The Characteristics of Wavefront and Far-Field Optical Pattern from High Power Laser Mirror

This paper presents the characteristics of wavefront and far-field optical pattern from high power laser mirror which suffered from thermal deformations. Zernike polynomials are introduced to describe aberrations of laser-induced thermal deformations. And, the far-field optical patterns of radiation are calculated by using Fourier transformation and measured by interference experiments. The result indicates that main aberrations are defocusing and primary coma, and that the tilt cannot be ignored. Some optical patterns and contour maps which depend on the laser beam power applied to the mirror and the exposure time are given. Finally a new clamping method is suggested, which can reduce the tilt of mirror and increase the pointing stability of high power laser beam.     

"Negative" backaction noise in interferometric detection of a microlever

Interferometric detection of mirror displacements is intrinsically limited by laser shot noise. In practice, however, it is often limited by thermal noise. Here we report on an experiment performed at the liquid helium temperature to overcome the thermal noise limitation and investigate the effect of classical laser noise on a microlever that forms a Fabry-Perot cavity with an optical fiber. The spectral noise densities show a region of "negative" contribution of the backaction noise close to the resonance frequency. We interpret this noise reduction as a coherent coupling of the microlever to the laser intensity noise. This optomechanical effect could be used to improve the detection sensitivity as discussed in proposals going beyond the standard quantum limit.     

Optical metrology for massive detectors of gravitational waves

The high level reached in the stability of laser sources and in the quality of optical components makes interferometric metrology appealing to those involved in the search for detection of gravitational waves (GWs). In this paper we present a readout for massive detectors of GWs, based on laser interferometry with high finesse Fabry–Pérot cavities, and describe the frequency stability of the laser source. The achievable sensitivity at the quantum limit level inherent to this technique requires a careful design, in order to reduce other sources of extra noise. In particular, we focus on the local effects of thermal and radiation pressure fluctuations and present an optical configuration that can reduce these effects below the quantum limit level.     

Quantum noise in the mirror–field system: A field theoretic approach

We revisit the quantum noise problem in the mirror–field system by a field-theoretic approach. Here a perfectly reflecting mirror is illuminated by a single-mode coherent state of the massless scalar field. The associated radiation pressure is described by a surface integral of the stress-tensor of the field. The read-out field is measured by a monopole detector, from which the effective distance between the detector and mirror can be obtained. In the slow-motion limit of the mirror, this field-theoretic approach allows to identify various sources of quantum noise that all in all leads to uncertainty of the read-out measurement. In addition to well-known sources from shot noise and radiation pressure fluctuations, a new source of noise is found from field fluctuations modified by the mirror’s displacement. Correlation between different sources of noise can be established in the read-out measurement as the consequence of interference between the incident field and the field reflected off the mirror. In the case of negative correlation, we found that the uncertainty can be lowered than the value predicted by the standard quantum limit. Since the particle-number approach is often used in quantum optics, we compared results obtained by both approaches and examine its validity. We also derive a Langevin equation that describes the stochastic dynamics of the mirror. The underlying fluctuation–dissipation relation is briefly mentioned. Finally we discuss the backreaction induced by the radiation pressure. It will alter the mean displacement of the mirror, but we argue this backreaction can be ignored for a slowly moving mirror.     

Quantum locking of mirrors in interferometers

We show that quantum noise in very sensitive interferometric measurements such as gravitational-wave detectors can be drastically modified by quantum feedback. We present a new scheme based on active control to lock the motion of a mirror to a reference mirror at the quantum level. This simple technique allows one to reduce quantum effects of radiation pressure and to greatly enhance the sensitivity of the detection.     

An all-optical trap for a gram-scale mirror

We report on a stable optical trap suitable for a macroscopic mirror, wherein the dynamics of the mirror are fully dominated by radiation pressure. The technique employs two frequency-offset laser fields to simultaneously create a stiff optical restoring force and a viscous optical damping force. We show how these forces may be used to optically trap a free mass without introducing thermal noise, and we demonstrate the technique experimentally with a 1 g mirror. The observed optical spring has an inferred Young's modulus of 1.2 TPa, 20% stiffer than diamond. The trap is intrinsically cold and reaches an effective temperature of 0.8 K, limited by technical noise in our apparatus.     

