Drift of gases induced by nonmonochromatic light

The phenomenon of light-induced drift of gases influenced by a nonmonochromatic light with different spectral properties is under consideration. The dependence of the drift velocity on the spectrum shape, bandwidth, detunings and light intensity is studied. The largest drift velocity is found to be obtained at the bandwidth of the spectrum being of the order of the Doppler atomic transition width, and when the wings of the spectrum drop rapidly. It is shown that nonmonochromatic light of the same intensity as a monochromatic one allows to reach a much larger drift velocity. Principal possibilities to obtain supersonic light-induced drift velocities are shown.     

Doppler-free spectroscopy and wave-front conjugation by four-wave mixing of nonmonochromatic waves

A new technique to determine the natural and collision width of Doppler-broadened two-photon transitions is shown. The method consists of using the pump with the spectral width considerably exceeding the Doppler one of the transition. Feasibility of effective wave front conjugation is shown for the case of radiation with a large spectral width.     

Unidirectional Doppler-free gain and generation in optically pumped lasers

The feasibility of obtaining anisotropic Doppler-free gain and unidirectional generation in optically pumped lasers is studied. The Doppler broadening is compensated due to a pump-induced velocity-dependent light shift of an atomic transition. The gain and spectral characteristics are investigated.     

Phase-matched four-photon mixing processes in birefringent fibers

We describe several new phase-matching processes for four-photon mixing in polarization-preserving birefringent fibers. The frequency shifts and polarization conditions of the waves involved in this nonlinear interaction are specified for a single-mode fused silica birefringent fiber. Our calculations include the effect of dispersion in the birefringence of the fibers.     

Thermo-optical SEED devices: External control of nonlinearity,bistability and switching behaviour

We discuss novel fundamental properties of thermo-optical SEED devices and present experimental results performed on Si Schottky, diodes where the optoelectronically generated electrical power leads to optical bistability and photonic switching. In particular, it is shown that the external resistance yields an additional nonlinearity which leads to novel properties which result from the external control of the multistable and switching behaviour. As a result, bistable characteristics with negligible hysteresis widths but high contrast ratios, a novel multistability and tunable differential gain can be achieved. Additionally, the temperature range and also the total dissipated power which are necessary for switching the device can significantly be reduced when using the external resistance.     

Spatial filtering in the detection of thermal transverse phase modulation of laser beams

We study the application of spatial filtering to the far field detection of a probe beam with transverse phase modulation induced by the refractive index distribution generated in an optically thin film by the steady state absorption of a pump beam. To this end we introduce a mathematical model able to describe the phenomenon and we study the dependence of the detected signal on the radius and the position of a circular stop operating as a spatial filter. We show, by computer calculations, that spatial filtering allows enhancement of signal/background ratio as has already been shown for the case of pulsed thermal lens spectroscopy. We give an explicit expression of the detected signal as a function of sample properties that can be used for the interpretation of measurements.     

Polarization selective optical heterodyne detection for dramatically improved sensitivity in laser spectroscopy

The noise characteristic of available laser sources limits the sensitivity of many types of nonlinear spectroscopy. We show how to maximize the sensitivity by optimizing the strength of a local oscillator wave in a heterodyne detection scheme without altering the amplitude of the wave being detected. The intensity profile of the optimum local oscillator closely matches that of the incident probe wave, but the optimum intensity is much less than that of the probe under realistic conditions. A general signal-to-noise analysis applicable to all nonlinear spectroscopy techniques is presented along with specific applications to coherent Raman spectroscopy, two-photon absorption, saturation spectroscopy, and optical coherent transient techniques. A simple optimization procedure employing polarization selection rules is described. Detailed calculations are performed for the case of TEM₀₀ waves interacting via a third-order nonlinear susceptibility and for the case where the sample is simultaneously probed at many different frequency combinations. Supported by the National Science Foundation and Office of Naval Research.     

Study of thermally induced optical bistability in a twisted nematic liquid crystal

We report the observation and study of optical bistability in the power transmitted by a twisted nematic liquid crystal bounded by crossed dichroic polarizers. A detailed study of the dependence of the phenomenon on the sample initial temperature has been performed. The effect is a good test for a simple theoretical model which describes the isotropic droplet formation in a nematic sample under laser illumination. A good agreement is found between experimental results and theoretical predictions. Applications of the effect to realize temperature sensors are envisaged.     

Collimation and decollimation of atomic beams by laser radiation

Efficient collimation and decollimation of an atomic beam by spontaneous radiation pressure acting on the atoms in axially symmtric light fields has been accomplished. The on-axic atomic-beam intensity was changed by 800 times. The entire effect of collimation and decollimation takes place in a laser-frequency variation about the natural line width.     

