Performance of frequency-modulated pulses in NQR

This paper presents an analysis of the performance of frequency-modulated pulses and of pulses modulated simultaneously in amplitude and frequency in the pure nuclear quadrupolar resonance (NQR) spectroscopy of spin 3/2 nuclei. Computer simulations are given of the offset compensation efficiency of such pulses as applied to single crystals. Spin evolution equations were solved numerically. Experimental measurements, using FM pulses, of the³⁵Cl NQR of sodium chlorate (NaClO₃) single crystal and of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) powder are reported. The results suggest that frequency modulated pulses are alternative pulses to composite pulses in NQR.     

Acceleration of cold Rb atoms by frequency modulated light pulses

The displacement of Rb atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) caused by the force of a finite time series of counter-propagating frequency modulated light pulse pairs is measured as a function of the chirp of the pulses. The frequency modulated light pulses induced ⁸⁵Rb 5²S_1/2 F=3 ↔ ⁸⁵Rb 5²P_3/2 F'=2, 3, 4 excitation and de-excitation of the atoms. The result of this excitation de-excitation process is a force causing the acceleration and, consequently, the displacement of the maximum of the spatial distribution of the trap atoms. The time dependence of the populations of the levels of the atom are calculated — including also the ⁸⁵Rb 5²S_1/2 F=2 and F'=1 states — as the result of the interaction with the finite train of counter propagating frequency modulated light pulses by the solution of the Bloch equations. As the result of the measurement the interval of the chirp of the frequency modulated light of given intensity where the transitions take place, are determined. The results of the experiment and the expectation on the basis of model calculations are in qualitative agreement.     

Interaction of frequency modulated light pulses with rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap

The spatial displacement of the ⁸⁵Rb atoms in a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT) under the influence of series of frequency modulated light pulse pairs propagating opposite to each other is measured as a function of the time elapsed after the start of the pulse train, and compared with the results of simulations. Adiabatic excitation and consecutive de-excitation take place between the ground 5²S_1/2 (F=3) and the 5²P_3/2 (F'=2, 3, 4) excited levels as the result of the interaction. The displacement of the ⁸⁵Rb atoms is calculated as the solution of simple equation of motion where the expelling force is that arising from the action of the frequency modulated light pulses. The restoring and friction forces of the MOT are taken into account also. The system of Bloch equations for the density matrix elements is solved numerically for transitions between six working hyperfine levels of the atom interacting with the sequence of the frequency modulated laser pulses. According to these simulations, the momentum transferred by one pulse pair is always smaller than the expected 2ħk, (1) where ħ is the Plank constant and k=2π/λ where λ is the wavelength, (2) having a maximum value in a restricted region of variation of the laser pulse peak intensity and the chirp.     

Generation of Transform-Limited Pulse Train in New Scheme of Harmonically Mode-Locked Er-Doped Fiber Ring Lasers

A new scheme of an amplitude modulated harmonically mode-locked Er-doped fiber ring laser is proposed, and the lasing characteristics are experimentally investigated. The transform-limited sech² pulses at the repetition frequency of 1.64 GHz are stably generated. The pulse width and spectral bandwidth are independent of both the amplitude modulated (AM) modulation signal frequency and the AM modulation depth.     

An optical lattice clock with spin-polarized 87Sr atoms

We present a new evaluation of an ⁸⁷Sr optical lattice clock using spin polarized atoms. The frequency of the ¹S₀→³P₀ clock transition is found to be 429 228 004 229 873.6 Hz with a fractional uncertainty of 2.6×10^-15, a value that is comparable to the frequency difference between the various primary standards throughout the world. This measurement is in excellent agreement with a previous one of similar accuracy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 083002 (2007)].     

A k-space analysis of small-tip-angle excitation. 1989

We present here a method for analyzing selective excitation in terms of spatial frequency (k) space. Using this analysis we show how to design inherently refocused selective excitation pulses in one and two dimensions. The analysis is based on a small-tip model, but holds well for 90° tip angles.     

Femtosecond Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript> fiber laser for application in an optical clock

The main elements needed for the realization of a compact femtosecond methane optical clock are developed and studied. A femtosecond laser system on an Er³⁺ fiber (λ = 1.55 μm) contains an oscillator, an amplifier, and a fiber with a relatively high nonlinearity in which the supercontinuum radiation is generated in the range 1–2 μm. In the supercontinuum spectrum, the fragments separated by an interval that is close to the methane-optical reference frequency (λ = 3.39 μm) exhibit an increase in intensity. The supercontinuum radiation is converted into the difference frequency in a nonlinear crystal to the range of the methane-reference frequency (λ = 3.3–3.5 μm), so that the frequency components of the transformed spectrum have sufficient intensities for the subsequent frequency-phase stabilization with respect to the methane reference. A system that stabilizes the pulse repetition rate of the femtosecond Er³⁺ laser is also employed. Thus, the repetition rate of the ultrashort pulses of the femtosecond fiber laser is locked to the methane reference. The pulse repetition rate is compared with the standard second. Thus, the scheme of an optical clock is realized.     

