Stable diode lasers for hydrogen precision spectroscopy

We report on an external cavity diode laser at 972 nmstabilized to a mid-plane mounted Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator with afinesse of 400000. The 0.5 Hz optical beat note line width betweentwo similar lasers (Allan deviation 2 × 10^-15) is limitedby thermal noise properties of two independent FP resonators. Thelong term drift of the FP resonator and mirror substrates made fromUltra-Low-Expansion glass (ULE) is small and can be well predictedon time intervals up to many hours if the resonator is stabilized atthe zero thermal expansion temperature T_c. Using a Peltierelement in a vacuum chamber for temperature stabilization allowsstabilization of the FP cavity to T_c which is usually below theroom temperature. Beat note measurements with a femtosecond opticalfrequency comb referenced to a H-maser during 15 hours have shown awell defined linear drift of the FP resonance frequency of about 60 mHz/s with residual frequency excursions of less than ±20 Hz.     

Fast wavelength-switching of a diode-pumped solid-state disk laser

The functionality of two experimental setups for fast wavelength-switching of an Yb:YAG disk laser is tested and characterized. The first setup consists of two resonators sharing one disk. Both resonators are alternately opened by a chopper disk. Each resonator is tuned independently by a set of a two-stage Lyot filter and an etalon. Up to 1500 Hz the setup can switch between two freely selectable wavelengths (linewidth (fwhm) ≪1 pm) within the complete Yb:YAG tuning range (from 1020 nm to 1055 nm) emitting a maximum average power of 105 mW. The power of both resonators differs by a factor of 0.7. Their pointing stability amounts to 20 μrad. The second setup consists of a single tunable resonator (two-stage Lyot filter, etalon) additionally equipped with an electro-optical device (Faraday rotator or Pockels cell) providing a high pointing stability of better than 1 μrad. The wavelength switches occur stepwise and are predetermined by the etalon (about 90 pm or multiples thereof). The Faraday rotator suffers from its high thermal load and operates for some few 10 s only at 0.5 Hz. The resonator with the Pockels cell provides long term stability at 1000 Hz, switching steps up to 1.1 nm and a power ratio of 0.83 for the selected wavelengths.     

用于高温射频超导量子干涉器的介质谐振器的性质研究

介质谐振器是目前高温射频超导量子干涉器较常采用的一种高品质因数微波谐振器.它是由10 mm×10 mm×1 mm的SrTiO₃(STO)标准衬底及覆盖在其上的YBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ(YBCO)薄膜磁通聚焦器共同构成的.为探明磁通聚焦器构形对介质谐振器谐振频率的影响,本文采用Ansoft公司出品的HFSS高频结构仿真软件对磁通聚焦器构形不同的若干介质谐振器的谐振特性进行了仿真.结果表明:增大磁通聚焦器开     

The scattering cross section of a resonator in a multimode waveguide

The scattering of sound by a single monopole-dipole resonator in a multimode pipe is investigated. The resonator has the form of a Helmholtz resonator connected through a small bar to the pipe wall. In fact, this resonator is a combination of a monopole resonator and a dipole one positioned at the same point. The scattered fields of these resonators are orthogonal to each other. The scattering cross sections of the monopole and dipole resonators in a multimode pipe are calculated. The scattering cross section of the monopole-dipole resonator is determined as the sum of the scattering cross sections of the monopole and the dipole resonators. The friction in a resonator (the monopole or dipole resonator) reduces its scattering cross section by a factor of (1 + β)², where β is the ratio between the friction resistance and the radiation resistance of this resonator.     

Production,installation and test of Nb-sputtered QWRs for ALPI

Eight cryostats, each housing 4 sputtered Nb/Cu, 160 MHz, quarter wave resonators (QWR), are now in operation in ALPI[1]. Two of them house high β cavities; the others are equipped with medium β resonators. Another medium β cryostat is ready and will be installed in the early 2002. Pb/Cu medium β accelerating cavities are now present only in four cryostats and they will have their Pb superconducting (SC) layer replaced by sputtered Nb soon. The substitution of the Pb SC layer in ALPI medium β resonators did not interfere with ALPI operation; the upgrading of resonators went on parallel to the cryostat maintenance programme. The average accelerating field of these resonators, at the design power of 7 W, overcomes 4 MV/m, whereas, when Pb electroplated, their average value was 2.7 MV/m. The sputtered resonator combines the good SC characteristics of Nb with the higher thermal conductivity and better stability to change of He bath pressure, which is typical of copper resonators. This leads to a very high reliability, as routinely experienced during beam acceleration.     

