Kapitza-Dirac diffraction without standing waves: diffraction without a grating?

We discuss electron diffraction from two counterpropagating light waves with two different frequencies. We show that, even though these waves do not form a standing wave, electron diffraction similar to the conventional Kapitza-Dirac effect, i.e., scattering on a standing wave, is still possible. The nonlinear response of the electron to the laser fields creates a stationary diffraction grating from which the same electron scatters.     

The role of population pulsations in single-mode laser instabilities

This paper gives three principal results: One, population pulsations are responsible for both the multiwavelength and the chaotic single-wavelength instabilities of single-mode operation in unidirectional ring lasers containing homogeneously-broadened media. Two, in appropriate limits the Fourier expansion method for treating three-frequency operation in saturation spectroscopy is equivalent to the linear stability analyses in laser theory and optical bistability. Three, inclusion of population pulsations significantly increases the instability range over that predicted by Casperson for single-mode bad-cavity lasers containing inhomogeneously-broadened media.     

基于拉曼光谱技术的光栅耦合结构半导体激光器的可靠性分析

光栅耦合结构的半导体激光器在自由空间光通信、卫星间通信、激光雷达测距、大气环境检测以及医学成像等领域有着广泛的应用前景。为了分析光栅耦合结构的半导体激光器的可靠性,本文基于拉曼光谱技术,对光栅耦合结构的半导体激光器在不同的制备阶段及其成品进行了检测。我们发现,对于未进行任何工艺加工的半导体激光器芯片,GaAs纵向(LO)光学光子模式的振动强而横向(TO)光学光子模式的振动弱;当在GaAs芯片表面生长一层SiO₂膜后,LO模式向长波数方向移动,强度没有变化。当在生长SiO₂膜的GaAs芯片上刻蚀100 μm的台面后,GaAs的LO模式的振动减弱而TO模式的振动加强,且峰出现宽化现象;在100 μm的台面上刻蚀光栅后,GaAs的LO模式的振动继续减弱而TO模式的变得更强,这说明在光栅耦合激光器的制备工艺过程中引入了缺陷。通过与无光栅的半导体激光器进行对比测试,光栅耦合结构半导体激光器无论出光面上有无缺陷,其拉曼光谱均有缺陷峰存在,进一步证明了在光栅结构的制备过程中,引入了应变或者缺陷,对其可靠性产生了影响,导致光栅耦合结构的半导体激光器可靠性降低。     

Mode selection in CW laser with homogeneously broadened gain

The gain calculated for a laser with ring and Fabry-Perot resonators respectively is given in a general formulation which shows clearly the influence of the spatially inhomogeneous saturation due to the standing wave pattern and the resulting Bragg scattering. When selecting a single mode in a Fabry-Perot resonator, the losses necessary to quench the modes are equal to those losses which the selected mode suffers due to the self-induced Bragg grating in the active medium. In a unidirectional ring laser, the losses only need exceed the gain of additional separate gain reservoirs of the modes. Also possible reasons are dealt with which cause stable bidirectional operation in a ring laser with homogeneously broadened gain.     

Corrugated neat thin-film conjugated polymer distributed-feedback lasers

Wave-guided thin-film distributed-feedback (DFB) polymer lasers are fabricated by spin coating a PPV-derived semiconducting polymer, thianthrene-DOO-PPV, onto oxidised silicon wafers with corrugated second-order periodic gratings. The gratings are written by reactive ion beam etching. Laser action is achieved by transverse pumping with picosecond laser pulses (wavelength 347.15 nm, duration 35 ps). The DFB-laser surface emission and edge emission are analysed. Outside the grating region the polymer film is used for comparative wave-guided travelling wave laser (amplified spontaneous emission (ASE)) studies. The pump pulse threshold energy density for wave-guided DFB-laser action (4–9 μJ cm^-2) is found to be approximately a factor of two lower than the threshold for wave-guided travelling wave laser action. The spectral width of the DFB laser (down to Δλ_DFB≈0.07 nm) is considerably narrower than that of the travelling wave laser (Δλ_TWL≈14 nm). The DFB-laser emission is highly linearly polarised transverse to the grating axis (TE mode). Only at high pump pulse energy densities does an additional weak TM mode build up. The surface-emitted DFB-laser radiation has a low divergence along the grating direction. For both the DFB lasers and the travelling wave lasers, gain saturation occurs at high excitation energy densities. Received: 7 January 2002 / Revised version: 15 February 2002 / Published online: 14 March 2002     

Mode selection in a spectrally homogeneously broadened CW laser due to spatially inhomogeneously saturable absorption

A novel method is proposed for selecting a single longitudinal mode in lasers with homogeneously broadened gain medium. Mode selection is achieved by the interaction of the standing cavity wave between the gain medium and a spatially saturated absorber. The theory is treated in detail for various geometric configurations including examples of important laser systems under continuous-wave operation, such as dye lasers.     

