Multiwavelength pulse generator using time-lens compression

We demonstrate a novel method of generating a multiwavelength pulse train by use of time-lens compression. In addition to pulse compression, this time lens simultaneously displaces the pulses according to their center wavelengths, resulting in a temporally evenly spaced multiwavelength pulse train. We further demonstrate a new aberration-correction technique based on the temporal analog of a spatial correction lens to improve the quality of the compressed pulses. Through the use of cw distributed-feedback lasers and electro-optic phase modulators, the all-fiber system allows complete tunability of temporal spacing, spectral profile, and repetition rate.     

Ultrashort pulse propagation in multiple-grating fiber structures

We propose a multiple-grating fiber structure that decomposes an ultrashort broadband optical pulse simultaneously in both wavelength and time. As an initial demonstration, we used a transform-limited 1-ps Gaussian pulse centered at 1.55 mu;m as the ultrashort broadband input into a three-grating fiber structure and generated three output pulses separated in wavelength and time with good correlation between experimental results and simulations. This device structure can be used to generate a multiwavelength train of pulses for use in wavelength-division-multiplexed systems or to implement frequency-domain encoding of coherent pulses for optical code-division multiple access.     

Semiclassical calculation of ionisation rate for Rydberg helium atoms in an electric field

The ionisation of Rydberg helium atoms in an electric field above the classical ionisation threshold has been examined using the semiclassical method, with particular emphasis on discussing the influence of the core scattering on the escape dynamics of electrons. The results show that the Rydberg helium atoms ionise by emitting a train of electron pulses. Unlike the case of the ionisation of Rydberg hydrogen atom in parallel electric and magnetic fields, where the pulses of the electron are caused by the external magnetic field, the pulse trains for Rydberg helium atoms are created through core scattering. Each peak in the ionisation rate corresponds to the contribution of one core-scattered combination trajectory. This fact further illustrates that the ionic core scattering leads to the chaotic property of the Rydberg helium atom in external fields. Our studies provide a simple explanation for the escape dynamics in the ionisation of nonhydrogenic atoms in external fields.     

三色圆偏振激光组合脉冲驱动氦原子产生椭圆偏振的阿秒脉冲

我们提出利用频率为ω,3ω和强度较弱的2ω组成的三色圆偏振激光组合脉冲驱动氦原子能够得到椭偏率较大的阿秒脉冲链的一种方法.通过强场近似方法,计算了氦原子在两色和三色圆偏振激光组合脉冲驱动下发射高次谐波谱及其合成阿秒脉冲链,比较了氦原子(初态为s态)在这两种情况下发射高次谐波谱的特点及其合成阿秒脉冲链椭偏率的大小,结果发现,在反旋的两色ω,3ω激光脉冲基础上加入了频率为2ω的第三色激光脉冲联合作用到氦原子上,所得到的阿秒脉冲链的椭偏率相对于双圆场情况下有所增加,通过调整ω,3ω激光的强度比,并且选择适当的第三色激光的强度,对初态为s态的原子,仍能够得到具有较大椭偏率的阿秒脉冲链.     

Semiclassical calculation of ionization rate for Rydberg hydrogen atoms near a metal surface

The ionization of Rydberg hydrogen atoms near a metal surface at different scaled energies above the classical saddle point energy has been discussed by using the semiclassical method. The results show that the atoms ionize by emitting a train of electron pulses. In order to reveal the chaotic and escape dynamical properties of this system in detail, the sensitive dependence of the ionization rate upon the scaled energy is discussed. As the scaled energy is close to the saddle point energy, the ionization process of the hydrogen atom is nearly the same as the case of hydrogen atom in an electric field. There is only a single pulse of electrons, with an exponentially decaying tail. With the increase of the scaled energy, the ionization rates are similar to the case of the hydrogen atom in parallel electric and magnetic field, a series of electron pulses appear in the ionization process. This is caused by classical chaos, which occurs for the metal surface. Our studies also suggest that the metal surface can play the role of both the electric and the magnetic fields. Our theoretical analysis will be useful for guiding experimental studies of the ionization of atoms near the metal surface.     

