Microdisk resonator filters made of dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguides

Microdisk resonator filters, an alternative to microring resonator filters, are studied by means of vectorial three dimensional finite element method simulations. Their performance characteristics are highlighted for different microdisk radii, and compared with those of the respective, footprint-wise, microring filters. We show that microdisk filters are advantageous, as the resonator involved exhibits smaller radiation losses. Extinction ratios as high as 30 dB are possible by properly tuning the gap separating the waveguide from the microdisk in each case. Transmission dips due to higher-radial-order modes that drastically change the transmission picture appear only for very large microdisk radii.     

Cw oscillation at 1.05 and 1.32 μm of LiNd(PO3)4 lasers in external resonator and in resonator with directly applied mirrors

The room temperature cw oscillation at 1.05 and 1.32 μm of lithium neodymium tetraphosphate [LiNd(PO₃)₄, LNP] lasers in an external resonator and, for the first time, also in a Fabry-Perot resonator with directly applied mirrors is reported. The growth and fluorescence properties of the LNP crystals are briefly described. Laser parameters such as threshold pump power, output power, differential efficiency, optical gain, emission cross section and laser modes are both measured and calculated. Laser experiments show the threshold pump power to be lower for 1.05 μm than for 1.32 μm emission because of the smaller emission cross section; the pump power density is lower for the external resonator than for the Fabry-Perot resonator because of its higher mode losses.     

Potential for micromachined actuation of ultra-wide continuously tunable optoelectronic devices

Tailored scaling represents a principle of success that, both in nature and in technology, allows the effectiveness of physical effects to be enhanced. Mutation and selection in nature are imitated in technology, e.g. by model calculation and design. Proper scaling of dimensions in natural photonic crystals and our fabricated artificial 1D photonic crystals (DBRs, distributed Bragg reflectors) enable efficient diffractive interaction in a specific spectral range. For our optical microsystems we illustrate that tailored miniaturization may also increase the mechanical stability and the effectiveness of spectral tuning by thermal and electrostatic actuation, since the relative significance of the fundamental physical forces involved considerably changes with scaling. These basic physical principles are rigorously applied in micromachined 1.55-μm vertical-resonator-based devices. We modeled, implemented and characterized 1.55-μm micromachined optical filters and vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser devices capable of wide, monotonic and kink-free tuning by a single control parameter. Tuning is achieved by mechanical actuation of one or several air-gaps that are part of the vertical resonator including two ultra-highly reflective DBR mirrors of strong refractive index contrast: (i) Δn=2.17 for InP/air-gap DBRs (3.5 periods) using GaInAs sacrificial layers and (ii) Δn=0.5 for Si₃N₄/SiO₂ DBRs (12 periods) with a polymer sacrificial layer to implement the air-cavity. In semiconductor multiple air-gap filters, a continuous tuning of >8% of the absolute wavelength is obtained. Varying the reverse voltage (U=0–5 V) between the membranes (electrostatic actuation), a tuning range of >110 nm was obtained for a large number of devices. The correlation of the wavelength and the applied voltage is accurately reproducible without any hysteresis. In two filters, tuning of 127 and 130 nm was observed for about ΔU=7 V. The extremely wide tuning range and the very small voltage required are record values to the best of our knowledge. For thermally actuated dielectric filters based on polymer sacrificial layers, Δλ/ΔU=-7 nm/V is found. Received: 10 May 2002 / Published online: 8 August 2002     

Normal modes and quality factors of shielded composite dielectric spherical resonators

Electromagnetic field analysis of shielded composite dielectric spherical resonator in which the dielectric sphere is composed of two concentric spheres with different dielectric materials has been made. Characteristic equations for the TE_nmℓ and TM_nmℓ modes have been derived. From these characteristic equations, the resonant frequencies and quality factors have been calculated using numerical method. Computations of the resonant frequencies and quality factors have been made for resonators with parameters suitable for the optical and microware regions. In this paper we have presented the analysis and the results obtained from the numerical computations for shielded composite dielectric spherical resonator in which the dielectric sphere is composed of two concentric spheres with different dielectric materials. Starting from the Maxwell’s equations for such a resonators have been derived and resonant frequencies and quality factor’s have been calculated for the TE_nmℓ and TM_nmℓ modes using numerical method.     

