An all-solid-state tunable 214.5-nm continuous-wave light source by using two-stage frequency doubling of a diode laser

3 and β-BaB₂O₄ crystals. The power of the generated 214.5-nm light amounts to more than 100 μW. This light source will be used for laser cooling of Cd⁺ ions. Received: 4 August 1997/Revised version: 28 October 1997     

An all-diode-laser-based, dual-cavity AgGaS2 cw difference-frequency source for the 9–11 μm range

2 ) nonlinear crystal is reported. The device uses a standing-wave dual-resonator scheme to enhance both near-infrared lasers. For 7 mW of 778.2-nm and 275 mW of 842.5-nm input powers, 40 nW of 10.2-μm radiation is generated by a preliminary setup. A μW-level range output power is expected after optimization of the device optical components. This compact tunable source will allow Fabry–Pérot high-resolution Doppler-free spectroscopy of spherical molecules, such as OsO₄ or SF₆, in the 9–11 μm range as an alternative source to frequency-stabilized CO₂ lasers. Received: 17 March 1998     

Anti-ferromagnetic ordering and crystal electric field in Ce:GSAG and Ce:LLGG garnets

The magnetic susceptibility of Ce:Gd₃Sc₃Al₃O₁₂ (Ce:GSAG) and Ce:La₃Lu₂Ga₃O₁₂ (Ce:LLGG) has been studied in the temperature range from 15 to 293 K. Both the Ce-doped garnets Ce:GSAG and Ce:LLGG show anti-ferromagnetic ordering at 18 and 27 K, respectively. Crystal electric field split energy levels have been used to calculate the magnetic susceptibility following Van Vleck's model. The calculated susceptibility values reasonably agree with the experimental susceptibility data of Ce:LLGG but differ for that of Ce:GSAG system. Contribution from long-range ordering between Ce and Gd ions for anomaly in Ce:GSAG system is speculated.     

A rubidium-stabilized ring-cavity resonator for optical frequency metrology: precise measurement of the D1 line in 133Cs

We have developed a ring-cavity resonator that can be used to measure the absolute frequencies of optical transitions with an uncertainty below 40 kHz. The length of the resonator is calibrated against a reference laser locked to the D₂ line of ⁸⁷Rb, the frequency of which is known with 6 kHz accuracy. We demonstrate the power of this technique by measuring the absolute frequencies of various hyperfine transitions in the D₁ line of ¹³³Cs. Our results agree with earlier measurements using the frequency-comb technique, and have similar accuracy. Measurement of the D₁-line frequency could lead to a more precise determination of the fine-structure constant. We also report a precise value of A=291.918(8) MHz for the hyperfine constant in the 6P_1/2 state.     

Observation of the first vibrations of the newly born Cs-CH CN complex

The femtosecond photodissociation of CsI in the CsI-CH₃CN complex has been studied. Recurrences are observed in the detection of the Cs⁺-CH₃CN ion complex. They are assigned to the first vibrations of the Cs-NCCH₃ bond formed after the CsI dissociation. This result is in good agreement with calculations on the similar NaI-CH₃CN system which predict a linear structure for the ground state complex. Received 27 October 1999     

Effect of ionization-recombination process on fluorescent and laser properties of complex organic molecules in buffer gases

It is shown that the stepwise ionization of active organic molecules under UV pump radiation is responsible in a large part for poor lasing properties of dye-vapour active media as compared with liquid ones.     

Characteristics of a cw monolithic optical parametric oscillator

4 as a nonlinear crystal and obtained a pump threshold of 7 mW and an output power of 6 mW for a pump power of 40 mW. The OPO operated in a single longitudinal mode pair of a signal and an idler, over 1 h without mode hopping in the free-running condition. The signal and the idler wavelengths were tunable by 1 nm by changing the crystal temperature by 20 °C. The continuous tuning of the beat frequency between the signal and the idler was achieved by temperature tuning (slow control, 80 MHz/K) and E-field tuning (fast control, 0.75 MHz/V). We demonstrated the feasibility of frequency control by phase locking the beat frequency. The beat frequency could be successfully phase locked to a signal generated by a synthesizer through the electrooptic effect of the crystal. The phase locking could be maintained over 1 h. Received: 27 January 1998/Revised version: 9 March 1998     

Frequency measurement of130Te2 resonances near 467 nm

Precision spectroscopy on molecular tellurium is performed by measuring the frequency difference between the observed lines and an eigenfrequency of a high-finesse cavity mode. The mode frequency is derived from a measurement of the cavity's free spectral range taking into account the cavity dispersion due to phase shifts in the dielectric mirror coatings. The experimental technique is based on dual frequency modulation and is applied to determine the transition wavenumbers of several lines in¹³⁰Te₂ near 467 nm with an uncertainty of 2 × 10^–8.     

Improved resolution in VUV isochromat spectroscopy

The energy resolution of a VUV isochromat spectrometer employing the traditional energy selective Geiger counter can be significantly improved. The variance of the optical resolution function with the usual CaF₂ entrance window is (240 meV)². With SrF₂ we obtain (113 meV)² at room temperature and (73 meV)² at 70°C. A direct confirmation of these data, which were derived from a moment analysis of the threshold behaviour of an Au isochromat is provided by a measurement of image potential states at Cu(001).