Fractal dynamics in the ionization of helium Rydberg atoms

We study the ionization of helium Rydberg atoms in an electric field above the classical ionization threshold within the semiclassical theory.By introducing a fractal approach to describe the chaotic dynamical behavior of the ionization,we identify the fractal self-similarity structure of the escape time versus the distribution of the initial launch angles of electrons,and find that the self-similarity region shifts toward larger initial launch angles with a decrease in the scaled energy.We connect the fractal structure of the escape time plot to the escape dynamics of ionized electrons.Of particular note is that the fractal dimensions are sensitively controlled by the scaled energy and magnetic field,and exhibit excellent agreement with the chaotic extent of the ionization systems for both helium and hydrogen Rydberg atoms.It is shown that,besides the electric and magnetic fields,core scattering is a primary factor in the fractal dynamics.     

Sub-single-cycle optical pulse train with constant carrier envelope phase

We describe the synthesis of periodic waveforms consisting of a train of pulses that are 0.83 cycles long and have an electric field pulse width of 0.44 fs using 7 Raman sidebands generated by molecular modulation in H2. We verify by optical correlation that the carrier-envelope phase is constant in these waveforms when they are synthesized from commensurate sidebands. The estimated overall shift of the carrier-envelope phase is less than 0.18 cycles from the first to the last pulse of nearly 10(6) pulses in the pulse train.     

带抗共振环的非稳腔对撞脉冲锁模Nd:YAP(Nd:YAL0_3)激光器

本文报道用Nd:YAP (Nd:YALO_3)激光介质在带抗共振环的平-凸非稳腔结构中,选用五甲川-1,2-二氯乙烷染料,实现对撞脉冲被动锁模,获得良好锁模脉冲波形的实验结果.在1Hz的重复频率下,锁模脉冲平均脉宽<10ps,输出脉冲系列平均能量80mJ,脉冲系列能量集中于中央的三个脉冲,锁模成功率100%.输出能量稳定性80±4mJ.     

Effects of the pulse area and pulse number on the population dynamics of atoms interacting with a train of ultrashort pulses

We theoretically investigate the effects of the pulse area and the pulse number in a train of ultrashort pulses with an ultrahigh repetition rate in terms of the population dynamics. Because of the interpulse interference the upper state population exhibits an oscillatory behavior as a function of the laser detuning. The pulse area and the pulse number significantly affect the periodic structure of population oscillation.     

SOA-based loop mirror for tunable pulse-width generation

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a system for the generation of pulses of tunable pulse-width as those required in high spectral efficiency optically routed networks. Pulse narrowing of 500 ps pulses by 90% is accomplished through a SOA based non-linear loop mirror. Optical switching through the SOA loop mirror is used to shape and carve these large pulses (e.g., 500 ps) generated by non-expensive low-frequency optoelectronic components to narrow pulses (e.g., 50 ps). We also calculate the minimum loop size and optimum repetition rate of the original pulse train for the generation of the shorter pulse-width pulse train.     

平行电磁场中里德堡氢原子的自相似结构研究

利用半经典方法研究了平行电磁场中里德堡氢原子的分形自相似现象. 通过研究平行电磁场中里德堡氢原子的逃逸时间和初始出射角间的关系, 发现了逃逸时间图的自相似结构, 并通过研究与图中冰柱对应的逃逸轨道, 得到了自相似结构和逃逸轨道之间的关系, 发现了该类自相似逃逸轨道满足的规律. 进一步研究了标度能量和标度磁场对体系动力学的影响, 表明标度能量和标度磁场均控制体系的分形自相似结构. 当标度能量或标度磁场比较小时, 没有自相似现象, 随着标度能量或标度磁场的增大, 自相似出现, 体系变复杂.     

Pulse picking by phase-coherent additive pulse generation in an external cavity

We have implemented a simple method for generating an "amplified" phase-coherent light pulse in which a pulse train of phase-coherent, equidistant input light pulses from a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser is coupled into a ring cavity resonator whose length is matched to the mode-locked pulse repetition frequency at 82 MHz. Pulses are thus coherently superimposed and added inside the buildup cavity and form an intense pulse that is switched out from the cavity via a fast acousto-optic modulator. The method thus provides a pulse train at a reduced and controlled repetition frequency and with higher pulse energies than the original mode-locked pulses.     