Tunable-laser-induced grating dip for measuring sub-picosecond relaxation

This paper describes the experimental verification of a laser-induced double-dip resonance predicted theoretically for two-wave saturation spectroscopy. Fine structure in the form of a central dip with a width (FWHM) near 20 cm⁻¹ is found in the broad hole-burning feature induced by 942 cm⁻¹ wavelength radiation inp-type germanium. The central dip is ascribed to Bragg scattering caused by, and thus measuring the decay of, the excited-state population grating set up by interference of the saturating and the probing waves. From the composite spectrum, therefore, apopulation difference lifetimeT ₁=0.6 ps can be directly obtained as the inverse width of the central dip. Likewise the broad background feature yields the homogeneous ordipole lifetimeT ₂=0.1 ps.     

Spectroscopic techniques based on Lamb's laser theory

The physical approach used by Lamb to treat the laser can also treat the absorption of a probe wave by a medium subjected to a saturating wave. This general spectroscopic approach, known as saturation spectroscopy, originated in “Lamb-dip” spectroscopy. This paper discusses saturation spectroscopy, revealing how the Lamb dip and other features of Lamb's laser theory can be used to study relaxation processes in matter.     

一维金属光栅的光学反射吸收

利用RCWA(rigid coupled-wave analysis)方法研究了一维金属光栅的反射特性,考察了 瑞利反常、表面等离激元驻波共振和几何共振三种共振吸收机理,分析了这三种机理的相互作用,如表面等离激元驻波共振和几何共振可以形成混合模式. 在反射式复合金属光栅中,确认了第四种共振形式,即相位共振. 数值计算表明相位共振对光学吸收的影响有两种形式: 当光栅周期大于一个波长时,相位共振导致尖锐的吸收峰,峰位在几何共振吸收峰一侧;当光栅周期小于一个波长时,相位共振导致混合模式的共振吸收峰发生劈裂. 对一维金属光栅反射特性的研究增加了对金属光栅共振吸收模式及其相互作用的认识. 关键词： 一维金属光栅 瑞利反常 表面等离激元 相位共振     

Diffusion of excited state molecules in FIR- and CO2-lasers

Both standing waves in laser oscillators and spatially inhomogenous cross sections of laser beam and pumprate cause a non-uniform distribution of excited state molecules in longitudinal and transversal direction, respectively. This spatial hole burning however is smoothed by diffusion of the excited molecules. The effect of diffusion is investigated theoretically for an optically pumped far infrared laser as well as the corresponding CO₂ pump laser. It is found, that the remaining spatial hole burning in the direction of wave propagation is negligible within CO₂ lasers but not within FIR lasers. Concerning the transversal direction it can be shown that in the FIR laser diffusion takes no effect, whereas the transversal distribution of the excited molecules in the CO₂ laser is significantly influenced by diffusion.FIR ring lasers avoid longitudinal spatial hole burning, which leads to the common assumption that they use the active medium more efficient than conventional standing wave lasers, hence delivering higher output powers. This expected advantage is levelled out to a great extent by diffusion.     

Single‐mode distributed feedback laser operation with no dependence on the morphology of the gain medium

Organic distributed feedback (DFB) lasers can be useful photonic tools for biological applications where the roles of organic materials are important, because highly coherent single mode emission with broad tuning range can be obtained. However, the formulaic structures of organic lasers, and the uses of gain media as resonators themselves, are not suitable for inducing laser emission from irregular shaped gain media, such as dye‐staining cells and tissues. Here, we report a reusable photonic template comprising an exceedingly thin and discrete titanium dioxide (TiO₂) layer on a one‐dimensional (1D) quartz grating to induce single mode DFB lasing from a variety of states of optical gain media. Using the same template, the external gain media of optically thick and thin casted film, liquid, and a free‐standing thick film reveal single mode lasing with reliable performance. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the 25‐nm thick TiO₂ disconnected grating lines support a spatially confined DFB mode in the vertical direction, even under no index difference between superstrate and substrate. Additionally, not using the typical waveguide gain layer promises high sensitivity and detection limit in refractometric sensing. These results suggest that the photonic structure may serve as a versatile sensing platform for bioapplications.     

Sub-5-pm linewidth, 130-nm-tuning of a coupled-cavity Ti:sapphire oscillator via volume Bragg grating-based feedback

A novel coupled-cavity Ti:sapphire oscillator architecture featuring a volume Bragg grating as a feedback element is presented. The oscillator provides continuous wave lasing within a spectral linewidth as narrow as 5 pm. The output can be wavelength-tuned over an ultrabroad spectral range of 130 nm, extending from 714 to 842 nm. This unique combination of narrow spectral linewidth and wide tuning range makes the laser suitable for applications such as sensing and Raman and absorption spectroscopy. The laser also displays ideal TEM₀₀ mode operation throughout its tuning range with output powers beyond 300 mW. Detailed studies of the cw lasing dynamics across the wide tuning range are described. The general architecture of this design can be implemented for high resolution tuning across the broad spectral emission bands of other solid state lasers with single mode operation.     

