Variable reflectivity unstable resonators for a long pulse XeCl excimer laser

The divergence of a long pulse, low gain XeCl excimer laser has been improved using confocal positive branch unstable resonators with variable reflectivity mirrors as outcouplers. With variable reflectivity unstable resonators, nearly diffraction limited beams are obtained. Variable reflectivity resonators lead to high brightness beams (9.1 10 W/(cm sr)). Different reflection profiles were studied with respect to their influence on the beam quality and the energy extraction.     

Confinement and stability in optical resonators employing mirrors with gaussian reflectivity tapers

Optical resonators with mirrors having gaussian reflectivity profiles are analyzed. This makes it possible to extend the conventional analysis of “stable”, i.e., confining, optical resonators to describe unstable (non-confining) resonators. Problems of mode discrimination, spot sizes, asymmetry and perturbation stability are considered.     

Large-signal results for degenerate four-wave mixing and phase conjugate resonators

A numerical calculation procedure and various large-signal numerical solutions are presented for degenerate four-wave mixing in optical Kerr media, and for phase conjugate resonators using degenerate four-wave mixing. The solutions presented take full account of nonlinear refractive index changes, pump depletion, signal saturation, distributed losses, and possible external mirrors with laser gain. We find that including the nonlinear index change generally causes little change in the reflectivity or power output of degenerate four-wave mixing devices, at least with symmetric pumping. The optimum power output from a phase conjugate resonator with and without a laser gain medium is calculated. The results provide some theoretical guidance for designing phase conjugate resonators.     

Matrix representation of three-dimensional astigmatic resonators

Three-dimensional astigmatic resonators, typical examples of which are the resonators bounded by cylindrical-spherical mirrors and cylindrical-cylindrical mirrors oriented at an arbitrary crossed angle, are investigated in detail by using a complex curvature tensor concept and generalized tensor ABCD law. Computerized numerical calculations illustrate some interesting characteristics of these astigmatic resonators.     

交叉柱面镜腔的研究

使用矩阵理论,对两个交叉成任意角度的柱面镜构成的谐振腔作了深入的理论研究.分析了这类光腔的稳定性、模式分布和腔内光束传输特性,并以数值计算例说明.对我们使用交叉柱面镜腔的钕玻璃板条激光器有关的实验结果作了报道和讨论.     

双微环谐振腔耦合的双波长半导体激光器（英）

提出一种新颖的单片集成双微环耦合的双波长半导体激光器结构。集成于激光腔内的2个微环谐振腔作为模式选择滤波器,通过游标效应选择谐振模式,同时还可作为等效的反射镜面以形成行波腔。这种无需解理的行波激光腔代替了需要解理面的法布里-珀罗驻波腔。理论仿真表明,跟驻波腔结构相比,行波腔双微环激光器结构简单,可获得约34 mA的较低的阈值电流和大于31 dB的边模抑制比。合理地控制有源区的增益峰值和谐振模式分布,该激光器能提供一致性和稳定性较好的双波长激光输出。     

光束变换环形孔径有源激光谐振腔模式的数值模拟

建立了燃烧驱动环柱型高能化学激光器环形增益介质的五种分布模型,使用差分和积分相结合的方法计算了束变换环孔腔在不同增益分布和折射率分布时的模式特征,研究了增益分布和折射率分布对束变换环孔腔输出性能的影响,结果表明束变换环孔腔在不同的增益介质及折射率分布情况下,仍然可以保持良好的输出光束质量,很高的提取效率,在化学激光器增益流存在激波扰动的情况下,输出光场的施特雷尔比仍达到0．8991,同时腔镜上光强分布较为均匀,可以避免镜面因热应力分布不均匀而造成镜面变形和破坏。该腔不但适用于高能化学激光器,也可以用于高能固体激光器,起到克服固体增益介质热畸变与热应力的作用,可获得优良的输出光束质量。     

高功率激光器腔镜热变形对输出光束质量的影响

利用有限元分析法结合Fox-Li迭代法,考虑腔内本征模式与腔镜热形变的相互耦合作用,计算模拟了正支共焦非稳腔的本征模式分布,定量分析了高功率激光器腔镜热变形对输出光束质量的影响,重点讨论了腔镜热变形所引起的腔内本征模式相位特性的变化,并从波前功率谱密度、Zernike像差系数及光束质量值等角度对腔镜发生热形变前后的激光器输出光束的光束特性进行比较分析。研究结果表明:高功率激光器腔镜热形变对输出光束的光束质量会产生一定的影响,且随着激光输出功率的增大,镜面热形变引起的输出光束波前相位高频比例及Zernike高阶像差均会有所增大,波前畸变程度也明显变大,光束质量逐渐变差。     

