Acousto-optic modulation in magnetised diffusive semiconductors

The modulation of an intense electromagnetic beam induced by the acousto-optic (AO) effect has been analysed in a transversely magnetised semiconductor-plasma medium. The effect of carrier diffusion on the threshold field and gain profile of the modulated wave has been extremely investigated using coupled mode theory. The origin of the AO interaction is assumed to lie in the induced nonlinear diffusion current density of the medium. By considering the modulation process as a four wave parametric interaction an expression for effective third-order AO susceptibility describing the phenomena has been deduced. The modulation is greatly modified by propagation characteristics such as dispersion and diffraction due to dielectric relaxation of the acoustic mode. The threshold pump field and the steady state growth rates are estimated from the effective third-order polarisation in the plasma medium. Analytical estimation reveals that in the presence of enhanced diffusion due to excess charge carriers the modulated beam can be effectively amplified in a dispersionless acoustic wave regime. The presence of an external dc magnetic field is found to be favourable for the onset of diffusion induced modulational amplification of the modulated wave in heavily doped regime. Received 5 November 2001     

Diffusion-induced modulational instability in magnetised semiconductor plasmas: effect of carrier heating

The present paper is aimed to the exploration of modulational amplification in transversely magnetised diffusive semiconductors. By considering that the origin of modulational interaction lies in the third-order optical susceptibility c⁽³⁾\chi^{(3)} arising from the nonlinear diffusion current density and using coupled mode theory, an analytical investigation of frequency modulational interaction between co-propagating laser beams and internally generated acoustic mode is presented. We have studied the steady state and transient amplification characteristics of modulated waves arising in the transversely magnetised semiconductor plasmas. The effect of carrier heating adds new dimensions to the present study. The heating effect reduces the required threshold amplitude of wave and enhances steady-state as well as transient gain of the generated acoustic mode.     

Effect of carrier heating on diffusion induced modulational instability in semiconductor plasmas

The purpose of the present paper is to report the study on modulational amplification in diffusive semiconductors including hot carrier effects. Considering that the origin of modulational interaction lies in the third-order optical susceptibility χ ⁽³⁾ arising from the nonlinear diffusion current density and using coupled mode theory, an analytical investigation of frequency modulational interaction between co-propagating laser beams and internally generated acoustic mode is presented. We have studied the steady state and transient amplification characteristics of modulated waves arising in diffusive semiconductor plasmas. The effect of carrier heating adds new dimensions to the present study. The heating effect reduces the required threshold amplitude of wave and enhances steady-state as well as transient gain of the generated acoustic mode.     

Transient amplification characteristics of frequency modulated wave in semiconductor plasmas

We perform an analytical investigation of modulational interaction of an electromagnetic pump wave in a transversely magnetized weakly polar semiconductor plasma medium. Based on the hydrodynamic model, a critical examination of frequency modulational amplification is made in a moderately doped III–V semiconductor crystal (n-GaAs) duly shined by pulsed 10.6 µm CO₂ laser. The effect of electron-LO phonon interaction and coupled magnetoplasma excitations on the nonlinear interaction of a laser beam adds new dimension to the analysis. Steady state and transient gain coefficients, threshold pump intensity and optimum-pulse duration for the onset of modulational instability are estimated. The paper concentrates on the study of gain characteristics mainly in transient region. Effect of doping and applied magnetic field on the threshold pump intensity and growth rate has been significantly analysed. Graphical analysis interprets strong dependence of transient amplification characteristics on these parameters. So a judicious choice of physical parameters may develop growth at much lower pump intensity improving the cost effectiveness of the system. These results may help to be important for understanding and improving the performance of modulator.     

Steady-state and transient Raman gain in magnetoactive narrow band-gap semiconductors

Using the hydrodynamic model of semiconductor-plasmas and following the coupled-mode approach, a detailed analytical investigation is undertaken to study both steady-state and the transient Raman gain in transversely magnetized narrow band-gap semiconductors arising from electron density perturbations and molecular vibrations of the medium. Using the fact that the origin of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) lies in the third-order susceptibility of the medium, we obtain an expression for the gain coefficient of the backward Stokes mode in steady-state and transient regimes and study the dependence of the magnetic field and pump pulse duration on its growth rate. The threshold pump intensity and optimum pulse duration for the onset of transient SRS are estimated. An externally applied magnetic field substantially enhances the transient SRS gain coefficient in narrow band-gap semiconductors, which can be of great use in the compression of scattered pulses.     