Parametric excitation of temperature oscillations in a high-Q dielectric microwave resonator in liquid helium vapor

We study the threshold conditions of the parametric excitation of temperature oscillations using pulsed microwave pumping in three-mode regime for high-Q ferroelectric cryogenic resonators made of SrTiO₃ and KTaO₃. Comparative analysis is performed for the threshold power of the excitation of temperature oscillations and the threshold power of the ponderomotive parametric excitation of acoustic oscillations in the resonator. It is shown that in three-mode regime, temperature oscillations can develop under a rather moderate pump power of about 0.1–8 μW, depending on the combination of interacting temperature and electromagnetic modes. The calculated low threshold powers allow one to apply resonators in practice as high-sensitivity infrared sensors, resonant bolometers, and parametric amplifiers. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 52, No. 2, pp. 172–180, February 2009.     

Dielectric half-disk resonator with whispering-gallery modes for measurements of the electric properties of water

We study experimentally the possibility of measuring the dielectric properties of water in the millimeter wavelength range using dielectric resonators excited at the whispering-gallery modes. The influence of various conditions for excitation of such resonators by a local source on the sensitivity and resolution of the performed measurements is shown. Electrodynamic characteristics of the dielectric resonator as a cell for measurements of the electric properties of water are studied. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 51, No. 9, pp. 769–776, September 2008.     

Single longitudinal mode pulse from a TEA CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser by using a three-mirror resonator with a Fabry–Pérot etalon

We present a single longitudinal mode (SLM) TEA CO₂ laser oscillation by using a three-mirror resonator with a Fabry–Pérot etalon. The etalon was inserted in the optical path taken out from the main resonator of the CO₂ laser for protecting the etalon from damage on the surface. A modified numerical model of the three- mirror resonator was investigated for design the laser. SLM pulse from the TEA CO₂ laser was achieved, and the experimentally measure values were found to have good agreement with the numerical model. The maximum pulse energy of reliable SLM emission is obtained in excess of 200 mJ at 9.57 μm. The reliability of producing SLM pulses was higher than 90%, and there was no damage on the etalon PACS  42.55.Lt; 42.60.Fc     

Open Resonators with Conducting Cylindrical Inserts. 2. Resonators with Finite-Length Mirrors

We present the results of experimental studies of controlling the spectrum and Q-factors of modes in an open resonator with a conducting cylindrical insert. The phenomenon of an increase in the diffraction Q-factor is experimentally observed for the fundamental TEM_00q mode for two resonant diameters of the conducting cylindrical insert located inside the open resonator. The features of excitation of modes in an open resonator with smooth cylindrical finite-length mirrors and in an open resonator with cutoff bevels at the mirror edges are studied. Prospects for using open resonators with conducting inserts in quasi-optical devices in the millimeter-wave range are discussed. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 8, pp. 684–691, August 2005.     

Optical bistability and modulation of light in a thin-film resonator based on total internal reflection

An approximate theoretical analysis is given of the bistable behavior of a simple resonator based on total internal reflection. It is assumed that the medium within the resonator is simultaneously absorbing and nonlinear. It is found that the amplitude bistability characteristics can be comparable to analogous characteristics for more complicated total-internal-reflection structures whose operation is based on tunnel excitation of waveguide modes. It is shown that strong phase bistability is possible in nonabsorbing total-internal-reflection resonators, and the possibility of using total-internal-reflection resonators as light modulators is discussed. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 38–42 (December 1997)     