变反射率镜非稳腔的研究进展

回顾了变反射率镜非稳腔的研究历史,总结了实现变反射率的方法,分析了它们的优缺点,最后列表总结了典型使用VRM作为非稳腔输出耦合器的实验参数和结果.为大能量固体激光器的设计提供了理论和实验参考.     

同轴放电环形增益区谐振腔镜面的场分布

 对几类环形增益区谐振腔进行了比较,得出利用谐振腔两镜之一的全工作面输出的新型环形增益区谐振腔是适合的谐振腔。提出了一种计算全工作面输出的同轴放电环形增益区谐振腔镜面场分布的方法,利用几何方法对腔镜镜面进行划分,得出了基于菲涅尔-基尔霍夫衍射积分定理的积分区域,并对该区域进行了有限元划分,应用计算机编程计算出了同轴放电环形增益区谐振腔镜面处的光场分布和相位分布。近场分布在环形区中央部分近似地呈高斯分布,且沿径向出现高阶模场分布特点,沿角向无差别。     

具有连续核的Fredholm第二型方程的有限元解及其在激光物理中的应用

本文以光学谐振腔为背景,提出具有连续核的Fredholm第二型积分方程的有限元解,并以无限长平行平面带镜腔、倾斜平面带镜腔、圆镜腔等具体例子的计算结果。与FOX和Li以迭代法计算结果进行比较,其中重合部分得到一致的结果。此外,本方法同时算得一系列未见公布的共振模的场分布及损耗率曲线。     

Low power measurements of the quality factor of an open resonator with stepped mirrors

Open resonators in which both mirrors have a central step have been predicted to exhibit mode selection properties. This is advantageous for the design of quasi-optical gyrotrons. Quality factor measurements of a 36 cm resonator at 120 GHz are presented and compared with theory. Although the effect of the step is clearly seen, the quality factor Q of the resonator is lower than that predicted.     

On the nature of resonance splitting in coupled multiring optical resonators

The spectrum of resonance frequencies in so-called free-standing resonators, built with coupled ring or disk resonators is analytically and numerically investigated. The composite resonator which constitutes the core of numerous photonic devices such as channel dropping filters, dispersion compensators, laser mirrors, etc., determines the salient characteristics of the device, such as its passband width and free spectral range (FSR). The spectral characteristics of the resonances are determined by the refractive indices of the waveguides, the dimensions of the resonators, and the strength of coupling between them. Novel relationships between these parameters are described that result in the invariance of the splitting ratios and as a consequence maintain the passband characteristics of the associated devices. Waveguide attenuation affecting the Q factor of the composite resonators is found to have insignificant effect on their spectral characteristics.     

Design and Cold Tests of Asymmetric Quasioptical Resonators

This paper presents the design and test of asymmetric quasioptical resonators for gyrotron applications, where most of the diffraction output coupling comes from the smaller of two mirrors. A computer code based on scalar diffraction theory is used to calculate the resonator losses and the electric field near the mirrors. Resonators with mirror separations approaching confocal have reduced side lobes in the diffraction patterns, which should allow for better power transmission and focusing. Cold tests have been performed at 94 and 141 GHz to measure the quality factor of the asymmetric resonators as a function of mirror separation and mirror misalignment. Typical resonator parameters include 65 cm mirror separation, 1-3% output coupling and 85% of the losses from the small mirror. A half-symmetric resonator with one flat and one curved mirror has also been investigated. The calculated values of Q are in reasonably good agreement with the cold test measurements.     

