Control of light polarization in a semiconductor dual-wavelength vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser

A method for controlling the polarization characteristics of the radiation of a dual-wavelength vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) is proposed. It is shown that a retarder of a special kind used as a part of the laser cavity allows the excitation of laser radiation with components in nearly mutually transverse polarization planes.     

Radiation Polarization Distribution Function of a Dye Laser

The Fokker–Planck equation for the distribution function of the intensity of an individual component has been solved in the approximation of the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process within the framework of the formalism of the method of polarization components. Based on this solution, we have constructed the distribution functions of the degree of lasing radiation polarization, analyzed experimental data for a certain geometry of laser pumping, and determined the values of the distribution parameters, including the loss coefficients for the polarization component.     

Statistical Properties of the Polarized Radiation of a Dye–Solution Laser

Within the framework of the method of polarization components we obtained the Fokker–Planck equation for the intensity–distribution function of an individual component. Solutions for the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process show that the experimentally observed special features in the behavior of the distribution function of the intensity and degree of polarization of laser radiation in the vicinity of the threshold are well described in the approximation of statistical independence of polarization components. However, since the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process includes states not realizable physically for the given case, an exact solution of the Fokker–Planck equation is constructed by the method of expansion in eigenstates. It is shown that this solution is totally correct physically and yields virtually the same values for the distribution functions of the intensity and degree of polarization of radiation as the dependences obtained earlier for the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process.     

Light propagation in a strong external magnetic field with regard to quantum corrections

Linearized motion equations for electromagnetic wave field in the external magnetic field have been solved for the PVLAS experiment configuration within the low-energy approximation of quantum electrodynamics. It has been shown that the wave propagation velocity depends on the initial direction of the plane of wave polarization. Dispersion laws corresponding to the waves with mutually perpendicular directions of polarization have been established. The dependence of ellipticity of laser radiation field on initial polarization and the value of the external magnetic field has been obtained. The ellipticity parameter for the configuration of the system used in the PVLAS experiment has been found.     

Longitudinal Current Induced by a Plane Electromagnetic Wave in a Single Atom

The change in the polarization state of the atomic response due to the appearence of the longitudinal component, which has been predicted in [A. Andreev, S. Stremoukhov, and O. Shoutova, Europhys. Lett. 120, 14003 (2017)], has been studied. The dependence of the vector properties of the atomic current induced in an atom with unit angular momentum in the ground state on the properties of a two-color laser field with orthogonally polarized components has been analyzed. It has been shown that the variation of the delay time between the frequency components of the laser field makes it possible to efficiently control the polarization of the components of the atomic response field. The effect of the mutual orientation of the electric component of the laser field and the angular momentum of the atom on the longitudinal component of the atomic current and on the polarization properties of the generated radiation has been demonstrated.     

Coherent backscattering of polarized light from a turbid medium

Approximate analytical expressions for the intensities of the polarized components of light reflected from a disordered medium with large discrete particles (larger than the wavelength) have been derived with the use of the method of decoupling of the vector transfer equation that is based on separate treatment of basic and additional polarization modes. The results obtained provide the relation between the peak shape in the angular distribution of the backscattered radiation with a given polarization and the optical characteristics of the medium and are in good agreement with experimental data and numerical calculations.     

Spectral properties of dye lasers

Starting from conventional rate equations describing the multimode operation of a laser with a broad homogeneous emission line, a system of approximately valid equations, suitable for both analytical and numerical studies of the spectral properties of laser radiation not too far from threshold, has been derived by introducing equations of motion for the spatial Fourier components of the inversion densityN(z, t), thus replacing the equation of motion forN(z, t) itself. Analytical solutions for steady-state operation were found and physically discussed in the following cases: (a) ring laser, (b) jet-stream laser with the active medium positioned either near one of the (Fabry-Perot) resonator mirrors or in the centre of the resonator, and (c) laser with a Fabry-Perot resonator completely filled with the active medium. The spectra thus calculated indicate that spatial hole burning is most efficient in providing mode co-existence in configuration (c), where it gives rise to a significant bandwidth. It is of minor importance, however, in case (b), where the spectrum differs only slightly from that of a ring laser, which is clearly free from hole-burning effects.     

Gravitational Faraday Effect Produced by a Ring Laser

Using the linearized Einstein gravitational field equations and the Maxwell field equations it is shown that the plane of polarization of an electromagnetic wave is rotated by the gravitational field created by the electromagnetic radiation of a ring laser. It is further shown that this gravitational Faraday effect shares many of the properties of the standard electromagnetic Faraday effect. An experimental arrangement is then suggested for the observation of this gravitational Faraday effect induced by the ring laser.     

Interference method of measuring the extinction coefficient of birefringent optical fibers

The extinction coefficient of a birefringent optical fiber (the ratio between the radiation power output of the polarization mode and the radiation power transferred from this mode to another one) characterizes the capability of a birefringent fiber to retain the polarization state of the radiation. In relatively short birefringent fibers (1–100 m), the extinction coefficient may reach 10⁴–10⁶. Such high values of the extinction coefficient are difficult to measure by standard techniques (excitation of one polarization mode by an incoherent source with subsequent recording of the light intensity at the output of the analyzer). An interference method of measuring the extinction coefficient of birefringent fibers is suggested. It is based on using a coherent source and measuring interference oscillations caused by an additional phase modulation at the input of the fiber. This method does not require precise polarization matching between the laser source and fiber and considerably loosens requirements for the polarizer-analyzer extinction and resolution of the photodetector. As a result, using simple standard components (semiconductor laser, film polarizer, and photodetector), one can measure extinction coefficient as high as 10⁶. The suggested interference method of measuring the extinction coefficient of birefringent fibers receives a theoretical analysis, and experimental data obtained for 2- to 1000-m-long fibers are presented.     