Microwave microplasma sources based on microstrip-like transmission lines

In this paper, we study two microwave sources based on a planar transmission line configuration, corresponding to linear resonators. In both sources, micro-plasmas are produced within the 50–200 m\mu m gap created between two metal electrodes placed at the open end of a microstrip-like transmission line. The study of the sources follows a complementary approach that uses simulation and experiment. Simulations analyze the electromagnetic behavior of the sources, using the commercial tool CST Microwave Studio^?, and characterize the plasmas produced, using a fluid-type code to describe the dynamics of charged particles. Experimentally, the return loss of the sources (hence their quality factors) is measured without and with plasma. Plasma diagnostics (in air and in argon), based on optical emission spectroscopy measurements, enable to obtain the typical plasma temperatures and the electron density (using Stark broadening measurements of the H_b_{\beta} line-emission profile). Results reveal that the sources have similar quality factors (~15–20), yielding high-density (~10¹⁴ cm^-3)^{-3}), low-power (~10–50 W), non-equilibrium micro-plasmas (with rotational temperatures of ~950–1400 K in air and ~550–630 K in argon, vibrational temperatures of ~5200–5800 K in air and excitation temperatures of ~5800 K in argon), over volumes of ~10^-4–10^-3 cm³.     

Axisymmetric eigenmodes of magnetic type in an open resonator with spherical mirrors

We develop a rigorous mathematical model describing axisymmetric eigenmodes of magnetic type of open resonators with spherical mirrors. On the assumption that the spectrum of complex eigenfrequencies of an open resonator exists, it is proved that this spectrum is discrete and has finite multiplicity with a single accumulation point at infinity. Theoretical analysis of the spectral characteristics of an open resonator is performed in the case where the wavelength is comparable with the resonator sizes. The limits of applicability of the well-known asymptotic models of open resonators are established. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 49, No. 9, pp. 787–798, September 2006.     

Picosecond Nd:BaY2F8 laser discretely tunable around 1 μm

Passive mode-locking of a diode-pumped Nd:BaY₂F₈ (Nd:BaYF) was achieved on four lines in the range 1040–1074 nm, employing a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SAM). Nearly Fourier-limited pulses with durations of 2.6 to 7.2 ps and output power ≈50 mW were generated in a dispersion-controlled resonator using a single prism for wavelength selection, tuning and dispersion management.     

Ultra high Q crystalline microcavities

We report on the fabrication technique of ultra high Q optical crystalline whispering gallery mode microresonators and discuss their properties. The technique is suitable for the majority of available optical crystals and for production of resonators with small size. To validate the method, we made CaF₂ resonators with Q factors exceeding 4 × 10⁸ and a diameter smaller than 100 μm. A single mode resonator has also been fabricated. Possible utilization of these new resonators in quantum optics is discussed.     

Dielectric properties of thin-film ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript> up to 50 GHz for RF MEMS switches

The dielectric properties of zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂) ceramic thin films were characterized up to 50 GHz using coplanar waveguides (CPWs) and metal–insulator–metal (MIM) capacitors with top circular electrodes. The ZrO₂ films were deposited using a chemical solution onto high-resistivity Si wafers and metal layers. The real part of the dielectric constant of approximately 22 and 26 was extracted at 50 GHz for CPW and MIM structures, respectively, and the loss tangent was approximately 0.09 at 50 GHz. C–V and I–V measurements were carried out to determine low-frequency and DC dielectric properties. The measurement results indicate that ZrO₂ is a promising material to be used as a dielectric layer for radio-frequency (RF) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) capacitive switches.     

Distributed feedback dye laser holographically induced in improved organic–inorganic photocurable nanocomposites

Distributed feedback (DFB) lasing in permanent volume transmission gratings formed in a laser dye-doped organic–inorganic nanocomposite has been investigated. DFB laser cavities were fabricated using one-step two-beam holographic exposure of Pyrromethene 567 (PM567) doped photopolymerizable acrylate monomers containing inorganic (LaPO₄) nanoparticles. Compared to the formulation previously utilized, the material composition presented provides longer lifetime of the laser. Spectral and polarization properties, input–output and stability characteristics of the laser output have been investigated by varying the material composition and the patterning parameters. DFB lasing emission of the second and the third diffraction orders has been demonstrated. The spectral linewidth of ∼0.08 nm has been observed at a pump energy threshold of about 0.2 μJ/pulse for the second-order DFB lasing when pumped with 532 nm 500 ps laser pulses. Spectral tuning of the lasing output over ∼56 and ∼7 nm was obtained by varying the grating period and the content of inorganic nanoparticles in the polymer matrix, respectively.     