Theory of passive mode locking of colour-center lasers by a fast saturable absorber

A theoretical model of passive mode locking of colour-center lasers by an effective fast saturable absorber is presented where a hybrid saturation scheme is applied to consider the interaction of the mode-locked pulse with the gain medium. Intracavity group-velocity dispersion and Kerr-type nonlinearity are taken into account and their combined action can result in solition-like pulse shaping and shortening. Chirped steady-state solutions whose carrier frequency can be shifted with respect to the central frequency of the gain are found in a limited range of the parameters specifying the problem.     

Convective amplification of parametrically generated acoustic wave in a piezoelectric semiconductor plasma

Using hydrodynamic model of semiconductor plasmas and coupled-mode theory of interacting waves, we have analytically investigated parametric interaction in a magnetised piezoelectric semiconductor plasma in non-relativistic domain. The temperature dependence of momentum transfer collision frequency of electrons due to their heating by the pump is assumed to induce nonlinearity in the medium. We have derived a dispersion relation which finally gives four unstable acoustic modes; two forward amplifying modes and two backscattered attenuating modes. We have also obtained an expression for the critical pump amplitude ( ) at and around which gains and phase velocities of amplifying acoustic modes become least dependent on the pump amplitude and static magnetic field . The required can be readily obtained from a pulsed 10.6 μm CO₂ laser. The magnetic field is found to shift the critical point towards lower pump amplitudes. Received 5 September 2000 and Received in final form 5 March 2001     

Control of the pulse duration in one- and two-axis passively Q-switched solid-state lasers

We study theoretically and experimentally different methods to control the pulses emitted by solid-state lasers passively Q-switched by a saturable absorber. We explore one- and two-axis laser schemes allowing to control the pulse duration, which is ruled by the saturation powers of the transitions in the absorber and in the gain medium. In one-axis lasers, it is shown that the adjustment of the pump and laser beam sizes in the active medium and in the absorber provides an efficient means to control the pulse temporal shape and duration. Furthermore, a two-axis laser cavity supporting so-called forked-eigenstate operation permits to freely adjust the parts of the mode power which circulate in the gain medium and in the absorber. In this case, a lengthening of the pulse duration up to 500 ns is obtained with an increase of the average output power. The theoretical results obtained by using rate equations adapted to each cavity geometry are in close agreement with experiments performed on a diode-pumped Nd³⁺:YAG laser Q-switched by a Cr⁴⁺:YAG saturable absorber. The relevance of the different techniques to control the pulse durations in the framework of potential applications is discussed. Received 3 December 2001     

Calculation of transient gain enhancement by suppressing intra-cavity ASE in a large-aperture KrF laser amplifier

In a large-aperture amplifier, steady-state gain is heavily reduced by the intra-cavity amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). However, the reduced gain could be transiently enhanced by temporally suppressing the ASE with an intense depleting short pulse. Previously, we reported the experimental observation of this transient gain enhancement in a KrF laser amplifier with a 29-cm-diameter aperture. In this paper, this transient gain enhancement is examined theoretically by using a time-dependent ASE code. From a comparison of the code calculations with the experimental results, the observed quick gain recovery and also the possibility of a transient gain higher than the steady-state value are discussed. Received: 18 February 1999 / Revised version: 5 March 1999 / Published online: 28 April 1999     

Stimulated Raman Scattering in a Weakly Polar Ⅲ-Ⅴ Semiconductor： Effect of dc Magnetic Field and Free Carrier Concentration

Using the hydrodynamic model of semiconductor plasmas, we perform an analytical investigation of stimulated Raman scattering （SITS） of an electromagnetic pump wave in a transversely magnetized weakly polar semicon- ductor arising from electron-density perturbations and molecular vibrations of the medium both produced at the longitudinal optical phonon frequency. Assuming that the origin of SItS lies in the third-order susceptibility of the medium, we investigate the growth rate of Stokes mode. The dependence of stimulated Raman gain on the external dc magnetic field strength and free carrier concentration is reported. The possibility of the occurrence of optical phase conjugation via SItS is also studied. The steady-state Raman gain is found to be greatly enhanced by the presence of the strong external dc magnetic field.     