高光束质量、高功率稳定性激光器的设计及实验研究

高光束质量、高功率稳定性激光器在激光加工、激光测量等领域具有广泛的用途.为了实现激光器腔内光斑聚焦同时减少色散和体积,人们常常将曲面反射镜用在激光谐振腔中,但光束倾斜入射到曲面反射镜往往会引起像散,从而导致光斑质量恶化,并降低激光器的性能.另一方面,在高功率激光器或超短脉冲激光器中,激光增益介质热透镜焦距的起伏,是导致激光输出功率波动的主要原因之一.针对激光器的像散和功率波动这两个问题,本文提出了一套简单高效的解决方案,在考虑像散补偿和热透镜效应的基础上,基于传播变换圆理论,首次提出一种可实现高光束质量、高功率稳定性激光器谐振腔的设计方法,并对采用该方法所设计出的超短脉冲激光器进行理论与实验研究.研究结果表明,利用该方法设计的激光谐振腔,两端臂像散能够完全被补偿,实验上实现了基模高斯光束输出;当激光晶体热透镜焦距改变时,该方法所设计出的激光谐振腔内各关键位置光斑半径的变化,显著地小于普通谐振腔,在相同外界条件下,其输出激光功率稳定性明显优于普通激光器.     

失调多腔镜型环形谐振腔共轭光轴位置精度分析

为了详细分析由多个反射镜构成的谐振腔内的闭合光轴(共轭光轴)的特性以及存在条件, 首先从光束传输坐标变换的角度, 分析了由多个平面镜所构成的谐振腔的共轭光轴存在条件, 得出了奇数平面镜谐振腔仅当平面镜间具有高精度的相同垂直度时才存在闭合光轴, 而偶数平面镜谐振腔总是存在闭合光轴的结论, 并给出了腔共轭轴随腔镜方向失调而产生的角度变化关系. 然后从矩阵光学的角度分析包含球面镜的谐振腔的共轭光轴在腔镜间传输时的方向变换问题, 具体分析了由两个平面镜和一个球面镜构成的三角形环形谐振腔的闭合共轭光轴存在的问题. 结果表明, 当不同的镜子出现角度偏差时, 腔内仍然存在闭合的共轭光轴, 并给出了对应的腔轴变化以及新谐振面的位置及方向. 由此表明由于球面镜的加入降低了谐振腔共轭轴存在性对平面镜间高精度平行度的要求, 为基于高品质光学无源腔的光谱测量技术的高精度装调工作提供了理论指导.     

High-speed electro-optic control of the optical quality factor of a silicon microcavity

We demonstrate electro-optic ultrafast control of the optical quality factor of an on-chip silicon microcavity. The micrometer-sized cavity is formed by light confinement between two microring resonators acting as frequency selective mirrors. The ring resonators are integrated into p-i-n junctions enabling ultrafast injection and extraction of carriers. We show tuning of the cavity quality factor from 20,000 to 6,000 in under 100 ps. We demonstrate both high-Q to low-Q and low-Q to high-Q transitions.     

Theory of pump-probe experiments of metallic metamaterials coupled to a gain medium

We establish a new approach for pump-probe simulations of metallic metamaterials coupled to the gain materials. It is of vital importance to understand the mechanism of the coupling of metamaterials with the gain medium. Using a four-level gain system, we have studied light amplification of arrays of metallic split-ring resonators with a gain layer underneath. We find that the differential transmittance ΔT/T can be negative for split-ring resonators on the top of the gain substrate, which is not expected, and ΔT/T is positive for the gain substrate alone. These simulations agree with pump-probe experiments and can help to design new experiments to compensate for the losses of metamaterials.     

Astigmatically compensated cw dye laser resonators using lenses

The compensation of the astigmatism of Brewster-angled dye cells can be performed with lenses as well as with spherical mirrors. The advantages of cw dye laser resonators using lenses lie in the linear configuration of the optics and the convenient adjustability of astigmatism compensation. An output efficiency of 30% already at 1.6W pumping power has been observed. In addition, ring laser resonators with lenses have been investigated and they delivered up to 400 mW single mode power in travelling wave operation at less than 2 W pumping power.     

Analysis of resonator modes in two-dimensional laser cavities containing a left-handed material

Resonator modes in two-dimensional laser cavities with curved end mirrors filled with a left-handed material were investigated numerically using the extended Fox-Li mode calculation method. The results reveal that the phase profile on the curved end mirrors of a left-handed cavity is inverted relative to that of a cavity filled with a right-handed material. Furthermore, we show that the phase on the end mirrors takes discrete values of zero and ±π under stable resonator conditions, while it varies continuously under unstable resonator conditions. The differences between stable and unstable resonators significantly alter the far-field patterns of the lowest-loss modes.