High-power non-astigmatic TEM<Subscript>00</Subscript> and vortex mode generation in a compact bounce laser design

A novel design of a diode-side-pumped bounce amplifier laser is described that can produce a high-power TEM₀₀ mode and Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) vortex mode operation with high circularity and low astigmatism. The design utilises control of pump size and bounce angle such that the laser mode experiences substantially circular symmetric gain and spherical thermal lensing, in a highly compact fundamental mode resonator. In a simple plane–plane Nd:YVO₄ laser resonator with no other optical components and total length of just 13.4 cm, highly circularised TEM₀₀ operation is produced at wavelength 1064 nm, with 14.2 W of power and high beam quality M ²<1.05. Stable Q-switched TEM₀₀ operation is demonstrated up to 900 kHz and second harmonic power of 7.2 W at 532 nm is generated with conversion efficiency up to 64%. Minor modification of the design to exploit the spherical aberration of the thermal lens is shown to allow for generation of a doughnut-shaped LG vortex mode with average power 16.6 W, maintaining extremely low astigmatism. Q-switched operation of the vortex mode is accomplished up to 400 kHz. A detailed numerical thermal analysis of the amplifier design is performed and gives quantitative agreement with experimental results.     

Acoustic meta-materials in MEMS BAW resonators

This paper presents a meta-material-based design method for bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators with enhanced characteristics compared to those obtained with the typical bulk material implementation. We demonstrate the novel use of empty inclusions (i.e., ‘holes’) in bulk materials for engineering their acoustic (mechanical) properties (e.g. Young’s modulus E, Poisson’s ratio ν and mass density ρ) to tune and achieve optimal acoustical performance/characteristics. Inclusions have been demonstrated before to produce phononic band gaps for wave trapping. We focus on the propagation characteristics of the meta-materials brought into being by these inclusions. We implement patterns of holes with different sizes and distributions, to effectively scatter acoustic waves in bar-type BAW resonators and to devise the desired resonator properties, e.g., the resonant frequency. While the available bulk material is homogeneous and isotropic, the bar consists of an equivalent non-homogeneous material that can for example be distributed by design in order to shrink the overall resonator size, enhance electromechanical transduction coefficients or reject spurious modes. Our paper compares two extraction methods for the equivalent material properties of a periodically hole-punched material: the steady-state mechanical simulation of a unit cell and its ‘phase delay’ counterpart. We discuss their validity and practical use for the design of bar resonators.     

Experimental investigation of the dielectric strength of the H 011 and E 111 oscillation modes in a cylindrical resonator using compressed gas

It is shown experimentally that in order to increase the stored energy in storage resonators using compressed gas, it is preferable to have oscillation modes in which the electrical components of the fields do not interact with the inner surfaces of the resonator. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 98–100 (December 1998)     

Planar microresonators for EPR experiments

EPR resonators on the basis of standing-wave cavities are optimised for large samples. For small samples it is possible to design different resonators that have much better power handling properties and higher sensitivity. Other parameters being equal, the sensitivity of the resonator can be increased by minimising its size and thus increasing the filling factor. Like in NMR, it is possible to use lumped elements; coils can confine the microwave field to volumes that are much smaller than the wavelength. We discuss the design and evaluation of EPR resonators on the basis of planar microcoils. Our test resonators, which operate at a frequency of 14 GHz, have excellent microwave efficiency factors, achieving 24 ns pi/2 EPR pulses with an input power of 17 mW. The sensitivity tests with DPPH samples resulted in the sensitivity value 2.3 x 10(9) spins.G(-1) Hz(-1/2) at 300 K.