Superradiant linear Raman amplification in plasma using a chirped pump pulse

A theoretical and numerical investigation of small-signal Raman backscattering from a chirped pump pulse in plasma shows that an ultrashort probe pulse will grow superradiantly, i.e., with an amplitude that scales with the propagation length while contracting self-similarly. These features are commonly associated with the nonlinear stages of Raman amplification in the pump depletion and Compton regimes. We show that the superradiant scaling results in very broad-bandwidth amplification due to gain distributed in frequency as well as spatially. Since different frequencies excite the plasma at different positions, wave breaking is avoided, and prepulses and pedestals are substantially suppressed. Linear chirped pulse amplification in plasma could provide a very broad-bandwidth alternative to solid state laser amplifiers, potentially usable for optical pulses a few cycles in duration.     

Cascaded compression of the first and second Stokes pulses during forward transient stimulated Raman amplification

The results of numerical modelling of cascaded compression of the first and second Stokes pulses during regenerative regime of the forward transient stimulated Raman amplification are presented for the case when the walk-off length of the first Stokes pulse due to group velocity mismatch is shorter than the length of the nonlinear medium. The influence of the initial amplitudes of the seed first Stokes pulses, its durations and its time delay with respect to the pump pulse, the Kerr nonlinearity of the medium on the conversion efficiency, duration and propagation factor M² of the first and second Stokes pulse are studied. It is demonstrated that for the pump pulse duration of 1 ps the duration of the compressed second Stokes pulses in a KGW crystal near the beam axis may be approximately 14 times shorter than the pump pulse duration. It is shown that the propagation factor of the compressed pulses increases significantly because of complex spatial-temporal dynamics of compression and the influence of Kerr nonlinearity of Raman medium.     

Reflection of thermal atoms by a pulsed standing wave

Reflection of thermal atoms by a pulsed standing wave with a duration in the nanosecond range is studied. The momentum distribution of the reflected atoms is determined by calculations based on the adiabatic atom-photon interactions. It is shown that with a proper choice of the field intensity and the pulse duration the standing-wave pattern functions as a row of independent atom mirrors. At an optimum choice of the parameter values, the fraction of the elastically reflected atoms is more than 20%. Furthermore, we show that the pulsed standing-wave mirror can be used to manipulate their final momentum distribution. When using laser pulses with an intensity of several tens of MW/cm², tens of thousands of atoms can be reflected by a single laser pulse. Received 3 December 1999 and Received in final form 25 April 2000     

1.8 mJ高倍率Nd:YAG板条皮秒激光放大器

设计了一种高倍率的固体皮秒脉冲激光放大器,采用Nd:YAG板条作为激光增益介质。借助板条结构的角度选通结构,搭建了板条五通放大系统,实现了对注入皮秒脉冲激光的高倍率放大。种子源工作在脉冲模式,放大器泵浦源在连续模式工作。皮秒光纤激光器可以在不同的重复频率下工作,脉冲宽度为13.4 ps。种子光经过隔离和耦合系统之后,注入板条的单脉冲能量为25 nJ。当种子源工作重复频率为24.46 MHz时,板条放大器输出平均功率377 W,单脉冲能量15.5 μJ;当种子源工作重复频率为49.8 kHz时,板条放大器输出平均功率89 W,单脉冲能量1.8 mJ,峰值功率为134 MW,放大倍率达到7.2×104。     

Coherent CW image amplifier and oscillator using two-wave interaction in a BaTiO3-crystal

A BaTiO₃ crystal was used to amplify an image illuminated by an Ar-laser. The amplification mechanism is two-wave mixing in an electrooptic crystal, usually called dynamic holography. We achieved gain factors of 4000 with pump powers of 150 mW and holographic resolution. As the interaction between signal and pump wave is not effected through excited states of the crystal, the amplification process is virtually noise free. This has to be traded in with slow response, 0.1-1 s. To demonstrate the high optical quality of the amplifier, it was incorporated in a ring resonator as gain medium. It was possible to excite pure discrete transversal modes of higher order. That reveals the high optical homogeneity of the crystal over the mode cross-section of > 1 mm. The coupling process of the pump with the two counter-propagating waves forming the standing resonator wave is not symmetric. Consequently a travelling wave develops in the resonator.     