Effect of resonator length on ZnGeP<Subscript>2</Subscript> doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Tm,Ho:GdVO<Subscript>4</Subscript> laser

The effect of resonator length on ZnGeP₂ doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator was reported in this letter. With the employment of a Tm,Ho:GdVO₄ laser as the pump source at 2.05 μm, we have found that there are obvious peaks of the output power when the resonator lengths are matched to the length of the pump source. The ZGP OPO can generate a maximum output power of 4.27 W at 3.80 μm signal and 4.45 μm idler when the resonator length matches that of the pump source.     

Simultaneous operation at two different wavelengths of an PrLaP5O14 laser

Simultaneous laser operation at the wavelengths of λ₁=637 and λ₂=717 in Pr_0.5La_0.5P₅O₁₄ single crystals was observed. The crystals were excited by nanosecond publses from a Coumarin 2 dye laser (λ=450 nm). Laser emissions and their interdependence were studied both in crystals without an external resonator and in crystals placed within a plane parallel resonator. The energetic, time and frequency characteristics for both laser actions were examined. The effect of bifrequential emission was also found in crystals of different ratios of Pr and La ions concentration and in pure praseodymium pentaphosphate.     

Stable diode lasers for hydrogen precision spectroscopy

We report on an external cavity diode laser at 972 nmstabilized to a mid-plane mounted Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator with afinesse of 400000. The 0.5 Hz optical beat note line width betweentwo similar lasers (Allan deviation 2 × 10^-15) is limitedby thermal noise properties of two independent FP resonators. Thelong term drift of the FP resonator and mirror substrates made fromUltra-Low-Expansion glass (ULE) is small and can be well predictedon time intervals up to many hours if the resonator is stabilized atthe zero thermal expansion temperature T_c. Using a Peltierelement in a vacuum chamber for temperature stabilization allowsstabilization of the FP cavity to T_c which is usually below theroom temperature. Beat note measurements with a femtosecond opticalfrequency comb referenced to a H-maser during 15 hours have shown awell defined linear drift of the FP resonance frequency of about 60 mHz/s with residual frequency excursions of less than ±20 Hz.     

Single longitudinal mode pulse from a TEA CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser by using a three-mirror resonator with a Fabry–Pérot etalon

We present a single longitudinal mode (SLM) TEA CO₂ laser oscillation by using a three-mirror resonator with a Fabry–Pérot etalon. The etalon was inserted in the optical path taken out from the main resonator of the CO₂ laser for protecting the etalon from damage on the surface. A modified numerical model of the three- mirror resonator was investigated for design the laser. SLM pulse from the TEA CO₂ laser was achieved, and the experimentally measure values were found to have good agreement with the numerical model. The maximum pulse energy of reliable SLM emission is obtained in excess of 200 mJ at 9.57 μm. The reliability of producing SLM pulses was higher than 90%, and there was no damage on the etalon PACS  42.55.Lt; 42.60.Fc     

Intracavity frequency-doubled diode-pumped Nd : LaSc3(BO3)4 lasers

 An intracavity frequency-doubled 10%Nd : LaSc₃(BO₃)₄ (Nd : LSB) laser was investigated in different resonator configurations and in different operation modes under continuous wave (cw) and quasi-cw laser-diode pumping. With a Cr⁴⁺ : YAG passive modulator and a KTP crystal the second-harmonic output power at 531 nm amounted to 190 mW in Q-switched TEM₀₀ mode at 750 mW of pump power. In a sandwich resonator, when all the optical elements were in direct contact with each other, 0.8 W of green output power was obtained in cw mode under 2.7 W of pump power with a slope efficiency of 44%. In the same setup under fiber-coupled diode-laser array pumping (5.6 W of incident power), 1.2 W of green output power was achieved in cw mode and 1.4 W in quasi-cw mode. Received: 30 April 1996/Revised version: 1 July 1996     

Evaluation of losses and group effective refractive index of Er3+:Ti:LiNbO3 optical waveguides

In this paper, we report some experimental results concerning several types of loss measurements of Er³⁺:Ti:LiNbO₃ optical waveguides by using optical methods. Using the Fabry-Pérot interferometry method, we evaluated the attenuation coefficient of an optical waveguide resonator for a laser radiation having λ = 1.55 μm. We also evaluated the insertion losses, polarization dependent losses, and coupling with external losses. Additionally, from the transmitted spectra of the symmetrical monomode Fabry-Pérot optical waveguide resonator, we were able to evaluate the value of the group effective refractive index.     