Distortion of parabolic pulse due to higher-order effects in a dispersion-decreasing fiber

Considering Third-order Dispersion (TOD) and Stimulated Raman Scattering effect (SRS) simultaneously, the properties of the self-similar parabolic pulse evolution in a dispersion-decreasing optical fiber with normal group-velocity dispersion are firstly investigated in our paper. Our results show that parabolic pulses are distorted and the characteristic of exactly self-similarity will be lost due to the High-order effects. When only the TOD is taken into account, the chirp still reveals highly linear but glows into asymmetric which causes the waveform appearing optical wave breaking. When only considering SRS, the pulse still reveals highly linear chirp only linearity range narrow down, resulting in delaying the self-similar evolution. When considering SRS and TOD simultaneously, parabolic pulses are distorted less and the characteristic of exactly self-similarity will be better due to SRS effect than only considering TOD effect. The highly linear chirp in optical pulse still allows for efficient and high-quality pulse compression by use of dispersion compensation technique.     

Population transfer between two quantum states by piecewise chirping of femtosecond pulses: theory and experiment

We propose and experimentally demonstrate the method of population transfer by piecewise adiabatic passage between two quantum states. Coherent excitation of a two-level system with a train of ultrashort laser pulses is shown to reproduce the effect of an adiabatic passage, conventionally achieved with a single frequency-chirped pulse. By properly adjusting the amplitudes and phases of the pulses in the excitation pulse train, we achieve complete and robust population transfer to the target state. The piecewise nature of the process suggests a possibility for the selective population transfer in complex quantum systems.     

Carrier envelope phase noise in stabilized amplifier systems

At present most laser systems for generating phase-stabilized high-energy pulses are chirped pulse amplifier systems that involve the selection and subsequent amplification of pulses from a phase-stabilized seed oscillator. We investigate the effect of the picking process on the carrier envelope phase stability and how the phase noise of the picked pulse sequence can be estimated from the phase noise properties of the seed oscillator. All noise components from the original pulse train above the picking frequency are aliased into the picked pulse train and therefore cannot be neglected.     

Experimental demonstration of phase control of dispersion effects for an ultrashort pulse train propagating in a resonant medium

We present an experiment in which an ultrashort pulse train propagates resonantly through anoptically dense vapor of atomic rubidium. The sequence obtained from a Fabry-Perot interferometer comprises nearly 10 regularly time-delayed and mode-locked pulses. We show that a sequence with phase shift phi = 0[2pi] between two successive pulses propagates with important temporal distortion, whereas a sequence with phi = pi[2pi] experiences few propagation effects, thus leading for the first time to our knowledge to the possibility of phase control of dispersion effects for an ultrashort pulse train.     

色散渐减光纤中自相似脉冲传输特性研究

研究了在高阶色散影响下,自相似脉冲在具有正常色散的色散渐减光纤中的演化情况.结果表明:当考虑高阶色散的影响时,脉冲的啁啾仍然具有很强的线性特性,只是中心变得不对称,产生中心漂移.这种啁啾特性使得自相似脉冲在时域中的抛物线形状产生畸形,导致了脉冲峰向一边延迟,并使脉冲的中心位置漂移,同时伴随着脉冲边沿的振荡.但是通过采用色散补偿技术,自相似脉冲强的线性啁啾仍然可以得到高质量的飞秒量级压缩脉冲,与忽略三阶色散影响时得到的压缩脉冲的脉宽近似相等.     

Analytical self-similar solutions of the Ginzburg-Landau equation with three-order dispersion effect

Based on the technique of the symmetry reduction, we find the asymptotic self-similarity analytical resolutions from the constant coefficient Ginzburg-Landau equation considering both influences of the thirdorder dispersion and gain dispersion on the evolution of pulses. We have obtained the self-similar pulse amplitude function, phase function, strict linear chirp function, and the effective temporal pulse width. Numerical simulations show qualitative agreement with these theoretical results.     

Experimental Study of a Pulsed Ytterbium-Doped Fibre Laser with Fast and Slow Saturable Absorbers in a Linear Cavity

We present a linear-cavity stretched-pulse fibre laser and by semiconductor saturable-absorber mirrors. A with mode locking by a nonlinear polarization rotation Q-switched mode-locking cw train and a mode-locking pulse train are obtained in the experiment. We investigate the effects of the equivalent fast saturable absorber and the slow saturable absorbers in experiment. It is found that neither the nonlinear polarization evolution effect nor a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror is enough to produce the stable cw mode-locking pulses in this experiment. A nonlinear polarization evolution effect controls the cavity loss to literally carve the pulses; semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors provide the self-restarting and maintain the stability of the modelocking operation.