Absorption and scattering of high-power laser radiation in low-density porous media

We have experimentally investigated the interaction of high-power neodymium laser pulses in the intensity range 10¹³–10¹⁴ W/cm² with flat low-density (0.5–10 mg/cm³) agar-agar targets under conditions of interest for problems of inertial nuclear fusion. Optical and x-ray methods with high temporal and spatial resolution were used to examine the dependence of absorption and scattering of the incident beam on the initial mean density and thickness of the irradiated samples. We show that when a porous target is irradiated, a bulk absorption layer of high-temperature plasma is produced inside the target whose dimensions are determined by the initial density of the material. The time dependence and spectral composition of the harmonics 2ω ₀ and 3ω ₀/2 observed in the plasma-scattered radiation are measured. A theoretical model is developed that describes the interaction of high-power laser pulses with a porous medium. Predictions of the model, based on the hypothesis of two stages of homogenization of the target material—a fast stage (0.1–0.3 ns) and a slow stage (1–3 ns), are in good agreement with the experimental data. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 805–818 (March 1999)     

Effect of Composition on Chain Dimensions of Styrene-Methylmethacrylate Random Copolymers under Theta Condition

Rotational-isomeric-state (RIS)-Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations are performed on poly(styrene-ran-methylmethacrylate) random copolymers to study the intrinsic unperturbed (θ-condition) dimensions. Mean-squared end-to-end distance (?r²?_o ), mean-squared radius of gyration (?s²?_o ), and characteristic ratio (C_n) have been calculated for these copolymers constituted by different overall chemical compositions (styrene fractions 0.29, 0.56, and 0.70). Calculations were carried out with chains of 500 repeating units. With an increase in the styrene content there is an increase in ?r ²? _o, `, and C_n, in agreement with experimental observations. An increase in the fraction of trans conformational states in the backbone torsion angles is found to be responsible for the exhibited chain expansion behavior. The dimensions calculated by the Monte Carlo simulations agree well with experimental values reported in the literature.     

Sensitive detection of acrolein and acrylonitrile with a pulsed quantum-cascade laser

We report on spectroscopic measurements of acrolein and acrylonitrile at atmospheric pressure using a pulsed distributed feedback quantum-cascade laser in combination with intra- and inter-pulse techniques and compare the results. The measurements were done in the frequency region around 957 cm^?1. In the inter-pulse technique, the laser is excited with short current pulses (5–10 ns), and the pulse amplitude is modulated with an external current ramp resulting in a ～2.3 cm^?1 frequency scan. In the intra-pulse technique, a linear frequency down-chirp during the pulse is used for sweeping across the absorption line. Long current pulses up to 500 ns were used for these measurements which resulted in a spectral window of ～2.2 cm^?1 during the down-chirp. These comparatively wide spectral windows facilitated the measurements of the relatively broad absorption lines (～1 cm^?1) of acrolein and acrylonitrile. The use of a room-temperature mercury-cadmium-telluride detector resulted in a completely cryogen-free spectrometer. We demonstrate ppb level detection limits within a data acquisition time of ～10 s with these methodologies.     

Absolute frequency measurement and high resolution spectroscopy of In 5sS0-5s5p P0 narrowline transition

We measure the frequency of the 5s²¹S₀-5s5p ³P₀ narrowline clock transition at 236.5 nm, for a single, trapped and laser cooled ¹¹⁵In⁺ ion. In the experiment, an ultra-narrow linewidth laser (<1.34 Hz at 3 s integration time) is used to interrogate the clock transition for high resolution spectroscopy. A linewidth of 43 Hz of the clock transition is observed. The uncertainty of the line centroid is 18 Hz, leading to a fractional uncertainty of 1.4×10^-14. The frequency is measured by using an optical frequency comb referenced to a cesium clock. The transition frequency is found to be 1, 267, 402, 452, 901.265 (256) kHz, averaged over 13 days of separate measurement. The accuracy of 2.35×10^-13 is due to the reference cesium clock calibrated against UTC time. We discuss ways for further improvements.     

CPT原子频标实验研究

介绍了相干布居囚禁（CPT）原子频标的小型、低功耗物理系统,并应用它开展实现了CPT原子频标的激光锁定、微波锁定方案的实验室研究.通过采用电流负反馈将激光频率锁定在原子对激光的吸收峰上,电压负反馈将微波频率锁定在电磁感应透明共振峰上,用该物理系统实现了闭环锁定的实验室桌面CPT频标实验系统.对该实验系统的频率稳定度测量获得200 s内优于5×10^-11τ^-1/2的结果. 关键词： CPT原子频标 频率稳定度 激光稳频     