A long-pulse TE CO2 laser with a negative-branch unstable resonator

Summary A long-pulse (>3 μs) CO₂ laser has been built using a negative-branch, frequency-selective, unstable resonator. The results obtained with this device are shown. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Single longitudinal mode selection of high power actively Q-switched lasers

A Pockels cell Q-switch has been operated in a manner analogous to a saturable absorber by initially keeping the cell partly open for the first 1000 or so double passes and then opening it completely at a pre-set resonator power. This then allows simple and reliable selection of a single longitudinal mode. A detailed discussion is given of the design considerations which lead to the correct choice of mode-selecting device. With three different devices, a TEM₀₀ mode Nd:CaWO₄ laser has produced 400 kW pulses in a single longitudinal mode with a shot-to-shot frequency stability of ∼ 0.01 cm⁻¹.     

Measurement of στ product of solid state laser materials by an alternative method: Application to Nd3+ doped YVO4 crystal for 4 F 3/2→4 I 11/2 transition

In this paper an alternative approach for measurement of στ product for ⁴ F _3/2→⁴ I _11/2 transition of Nd³⁺ doped YVO₄ crystal is reported. In this method a microchip laser is formed by keeping a small piece of the sample in plane-plane resonator and a diode laser (808 nm) is used for pumping. The pump power induced thermal lensing effect is used to make the cavity stable. The cavity mode area is estimated by measuring the thermal lens focal length at the threshold and the average pump area is measured by Gaussian fit to the intensity profiles of the pump beam. The value of στ product of Nd:YVO₄ crystal obtained by this method is within 10% of the reported values. The advantage of this method is that it is a simple method for direct measurement of στ product of laser crystals.     

Calculation of the Kirchhoff coefficients for the Helmholtz resonator

A Helmholtz resonator is a shell Ω_shell separating a compact cavity Ω_int from a noncompact outer domain Ω_out. A small opening Ω ^δ in the shell connects the cavity with the outer domain, causing the transformation of real eigenfrequencies of the Neumann Laplacian in the cavity into the complex scattering frequencies of the full spectral problem for the Neumann Laplacian on Ω = ℝ³\Ω_shell. The Kirchhoff model of 1882, see [21], gives a convenient ansatz

Superradiative rare gas halide lasers excited by electric discharge

Nd_xLa_1−xP₅O₁₄ (0.25≦x≦1) single crystals, placed within a confocal optical resonator, were pumped with ruby laser fundamental and second-harmonic nanosecond pulses. In both cases laser oscillations at 1.05 μm exceeding in duration many times the pumping pulse were obtained.     

Twisted lines and small-scale structures in generation spectra of Yb-doped media excited by focused radiation of LiF:F 2 + color center laser

Spectral lines of Yb lasing in 1.03–1.05 μm region structured by 50–200 μm spots were found at focusing a pulsed LiF:F₂⁺ color center laser of 0.5–5.0 GW/cm² intensity on highly doped Yb:YAG or Yb:glass plates in a resonator. Small spots at the spectrograph located ≈ 1 m apart from the resonator indicated a “sub-diffraction” directivity of Yb generation, 1–2 orders better than the diffraction limit 10⁻³–10⁻² rad determined by the pumped volume dimensions. Observed features of Yb emission are explained assuming off-axis oscillations in Yb laser on phase-synchronized photons due to a strong spatial-angular selection of radiation in the resonator. Propagation of near diffraction free beams at angles to the axis built at the spectrograph slit for every 10–15 ns pulse of Yb generation a magnified “image” of a structure of generating channels in the active medium. This image projection brought a corresponding structure of spots in Yb spectra. It was found that channels may be formed due to a high-frequency spatial modulation (micrometers scale) of the refractive index profile in samples caused by the oscillating amplitude of thermoelastic stresses in the pumped medium. Obtained data demonstrate a possibility to study (with high spatial and temporal resolution) non-equilibrium stales of materials in small volumes using laser radiation emerging from these objects. This study results evidence for the novel concept of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic field of a photon: not in the form of a “travelling” wave but in the form of a wave with maxima and nodes located at fixed positions along the photon propagation direction.     