Laser intracavity absorption spectroscopy

Emission spectra of multimode lasers are very sensitive to spectrally selective extinction in their cavity. This phenomenon allows the quantitative measurement of absorption. The sensitivity of measurements of intracavity absorption grows with the laser pulse duration. The ultimate sensitivity obtained with a cw laser is set by various perturbations of the light coherence, such as quantum noise, Rayleigh scattering, four-wave mixing by population pulsations, and stimulated Brillouin scattering. It depends on the particular laser type used, and on its operative parameters, for example pump power, cavity loss, cavity length, and length of the gain medium. Nonlinear mode-coupling dominates the dynamics of lasers that feature a thin gain medium, such as dye lasers, whereas Rayleigh scattering is more important in lasers with a long gain medium, such as doped fibre lasers, or the Ti:sapphire laser. The highest sensitivity so far has been obtained with a cw dye laser. It corresponds to 70000 km effective length of the absorption path. The ultimate spectral resolution is determined by the spectral width of mode emission, which is 0.7 Hz in this dye laser. High sensitivity and high temporal and spectral resolution allow various practical applications of laser intracavity spectroscopy, such as measurements and simulations of atmospheric absorption, molecular and atomic spectroscopy, process control, isotope separation, study of free radicals and chemical reactions, combustion diagnostics, spectroscopy of excited states and nonlinear processes, measurements of gain and of spectrally narrow light emission. Intracavity absorption in single-mode lasers shows enhanced sensitivity as well, although not as high as in multimode lasers. Received: 10 May 1999 / Published online: 29 July 1999     

增益调制高重频脉冲光纤激光器实验研究

采用脉冲泵浦方案,研制出了基于增益调制技术的全光纤结构高重频脉冲激光器。采用电路直接调制的激光二极管作为泵浦源,双包层光纤作为增益介质,构造了光纤光栅选模的线形腔结构。实验中通过调整泵浦光脉冲宽度和光纤激光器谐振腔长度,得到了稳定的高重频脉冲。在100kHz重复频率下,采用21W的峰值泵浦功率和2.5μs的泵浦脉冲宽度,获得了1.06μm波长,脉冲宽度247ns的稳定脉冲激光输出。脉冲峰值功率一致性好,平均功率长期功率稳定性为2%。观察并分析了由于纵模拍频在脉冲包络上产生的次脉冲特性。通过一级放大实现89.6 W输出。     

Photoacoustic cavitation in spherical and cylindrical absorbers

Photomechanical damage in absorbing regions or particles surrounded by a non-absorbing medium is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The damage mechanism is based on the generation of thermoelastic pressure by absorption of pulsed laser radiation under conditions of stress confinement. Principles of photoacoustic sound generation predict that the acoustic wave generated in a finite-size absorbing region must contain both compressive and tensile stresses. Time-resolved imaging experiments were performed to examine whether the tensile stress causes cavitation in absorbers of spherical or cylindrical shape. The samples were absorbing water droplets and gelatin cylinders suspended in oil. They were irradiated with 6-ns-long pulses from an optical parametric oscillator. Photoacoustic cavitation was observed near the center of the absorbers, even if the estimated temperature caused by absorption of the laser pulse did not exceed the boiling point. The experimental findings are supported by theoretical simulations that reveal strong tensile stress in the interior of the absorbers, near the center of symmetry. Tensile stress amplitudes depend on the shape of the absorber, the laser pulse duration, and the ratio of absorber size to optical absorption length. The photoacoustic damage mechanism has implications for the interaction of ns and sub-nslaser pulses with pigmented structures in biological tissue. Received: 9 October 1998 / Accepted: 5 January 1999 / Published online: 31 March 1999     

A variational approach of nonlinear dissipative pulse propagation

A variational technique to deal with nonlinear dissipative pulse propagation is established. By means of a generalization of the Kantorovitch method, suitable for non-conservative systems, we are able to cope with an extended nonlinear Schr?dinger equation (NLSE) which describes pulse propagation under the influence of nonlinear loss and/or gain, in particular, in the presence of two-photon absorption (TPA). Based on the characteristics of the exact solution of the NLSE in the absence of TPA, we investigate the effects of frequency dispersion of the nonlinear susceptibility associated to the two-photon resonance, obtaining the necessary conditions for a solitary wave solution, even in the presence of a self-steepening term. Received: 4 August 1997 / Received in final form: 25 November 1997 / Accepted: 14 January 1998     

Dynamics of spatio-temporal defects in the Taylor-Dean system

The dynamics of defects in a pattern of traveling inclined rolls has been investigated. Two regimes were identified in the neighborhood of defects: a diffusive regime, with a negative phase diffusion coefficient, and a coalescence regime in which the phase gradient diverges in time following a power law behavior. The observed periodic nucleation of defects is related to the frequency inhomogeneity induced by the disymmetry of the wave amplitude. Amplitude holes have been observed in the secondary modulated pattern. Received 23 February 1999 and Received in final form 26 May 1999