Thermal optical effect in axisymmetric structural laser resonator

In order to study the thermal optical effect (TOE) resulting from the axisymmetrical sources of thermal energy at the output mirror of CO₂ laser, the Heat Conduction Poisson Equation (HCPE) has been solved in the output mirror. Then the temperature distribution is given. The temperature variations will cause the surface distortion and the phase shift at the output mirror. Therefore, the output laser beam will be subject to thermal optical distortion and phase change. The numerical examples are to confirm our calculated results.     

低频压缩态光场的制备

低频压缩态光场可用于提高引力波探测器灵敏度, 近年来受到人们的广泛关注. 相对于高频段而言, 低频压缩态的产生更容易受到外界环境噪声的干扰而不易被观察到. 本文采用全固化单频倍频Nd: YVO4/KTP激光器作为光源, 利用双波长共振的光学参量振荡器实现参量过程, 以1064 nm波长的红外作为基频光, 激光器腔内倍频产生的532 nm绿光作为抽运光, 通过调节周期性极化磷酸氧钛钾晶体温度使光学参量振荡器达到双波长同时共振, 采用真空注入的方式, 利用Pound-Drever-Hall锁腔技术锁定抽运场. 输出压缩光通过平衡零拍探测, 最终在实验上获得了频率低至3 kHz的真空压缩, 所直接观察到的压缩度为2 dB.     

Sensitivity Advantage of QCL Tunable-Laser Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Over FTIR Spectroscopy

Abstract

Interest in mid-infrared spectroscopy instrumentation beyond classical FTIR using a thermal light source has increased dramatically in recent years. Synchrotron, supercontinuum, and external-cavity quantum cascade laser light sources are emerging as viable alternatives to the traditional thermal black-body emitter (Globar), especially for remote interrogation of samples (“stand-off” detection) and for hyperspectral imaging at diffraction-limited spatial resolution (“microspectroscopy”). It is thus timely to rigorously consider the relative merits of these different light sources for such applications. We study the theoretical maximum achievable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of FTIR using synchrotron or supercontinuum light vs. that of a tunable quantum cascade laser, by reinterpreting an important result that is well known in near-infrared optical coherence tomography imaging. We rigorously show that mid-infrared spectra can be acquired up to 1000 times faster—using the same detected light intensity, the same detector noise level, and without loss of SNR—using the tunable quantum cascade laser as compared with the FTIR approach using synchrotron or supercontinuum light. We experimentally demonstrate the effect using a novel, rapidly tunable quantum cascade laser that acquires spectra at rates of up to 400 per second. We also estimate the maximum potential spectral acquisition rate of our prototype system to be 100,000 per second.     

Beam Combination using Stimulated Brillouin Scattering for the Ultimate High Power-Energy Laser System Operating at High Repetition Rate over 10 Hz for Laser Fusion Driver

After the laser was invented in 1960, a phase conjugation mirror has been respected to be the most fantastic one for the laser resonator composition because it can compensate any distortions of the laser beams occurred by the many inhomogenuities of the laser media and optical components. Among the many phase conjugation configurations, the stimulated Brillouin scattering phase conjugation mirror is the most simple one and many researchers have tried to utilize it to develop high power/energy laser systems. For realizing a high energy/power laser system the thermal problem is the most difficult to solve, and some researchers suggested a beam combination technique to reduce the thermal load of the big laser media to many small sized ones. To accomplish the beam combination using stimulated Brillouin scattering phase conjugation mirrors (SBS-PCMs), it is necessary to lock/control the phases of the SBS-PCMs. And some researchers have developed several ways for it, but they can lock the phases of a limited number of beams overlapped at the foci less than 5, or lock the phases by back-seeding technique but it loses the phase conjugation characteristics. For realization of the laser fusion driver, it is necessary to combine more than 10 or 100 beams. And the authors have developed recently a new phase controlling/locking technique which is isolated and independent totally from other beams and it can be applied to an unlimited number of beams in principle.     