An In4(Se3)1−x Te3x solid solution as a material for absorption optical filters

We suggest using crystals of the In₄(Se₃)_1−xTe_3x solid solution for manufacturing absorption optical filters with the boundary wavelength regulated from 1.7 to 2.5 μm by changing the composition of the solution. The refractive index is determined for different compositions, and the possibility of making the filters antireflecting is shown. The advantages of the proposed filters are connected with the specific features of the absorption edge of crystals and their structure. To whom correspondence should be addressed. Chernovtsy State University, 2, Kotsyubinskii Str., Chernovtsy, 274012, Ukraine. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 66, No. 4, pp. 577–579, July–August, 1999.     

Photoacoustic measurement of N2O concentrations in ambient air with a pulsed optical parametric oscillator

Photoacoustic spectroscopy, in combination with a pulsed grazing-incidence optical parametric oscillator (GIOPO), was used for sensitive detection of nitrous oxide (N₂O) in ambient air. The ν₁+ν₃ combination band of N₂O was excited with the idler beam of the GIOPO in the 2.76 μm–2.91 μm spectral region, where CO₂ and water-absorption lines are also present. Three chemical filters filled with KOH, CaCl₂, and P₂O₅ were used to reduce the CO₂ and water concentrations to the level of several parts per billion (10⁹) by volume (ppbv). Photoacoustic spectra containing several absorption lines were recorded and the concentration was determined by an integral evaluation method and a fast Fourier transform evaluation method. The photoacoustic signal was calibrated by a standard mixture of 50.6 parts per million by volume (ppmv) of N₂O in synthetic air. Values of 311±5 ppbv, 314±5 ppbv, and 316±5 ppbv were found for three ambient samples collected at nearby roads. PACS 42.62.Fi; 42.65.Yj; 07.07.Df; 42.68.Ca     

A long-pulse,high-energy,narrow-band width CO2 lasers for doppler wind LIDAR Applications

Summary In this paper the realization is described of CO₂ laser with high energy (≈10J/pulse), long pulses (≈2μs) and narrow bandwidth (≈200 kHz), using suitable discharge device (Lumonics 602) and cavity configuration (modified self-filtering unstable resonator). The theoretical considerations which led to these choices are also discussed and the results obtained are shown. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction     

High-power non-astigmatic TEM<Subscript>00</Subscript> and vortex mode generation in a compact bounce laser design

A novel design of a diode-side-pumped bounce amplifier laser is described that can produce a high-power TEM₀₀ mode and Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) vortex mode operation with high circularity and low astigmatism. The design utilises control of pump size and bounce angle such that the laser mode experiences substantially circular symmetric gain and spherical thermal lensing, in a highly compact fundamental mode resonator. In a simple plane–plane Nd:YVO₄ laser resonator with no other optical components and total length of just 13.4 cm, highly circularised TEM₀₀ operation is produced at wavelength 1064 nm, with 14.2 W of power and high beam quality M ²<1.05. Stable Q-switched TEM₀₀ operation is demonstrated up to 900 kHz and second harmonic power of 7.2 W at 532 nm is generated with conversion efficiency up to 64%. Minor modification of the design to exploit the spherical aberration of the thermal lens is shown to allow for generation of a doughnut-shaped LG vortex mode with average power 16.6 W, maintaining extremely low astigmatism. Q-switched operation of the vortex mode is accomplished up to 400 kHz. A detailed numerical thermal analysis of the amplifier design is performed and gives quantitative agreement with experimental results.