Wavelength tunable subpicosecond pulse generation with a fiber grating Raman laser

Operation of a wavelength tunable fiber grating Raman laser working in the 1.1 m regime is demonstrated. The pumping mechanism utilizes the process of stimulated perpendicular Raman scattering, possible in fibers for which birefringence can compensate dispersion. A total tuning range of 40 nm with a minimum output pulse duration of 0.8 ps is achieved by using two optical fibers and controlling their birefringence thermally.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Herbert Welling on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Atom-density distribution in a metal vapor cell studied by third-harmonic generation

The density distribution of Cs atoms in a metal-vapor cell designed for nonlinear optical and spectroscopic measurements has been investigated by the THG technique. For high heater powers the desnity-distribution function was found to display a dip in the central part of the cell. Explanation of the phenomenon and criteria to eliminate it are proposed.     

Simultaneous measurement of pure-optical and thermo-optical nonlinearities induced by high-repetition-rate, femtosecond laser pulses: application to CS2

A simple experimental technique is presented capable of separating the contribution of purely optical Kerr effects from that of thermo-optical effects in the nonlinear response of materials under high-repetition-rate laser irradiation. The technique has been realized by combining the single-beam Z-scan method with the single-beam thermal lens measurement method. We demonstrate this technique by analysing the nonlinear response at 770 nm of CS₂ which exhibits cumulative thermal effects when irradiated by very intense femtosecond laser pulses at a 76-MHz repetition rate. Received: 3 November 1998 / Revised version: 4 January 1999 / Published online: 2 June 1999     

The identification of nonlinear molecular systems by spectroscopic methods

The Wiener functional expansion method for the analysis of nonlinear systems is applied to identify and analyze both nonlinear and linear molecular systems by spectroscopic methods. As the sampling filter (monochromator) of any spectroscopic apparatus may be defined by a Weber-Hermite polynomial, an analysis of the refracted or scattered light by orthogonal polynomials is easily achieved. Time averaging obtains the Weber-Hermite coefficients which permit the characterization of the molecular system with respect to the polarization of the incident and scattered light. In the case of two series of measurements made with incident and emerging light polarized in different directions: the identification of the JonesM matrices for the molecular system irradiated is possible. In the case of three series of measurements made, for example, with incident and emerging light (a) circularly polarized corotating, (b) circularly polarized contrarotating, and (c) plane polarized perpendicular: the identification of the molecular system's McClain invariants related to the vibrational symmetry group for Raman inelastic light scattering is possible. The analysis presents a unified picture of elastic and inelastic light scattering and one-photon and two-photon processes. The apparatus described would detect those instances in molecular systems for which Beer's law does not apply.     

Temporal analysis of a mode-locked Nd-glass laser by four-wave mixing

The duration, shape, and background intensity level of pulses of a passively modelocked Nd-glass laser are determined by noncollinear phase-matched four-photon frequency mixing of time-separated fundamental and second-harmonic pulses in a KI crystal. The pulse shape is found to be slightly asymmetric with slower trailing than rising parts. The background intensity level before and behind the main pulse is about 5¢10^–6 the peak pulse intensity.     

Time averaging by means of a computer controlled dye-laser spectrometer

The noise characteristic of available laser sources limits the sensitivity of saturated absorption spectroscopy. Time averaging is one method to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. A computer controlled dye-laser spectrometer is described which has the capability to scan several times any selected frequency range with an absolute accuracy of ±200 kHz. The sensitivity of this system is demonstrated by measuring the isotope shift of the low abundant³⁸Ar and by detecting a weak⁸³Kr-hyperfine component.     

Modeling of enhancement of nonlinearity in oxide and chalcogenide glasses by introduction of nanometals

In this Letter we extended T-matrix to calculate the nonlinear susceptibilities of a composite nonlinear host and guest medium, and then applied this model to calculate the nonlinear susceptibilities of oxide and chalcogenide glasses by introduction of nanometals. The results of the model is in good agreement with experimental ones.     

The influence of phase-modulation on femtosecond time-resolved coherent Raman spectroscopy

The influence of phase-modulation on femtosecond time-resolved coherent Raman scattering is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The coherent Raman signal taken as a function of the spectral position shows unexpected temporal oscillations close to time zero. A theoretical analysis of the coherent Raman scattering process indicates that the femtosecond light pulses are amplitude and phase modulated. The pulses are asymmetric in time with more slowly decaying trailing wings. The phase of the pulse amplitude contains quadratic and higher-order contributions.     

Anisotropic scattering generated by photorefractive four-wave mixing in BaTiO3 crystal

A new type of anisotropic scattering with ring-and-line structure is observed for the first time from a BaTiO₃ crystal illuminated by a linearly polarized laser beam. The analysis presented herein is based on the photorefractive four-wave interaction of the incident, reflected, and scattered beams. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical analysis.     

Generation of tunable picosecond light pulses covering the frequency range between 2700 and 32,000 cm−1

The travelling-wave parametric process allows the generation of intense picosecond pulses tunable between 2700 and 17,000 cm⁻¹. Angle- and temperature tuning was investigated using LiNbO₃ crystals of different cuts. Various factors determining the bandwidth of the new pulses are evaluated and experimental spectra are presented. Frequency doubling readily leads to light pulses up to 32,000 cm⁻¹. The jitter of two parametric systems operating in parallel is less than 1 ps for pump pulses of 7 ps.