Doppler optomechanics of a photonic crystal

A laser beam directed at a mirror attached onto a flexible mount adds friction to its mechanical motion by the Doppler effect. For a normal mirror the efficiency of this radiative Doppler friction is very weak and practically masked by laser shot noise. We find that it can become very efficient using a photonic crystal mirror near its photonic band gaps. As an example, a Bragg mirror used at the long wavelength edge of its band stop can be efficiently optically cooled using the Doppler friction. The opposite effect opens new routes for optical pumping of mechanical systems: a laser pointing at a Bragg mirror and tuned at its short wavelength edge induces amplification of the vibrational excitation of the mirror leading eventually to its self-oscillation. These new effects rely on the strong dependency of a photonic crystal reflectivity on the wavelength.     

Suppression of classic and quantum radiation pressure noise by electro-optic feedback

We present theoretical results that demonstrate a new technique that can be used to improve the sensitivity of thermal noise measurements: intracavity intensity stabilization. It is demonstrated that electro-optic feedback can be used to reduce intracavity intensity fluctuations, and the consequent radiation pressure fluctuations, by a factor of 2 below the quantum-noise limit. We show that this reduction is achievable in the presence of large classic intensity fluctuations in the incident laser beam. The benefits of this scheme are a consequence of the sub-Poissonian intensity statistics of the field inside a feedback loop and the quantum nondemolition nature of radiation pressure noise as a readout system for the intracavity intensity fluctuations.     

低分析频率压缩光的实验制备

基于PPKTP晶体的阈值以下光学参量振荡(OPO)过程,制备了共振于铷原子D1线795 nm的压缩真空态光场,研究了分析频率处于千赫兹范围的主要噪声来源,特别是795 nm激光及其二次谐波397.5 nm激光在晶体内吸收引起的非线性损耗增加和系统热不稳定的问题(397.5 nm激光处于PPKTP晶体透光范围边缘,具有高于其他波长数倍的吸收系数).以795 nm和1064 nm为例,分析了非线性损耗及晶体内热效应对压缩度的影响.受限于以上因素,795 nm压缩光很难得到1064 nm波段同样的压缩度.探测系统中的噪声耦合则限制了压缩频带.实验上对分析频率为千赫兹的经典噪声进行了有效控制,通过使用真空注入的OPO、垂直偏振及反向传输的腔长锁定光、低噪声的平衡零拍探测器、高稳定度的实验系统及量子噪声锁定等方法,最终在2.6—100 kHz的分析频段得到了约2.8 dB的795 nm压缩真空.该压缩光可用作磁场测量系统的探测光以提高测量灵敏度.     

基于光纤中SBS相位共轭的自调Q光纤激光器

分析了利用光纤中的受激布里渊散射(stimulated Brillouin scattering,SBS)相位共轭效应进行激光腔内调Q,产生ns量级脉冲激光的原理,并对利用该效应产生的激光脉冲波形和脉冲形成过程进行了数值模拟,得到的脉冲波形与SBS相位共轭反射率随时间变化曲线基本一致,表明利用光纤中的SBS相位共轭作用调Q具有可行性.据此,对采用单模光纤(single-mode fiber,SMF)作为SBS池的Er³⁺掺杂调Q光纤激光器进行实验研究.当单模光纤长度为1.5 m时,在45 mW的光抽运功率下得到脉宽约2.6ns,脉冲周期58.23ns,平均功率7.35mW的激光脉冲.进一步的研究表明:激光器中相位共轭镜的形成与SBS介质长度有关,SBS介质过长,斯托克斯线之间无固定的相位关系,不能形成相干叠加,SBS相位共轭腔不能形成;SBS介质过短,腔内正交偏振模光子寿命的改变使脉冲出现双峰现象.脉冲形成后其属性只与SBS动态属性有关.     

