrated over its whole spectral range. Continuously valid across threshold, the method enables one to derive in a simple way the main steady-state properties of the laser oscillation, with the pumping rate as the only external parameter.     

Quantum noise in intracavity laser spectroscopy

The limitations on the intracavity laser spectroscopy (ILS) method are considered which are caused by the statistical character of the multimode laser radiation. Stochastic processes (shot photon noise) are shown to result in a heavily “jagged” function, instead of a smooth one, which describes a specific realization of the generation spectrum. The increase of fluctuations with time between two successive measurements of the spectrum has also been investigated. The threshold sensitivity for the ILS method has been found which is determined by the stochastic character of the multimode generation.     

Radiation noise of an active interferometer

 An investigation of the behaviour of amplitude and frequency noise of radiation of an active interferometer in the regime of amplified optical bistability is presented. The phenomenon of non-amplification of external signal noise at sharp amplification of the external signal is established. The impact of strong amplitude fluctuations is studied. Our results have shown that the active interferometer allows an effective separation of the valid signal from the amplitude noise. The spectral density of a fluctuation of the field frequency in the active interferometer is shown to fall sharply in comparison with the “quantum limit”. The linewidth of radiation is determined by the spectral density at zero frequency and is equal to the natural linewidth of the external signal. The influence of quantum noise of the amplifying and absorbing media of the active interferometer is discussed. Received: 26 January 1996     

Nondegenerate mirrorless oscillation in silicon waveguide

We propose nondegenerate four-wave mixing mirrorless oscillation in a multimode silicon nonlinear waveguide. Thanks to the large modal dispersion between two spatial modes caused by the high-index-contrast waveguide structure, two counterpropagating pumps of one spatial mode can generate two new optical waves of the other spatial mode at different frequencies. The phase-matching condition can be satisfied with the higher-order modes involved; therefore, frequencies of the newly generated light can be tuned by simply changing the pump frequency. The threshold power and conversion efficiency of the proposed mirrorless oscillation are investigated under different waveguide parameters.