Recognizing digraphs of Kelly-width 2

Kelly-width is a parameter of digraphs recently proposed by Hunter and Kreutzer as a directed analogue of treewidth. We give an alternative characterization of digraphs of bounded Kelly-width in support of this analogy, and the first polynomial-time algorithm recognizing digraphs of Kelly-width 2. For an input digraph G=(V,A) the algorithm outputs a vertex ordering and a digraph H=(V,B) with A⊆B witnessing either that G has Kelly-width at most 2 or that G has Kelly-width at least 3, in time linear in H.     

Carrier-envelope offset phase control: A novel concept for absolute optical frequency measurement and ultrashort pulse generation

The shortest pulses periodically emitted directly from a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser are approaching the two-optical-cycle range. In this region, the phase of the optical carrier with respect to the pulse envelope becomes important in nonlinear optical processes such as high-harmonic generation. Because there are no locking mechanisms between envelope and carrier inside a laser, their relative phase offset experiences random fluctuations. Here, we propose several novel methods to measure and to stabilize this carrier-envelope offset (CEO) phase with sub-femtosecond uncertainty. The stabilization methods are an important prerequisite for attosecond pulse generation schemes. Short and highly periodic pulses of a two-cycle laser correspond to an extremely wide frequency comb of equally spaced lines, which can be used for absolute frequency measurements. Using the proposed phase-measurement methods, it will be possible to phase-coherently link any unknown optical frequency within the comb spectrum to a primary microwave standard. Experimental studies using a sub-6-fs Ti:sapphire laser suggesting the feasibility of carrier-envelope phase control are presented. Received: 19 August 1999 / Published online: 8 September 1999     

Optical phase noise and carrier-envelope offset noise of mode-locked lasers

The timing jitter, optical phase noise, and carrier-envelope offset (CEO) noise of passively mode-locked lasers are closely related. New key results concern analytical calculations of the quantum noise limits for optical phase noise and CEO noise. Earlier results for the optical phase noise of actively mode-locked lasers are generalized, particularly for application to passively mode-locked lasers. It is found, for example, that mode locking with slow absorbers can lead to optical linewidths far above the Schawlow–Townes limit. Furthermore, mode-locked lasers can at the same time have nearly quantum-limited timing jitter and a strong optical excess phase noise. A feedback timing stabilization via cavity length control can, depending on the situation, reduce or greatly increase the optical phase noise, while not affecting the CEO noise. Besides presenting such findings, the paper also tries to clarify some basic aspects of phase noise in mode-locked lasers. PACS 42.50.Lc; 42.60.Fc     

Diode laser frequency-noise suppression by >50dB by use of electro-optic parametric master oscillators

We demonstrate a novel frequency-stabilization scheme for laser diodes that is capable of linewidth reduction by more than 5 orders of magnitude. In this master-slave scheme the diode laser emission is frequency-offset phase locked to the emission of an electro-optic parametric oscillator (EOPO), and the laser diode is simultaneously used as the EOPO pump source. As a result the initial frequency fluctuations of the pump are reduced to the intrinsic noise level of the EOPO, which can be extremely small. We demonstrate that subhertz linewidths of the beat notes of the signals of two of these systems can be readily achieved if acoustic perturbations are suppressed.     

Intensity-induced mode shift in a femtosecond laser by a change in the nonlinear index of refraction

The modes of the comb spectrum of a Kerr-lens mode-locked laser are frequency shifted versus the corresponding cw modes of the cavity by an intensity-induced change in the index of refraction in the Kerr medium. We demonstrate this effect and discuss novel schemes for fast frequency control of the comb spectrum.     

New efficient and stable laser dyes for cw operation in the blue and violet spectral region

Sulphonated bis-styryles and triazinyl-stilbenes have been investigated for cw dye laser operation. These promising new classes of laser dyes have proven to be superior to the known coumarins with respect to threshold, slope efficiency and photochemical stability. They shift the short wavelength tuning limit of the cw dye laser down to 403 nm. Broad tuning ranges of more than 4500 cm^-1 and efficiencies up to 20% were found. In contrast to the coumarins these new dyes showed no photochemical degradation even at high pump power levels.     

Carrier-envelope offset dynamics of mode-locked lasers

We investigate coupling mechanisms between the amplitude and the carrier-envelope offset phase in mode-locked lasers. We find that nonlinear beam steering in combination with the intracavity prism compressor is the predominant mechanism that causes amplitude-to-phase conversion in our laser. A second mechanism, induced by self-steepening, is also identified. These mechanisms are important for stabilizing the carrier-envelope offset phase and also explain the extremely low pulse-to-pulse energy fluctuations observed in some lasers with carrier-envelope lock. The coupling mechanisms described have important implications for applications of few-cycle optical pulses.     

Comparison of infrared-excited up-converting phosphors and europium nanoparticles as labels in a two-site immunoassay

Research in the field of immunoassays and labels used in the detection has been recently focused on particulate reporters, which possess very high specific activity that excludes the label as a sensitivity limiting factor. However, the large size and shape of the particulate labels may produce additional problems to immunoassay performance. The aim of this work was to study with two identical non-competitive two-site immunoassays whether up-converting phosphor (UCP) particles are comparable in performance with europium(III) chelate-dyed nanoparticles as particulate labels. In addition we strived to verify the common assumption of the photostability of up-converting phosphor particles supporting their potential applicability in imaging. Detection limits in two-site immunoassay for free prostate-specific antigen (free-PSA) were 0.53 ng L⁻¹ and 1.3 ng L⁻¹ using two different up-converting phosphors and 0.16 ng L⁻¹ using europium(III) nanoparticle. Large size distribution and non-specific binding of up-converting phosphor particles caused assay variation in low analyte concentrations and limited the analytical detection limit. The non-specific binding was the major factor limiting the analytical sensitivity of the immunoassay. The results suggests the need for nanoscaled and uniformely sized UCP-particles to increace the sensitivity and applicability of up-converting phosphor particles. Anti-Stokes photoluminescence of up-converting phosphor particles did not photobleach when measured repeatedly, on the contrary, the time-resolved fluorescence of europium nanoparticles photobleached relatively rapidly.     

Antimatter plasmas in a multipole trap for antihydrogen

We have demonstrated storage of plasmas of the charged constituents of the antihydrogen atom, antiprotons and positrons, in a Penning trap surrounded by a minimum-B magnetic trap designed for holding neutral antiatoms. The neutral trap comprises a superconducting octupole and two superconducting, solenoidal mirror coils. We have measured the storage lifetimes of antiproton and positron plasmas in the combined Penning-neutral trap, and compared these to lifetimes without the neutral trap fields. The magnetic well depth was 0.6 T, deep enough to trap ground state antihydrogen atoms of up to about 0.4 K in temperature. We have demonstrated that both particle species can be stored for times long enough to permit antihydrogen production and trapping studies.