Physical noise model of a uniformly doped nanoscale FinFET photodetector

The noise mechanisms of a uniformly doped nanoscale FinFET photodetector including quantum mechanical effects is investigated theoretically. A numerical model has been developed for computation of different noise components in nanoscale FinFET. The drain current channel thermal noise under illuminated conditions is calculated. The noise parameters of the nanoscale FinFET equivalent circuit are strongly influenced by the incident optical signal and the quantum mechanical effects are found to play a major role in determining the overall noise performance of the device. It also reveals that the operating frequency can be adjusted suitably to make the noise behavior independent of the incident optical power. Other noise components such as Shot noise, thermal noise and diffusion noise have been calculated for the two port FinFET photodetector. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), Bit error rate (BER) and noise equivalent power (NEP) has also been calculated.     

基于泊松分布单光子源的量子误码率的分析

在自由空间量子密钥分配中,单光子源采用具有泊松分布的高度衰减激光脉冲,量子密码术协议采用BB84和B92协议。通过引入量子信道传输率、单光子捕获概率、测量因子和数据筛选因子,建立了量子误码率理论模型,给出了量子误码率的表达式。对于自由空间量子信道,引起量子误码率的主要因素是光学元件、探测器暗噪声和空间光学环境,并对这些因素进行了分析。针对低轨卫星_地面站间链路,进行了量子误码率的数值仿真研究。结果表明,在低轨卫星_地面站间进行量子密钥分配是可行的,限制自由空间量子密钥分配链路距离的主要因素是探测器暗噪声和空间光学环境。     

高功率激光器的光谱合束技术研究北大核心CSCD

为了获得高功率激光束,提出利用双色镜对典型波长2种不同类型(脉冲、连续)的高能激光进行合束,以实现高功率高能量激光输出。通过对双色镜的热效应和合束光斑远场激光参数进行仿真分析计算,热效应仿真结果表明,在单束激光10 kW、光斑直径15 mm条件下,双色镜面型热形变量均方根值为0.004λ(λ=632.8 nm),满足光学元件面型小于0.03λ精度要求。搭建了一套基于双色镜的光谱合束系统,并分别进行了高功率连续激光与高功率连续激光、高功率连续激光与高能量脉冲激光的合束试验,合束效率高于95%。试验结果表明,光谱合束可有效应用于高能激光领域。     

Diamagnetic levitation of a milligram-scale silica using permanent magnets for the use in a macroscopic quantum measurement

Verification of macroscopic quantum mechanics requires that the position measurement accuracy of mirrors of various mass scales reach the Standard Quantum Limit (SQL) derived from Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. At mg-scale, thermal noise of the suspension wire of the mirror is an issue to reach the SQL. We propose to use a magnetic levitation system consisting of permanent magnets and yokes, noting the fact that a silica mirror is diamagnetic, and have succeeded in the experimental verification to levitate a 0.1-1 mg silica mass. This is the first demonstration of the levitation system with this mass scale and this magnetic susceptibility scale using permanent magnets as far as we know. We also estimated major noise sources for a 0.1 mg silica mirror and found the noise level to be lower than the SQL at 400 Hz-18 kHz. In conclusion, the levitation system of a mg-scale mirror for the use in a macroscopic quantum measurement was realized.     

Active correction of thermal lensing through external radiative thermal actuation

Absorption of laser beam power in optical elements induces thermal gradients that may cause unwanted phase aberrations. In precision measurement applications, such as laser interferometric gravitational-wave detection, corrective measures that require mechanical contact with or attachments to the optics are precluded by noise considerations. We describe a radiative thermal corrector that can counteract thermal lensing and (or) thermoelastic deformation induced by coating and substrate absorption of collimated Gaussian beams. This radiative system can correct anticipated distortions to a high accuracy, at the cost of an increase in the average temperature of the optic. A quantitative analysis and parameter optimization is supported by results from a simplified proof-of-principle experiment, demonstrating the method's feasibility for our intended application.     

Manipulating the quantum properties of continuous laser beams

The quantum properties of light play an ever increasing role in optics. Thanks to the ability to generate and use special light with modified quantum noise and to the generation of optical entanglement, we can now avoid the conventional limits imposed by the shot noise. In addition, we can create new quantum information protocols. This article concentrates on the case of continuous laser beams, which are used in many precision measurements and applications. The article summarizes some of the concepts, reviews the technical development, provides a simple and reliable model and shows some of the current directions of using optical quantum correlations, such as for the storage of quantum information. PACS 42.50.Dv