激光诱导热光栅光谱测温技术研究

报道了激光诱导热光栅光谱测温技术的研究. 通过两束相干交叉的脉冲抽运光, 在NO₂/N₂混合气中诱导出热光栅, 一束满足布拉格散射条件的连续探测光在交叉区域激励出相干的热光栅信号, 经过空间和光谱滤波的信号光由光电倍增管探测, 并由数字示波器显示和存储. 该信号携带了丰富的流场信息, 通过频域分析, 对气体的温度进行了测量, 热光栅光谱技术测量的温度与热电偶温度符合得很好. 同时还利用热光栅光谱技术进行了气体声速的直接测量, 在一定的温度范围内, 测量结果与理论曲线基本一致, 显示了该技术具有较高的测量精度与多参数同时测量的能力. 对影响信号波形的因素进行了分析, 结果表明, 热光栅光谱测温技术在高压强环境下应用具有独特的优势, 是一种应用前景广阔的激光燃烧诊断技术.     

基于掩埋光栅一级分布反馈结构的太赫兹量子级联激光器

结合理论和实验研究了掩埋光栅一级分布反馈太赫兹量子级联激光器中的模式竞争和功率特性。理论计算得到掩埋光栅腐蚀深度与两个带边模式的波导损耗、光学限制因子、辐射损耗以及辐射效率的关系。理论计算表明,掩埋光栅分布反馈结构可以通过改变腐蚀深度,保证激光器稳定单模工作在高频带边模式的同时,调节激光器的阈值增益以及辐射效率。实验和测试结果表明,激光器辐射波长和掩埋光栅的周期成正比,激光器可以在整个动力学范围内稳定单模工作。单模激光器的波长范围可覆盖86.2~91.7μm的范围,边模抑制比可达25 dB,最大输出功率为9.1 mW。该工作有助于高性能单模太赫兹激光器及锁相耦合激光器阵列的研制。     

Dynamic analysis of erbium-doped optically pumped waveguide lasers using a time-domain travelling wave model

A simple and straightforward dynamic model of Er3+-doped optically pumped waveguide lasers using a time-domain algorithm is developed. The theoretical model is based on (a) time-dependent rate equations of a quasi-two-level system for the population densities and (b) time-dependent travelling wave equations for the pump and signal power which are solved simultaneously in the time domain. In addition, the longitudinal distribution of spontaneous emission noise is also taken into consideration. Using the fast Fourier transform, the spectrum profile of the time-domain signal power is calculated. In this paper, the transient responses of population densities, pump and signal power are investigated for Er3+-doped Ti:LiNbO3 waveguide lasers. To demonstrate the sophistication of this time-domain model, the influence of the cross-coupled effect of the travelling waves due to the optical feedback of an etched grating is also studied. Dynamic response of the waveguide laser with and without a grating are compared. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Theoretical study and optimization of a high power mid-infrared erbium-doped ZBLAN fibre laser

Based on the rate equations describing the erbium-doped fluoride glass(ZBLAN) fibre lasers with different pumping configurations being taken into account,this paper presents theoretical calculations related to the dynamic population density and the operation performance of a high power mid-infrared all-fibre erbium-doped ZBLAN fibre laser.It shows that the ground-state absorption,excited-state absorption and energy-transfer-upconversion processes co-exist and produce a population balance,causing the laser to operate stably at a continuous wave state.A good agreement between the theoretical results and recent experimental measurement is obtained.Furthermore,the laser structure parameters including fibre length,reflectance of output fibre Bragg grating and pumping configurations are quantitatively optimised to achieve the best performance.The results show,as expected,that the slope efficiency of the fibre laser can be improved significantly through optimisation,which then provides an important guide for the design of high-performance mid-infrared erbium-doped ZBLAN fibre lasers.     

Laser generation of surface acoustic modes guided by copper lines of sub-micron width on silicon

Surface acoustic waves guided by a copper line embedded in a silica film on a silicon wafer were generated and detected optically using the laser-induced transient grating technique. Lines as narrow as ∼0.2 μm yield a good signal despite the much larger size of the laser spot. The phase velocity of the guided mode is slightly lower than the surface acoustic wave velocity in the thin film structure. Good correlation between the acoustic frequency and the electrical resistivity of the copper lines results from the dependence of both measurements on the line width.     

Coupling efficiency in grating tuned carbon dioxide waveguide lasers

The coupling efficiency in typical CO₂ waveguide lasers when the feedback element is a diffraction grating is investigated theoretically. A scalar diffraction integral approach is adopted, and the laser is assumed to operate on its lowest loss waveguide mode.     

激光脉冲前后沿相干叠加对多程放大的影响

针对多程放大过程中激光脉冲经腔镜折返前后沿交叠的问题,建立了激光脉冲在增益介质中前后沿相干叠加放大的物理模型.理论分析表明,脉冲前后沿完全相干叠加形成驻波场,使得反转粒子数出现烧孔效应,影响输出脉冲的增益和波形.基于此物理模型,模拟计算了脉冲在多程放大过程中波形的演化,比较了不交叠、完全非相干叠加和完全相干叠加三种情况下对放大器的增益和对脉冲波形的影响.为高功率固体激光器的设计提供指导.     

量子力学定态不是驻波

作为一种经典或半经典的观点，可以认为定态是由波的干涉形成的驻波，但在量子力学中，定态本身是基本的，不是驻波。