Optical nutation at a Raman-active transition

Optical nutation at the Raman-active transition 6P _1/2−6P _3/2 of thallium atoms (ω _R /2πc=7793 cm ⁻¹) under resonant Raman excitation by a biharmonic picosecond pulsed field, giving rise to substantial motion of the population, is detected. Optical nutation appears as an oscillatory behavior of the energy of the anti-Stokes scattering of probe pulses, which follow with a fixed delay, as a function of the product of the energies of the excitation pulses. As a result of the dynamic Stark effect, which decreases the frequency of the transition under study, resonance excitation conditions are satisfied for negative initial detunings of the Raman excitation frequency from resonance. The Raman scattering cross section for the transition under study is estimated by comparing the experimental data with the calculations. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 1, 7–12 (10 July 1999)     

外光注入半导体激光器实现时钟分频

从理论和实验上研究了利用光注入半导体激光器对高重复速率光脉冲产生的周期振荡和时钟分频现象.结果表明，光注入半导体激光器引起的二倍周期振荡是使注入脉冲重复频率分频的直接原因.通过耦合速率方程，数值模拟了半导体激光器在外光注入时输出光的时间序列和功率谱，并且分析了激光腔内各种周期振荡的特征.研究表明，当注入光使半导体激光器出现稳定的二倍周期振荡，且注入光的重复频率为此振荡频率的二倍时，时钟分频即可产生实验中，采用重复频率为6.32GHz的光脉冲注入Fabry-Perot激光器，实现了3.16GHz时钟分频信号 关键词： 周期振荡 时钟分频 光谱侧带 光注入     

Frequency ratios of Sr,Yb, and Hg based optical lattice clocks and their applications

This article describes the recent progress of optical lattice clocks with neutral strontium (⁸⁷Sr), ytterbium (¹⁷¹Yb) and mercury (¹⁹⁹Hg) atoms. In particular, we present frequency comparison between the clocks locally via an optical frequency comb and between two Sr clocks at remote sites using a phase-stabilized fibre link. We first review cryogenic Sr optical lattice clocks that reduce the room-temperature blackbody radiation shift by two orders of magnitude and serve as a reference in the following clock comparisons. Similar physical properties of Sr and Yb atoms, such as transition wavelengths and vapour pressure, have allowed our development of a compatible clock for both species. A cryogenic Yb clock is evaluated by referencing a Sr clock. We also report on an Hg clock, which shows one order of magnitude less sensitivity to blackbody radiation, while its large nuclear charge makes the clock sensitive to the variation of fine-structure constant. Connecting all three types of clocks by an optical frequency comb, the ratios of the clock frequencies are determined with uncertainties smaller than possible through absolute frequency measurements. Finally, we describe a synchronous frequency comparison between two Sr-based remote clocks over a distance of 15 km between RIKEN and the University of Tokyo, as a step towards relativistic geodesy.     

Sum frequency beam analysis for the determination of the temporal characteristics of ultrashort light pulses

An extension of the single-shot second harmonic beam method proposed earlier for picosecond pulse duration measurements is presented for the case of two incident pulses of differing frequencies, durations and transverse sizes. The solution of the wave equation for noncollinear sum frequency generation in a nonlinear crystal by two Gaussian, spatially limited ultrashort pulses is given. It is shown that the width ( ₁ ² + ₂ ² )^1/2 of the temporal cross-correlation function of the two pulses can be deduced from the spatial energy distribution of the sum frequency beam. The method can be used e.g. in the case of a relatively weak secondary pulse obtained in some nonlinear processes. Preliminary experimental results demonstrating the possibilities offered by the method are presented.     

Effect of intermode coupling on the compression of radio pulses in an oversize cavity with an interference switch

The results of an experimental investigation of the effect of intermode coupling at the exit window of a cavity on the compression of radio pulses in an oversize cylindrical cavity with an interference switch, operating on H _01(n) modes, are reported. The effect of the intermode coupling at the exit window of a cavity on the energy extraction process is analyzed in a simple model in which the interacting modes are represented in the form of a system of two coupled cavities. The results of the analysis are compared with the experimental data. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 84–86 (February 1999)     

Zero-Chirp Return-to-Zero Pulses Generation with Two Single-Driver z-Cut Mach-Zehnder Modulators

A novel method is proposed to suppress the frequency chirp of single-driver z-cut Mach Zehnder modulators. Theoretical analysis shows that by multiplying the output pulses of a half clock frequency driving single-driver z-cut modulator with the one delayed odd multiple bit duration, the frequency chirp can be removed entirely, and return-to-zero （RZ） pulses with duty cycles of about 25% and 56% are obtained. An experimental scheme is proposed to validate the proposed method. The pulses can be obtained by using this scheme. experimental results show that perfect 40 GHz zero-chirp RZ     

Circularly polarised attosecond pulses: generation and applications

ABSTRACT

Molecular high-order harmonic generation(MHOHG) is simulated for H⁺₂ in the nonlinear nonperturbative regime of laser-molecule interactions with ultrashort intense circularly polarised laser pulses. It is shown that combinations of co-rotating or counter-rotating pulses produce laser-induced Coriolis forces with electron-parent ion recollisions, thus enhancing circularly polarised MHOHG, the source of circularly polarised attosecond pulses. Such pulses can be used to induce electron attosecond currents for the generation of attosecond magnetic field pulses, new tools for molecular attomagnetism.