任意椭圆偏振激光场非线性汤姆逊散射的一般表述与X射线产生的优化条件

基于相对论条件的电动力学,解析求解了任意椭圆偏振条件下激光场的非线性汤姆逊散射的一般表示.利用解析结果得到了背向非线性汤姆逊散射高次谐波的极值条件.结果表明对于基频背向汤姆逊散射,在相同条件下,圆偏振激光具有最大值而线偏振是最小值,如果激光偏振态从圆偏振连续的过渡到线偏振,背向汤姆逊散射的角功率随之单调递减.这一效应对高强度入射激光尤为重要,当 a² >5时,圆偏振情形的贡献几乎是线偏振的2倍.这对基于汤姆逊散射机制的X射线源实验研究具有重要参考意义. 关键词： 非线性汤姆逊散射 偏振度 极值     

激光辐照金属板材的温升和升温率

从光子与声子相互作用机制出发,导出金属材料的能量吸收速度;解热传导方程,求出激光辐照下金属板材料的温度分布;讨论了激光辐照时间、材料性质等对金属板材温升和升温率的影响。     

Transformation of the polarization structure of laser radiation in optical systems

A range of questions regarding the calculation of the spatial polarization structure of laser radiation in optical systems is considered. It is shown that polarization aberrations in such systems lead to a distortion of the initial polarization structure. Requirements for an optical system intended for the transmission of the polarization structure of laser radiation and methods for the compensation of polarization aberrations are discussed.     

Estimation of elastic stress in the near-surface layers of solid objects caused by thermoelastic deformations under absorption of nonstationary laser radiation

Analytical expressions for the calculation of radial and tangential components of the elastic stress tensor that are generated by the nonstationary laser radiation in the near-surface layers of solid objects are derived in the framework of a 3D model and quasi-static approximation. The components of the stress tensor are analyzed in the systems with strong and weak focusing of laser radiation on the surface of the object.     

Electron dynamics in the laser and quasi-static electric and magnetic fields

3/2 dimensional Hamiltonian equations, accounting for arbitrary polarized plane wave laser radiation and arbitrary electric and magnetic fields in the directions both along and across to the direction of the laser beam propagation, are derived for superluminal phase velocity of the laser radiation. An impact of superluminal laser radiation phase velocity on the transition to stochastic electron motion is studied.     

Group Representation of Relativistic Quantum Crystal Optics

A group representation of radiation propagation in an anisotropic medium is developed. The system of wave equations for electromagnetic potentials, obtained from the Maxwell equations with account for the constitutive equations, has been factorized. It is shown that the linear differential operator of the factorized system is orthogonal in transparent crystals and unitary in gyrotropic ones and is represented through the momentum operator. On the basis of the commutation relations for the components of this operator, the eigenvalue problem has been solved and the expression for the change in the radiant energy in the crystal in the form of spherical waves has been obtained. The dependences of the ray and phase velocities and the polarization vectors of waves on the birefringence anisotropy and gyrotropy as well as on the angular momentum, displacement current, and bound charge determining them have been analyzed. It has been established that in the general case of gyrotropic crystals where the nonreciprocity phenomenon takes place and in magnetoelectrics Maxwell equations are represented in a form similar to the Dirac equations and the electromagnetic radiation is correctly described by means of bispinors and is quantized as fermions.     

Statistical properties of the laser emission in a low-Q cavity

We investigate theoretically the stationary statistical properties of the laser radiation in a low-Q cavity with field, polarization, and population fluctuations. Eliminating adiabatically the electric field from the Maxwell-Bloch equations, coupled Langevin equations with bothadditive andmultiplicative noises are derived and are transformed into the multivariable Fokker-Planck equation of a probability density of the light intensity and the population difference. It is solved by the expansion into orthonormal sets, and a vector recurrence equation of motion of the expansion coefficients is given whose stationary solutions are analytically obtained in theMatrix continued-fraction. The stationary distribution function of the radiation intensity are calculated with several values of control parameters. We discuss the variance of the intensity distribution, the photon-counting coefficient, and the cross-correlation between intensity and population as a function of the pump parameter, and reveal the novel and characteristic features of the bad-cavity laser system. The comparison with the good-cavity (high-Q cavity) case is also made.     

Cubic self-action effects in photonic-crystal microcavities

Third-order nonlinear-optical self-action effects in photonic-crystal microcavities have been studied. Considerable defocusing has been observed in a nonlinear microcavity layer with a thickness much smaller than the wavelength. The polarization self-action effect that is manifested as the significant rotation of the polarization plane of laser radiation resonant to the microcavity mode has been observed. It has been shown that the polarization rotation angle is a linear function of the radiation power density.     

Formation of linearly polarized light with axial symmetry by use of space-variant subwavelength gratings

We present a novel method for forming linearly polarized axially symmetric beams with various polarization orders that is based on computer-generated space-variant subwavelength gratings. We introduce and experimentally demonstrate that our space-variant polarization state manipulations are accompanied by a phase modification of a helical structure that results from the Pancharatnam-Berry phase. We have verified the polarization properties of our gratings for laser radiation at 10.6-microm wavelength.