Amplitude-modulation-free optoelectronic frequency control of laser diodes

A novel method is described for fast frequency modulation or frequency control of diode lasers that avoids problems associated with bias current modulation, namely, amplitude modulation and thermal phase delays. The method is based on amplitude-modulated, noninterfering control light with a wavelength near the transparency region of the laser diode, which specifically modifies the spectral gain profile to yield a constant gain but a controllable refractive index at the lasing wavelength. This permits amplitude-modulation-free frequency modulation at modulation frequencies up to the relaxation oscillation frequency. A phase lock between the emissions of two extended-cavity diode lasers that could not be achieved with bias current modulation was achieved by this method.     

Frequency stabilization of diode lasers to hyperfine transitions of the iodine molecule

The output frequencies of diode lasers spectrally narrowed by optical feedback have been stabilized to hyperfine components of the rotation-vibration transition R (92) 0–15 at λ = 793.23 nm. Laser linewidths of less than 100 kHz and frequency stabilities or 4×10⁻¹¹ for τ = 1 s (square root of the Allan variance) were measured by beat experiments of two independent lasers. The influence of the iodine pressure on the linewidth and on the positions of the hyperfine components has been investigated. The total hyperfine pattern has been fitted with an effective hyperfine Hamiltonian to a standard deviation of 23 kHz.     

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.     

High precision measurements of hyperfine structures near 790 nm of I 2

High precision measurements of hyperfine splittings of rovibrational lines of the (ν′-ν″)=(0–15) band of the B0 _u ⁺ — X0 _g ⁺ transition of I ₂ were performed in the near infrared around 790 nm using spectrally narrowed diode lasers. Rotational states with J″ between 0 and 99 were investigated and hyperfine parameters could be derived for the two electronic states separately. For the first time the rotational variation of the quadrupole and the spin-rotational hyperfine coupling parameters could be determined for I ₂. A relation is given, by which the hyperfine parameters for a rotational line of the (0–15) band can be predicted, and by which hyperfine splittings of this band can be calculated with an uncertainty of less than 100 kHz for 16 ≤ J″ ≤ 99.     

High-contrast chemical imaging with gated heterodyne coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy

A novel method is presented which substantially improves the signal-to-background ratio for coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. It exploits the fixed phase relation between pump, Stokes and CARS fields together with the strong phase coherence in supercontinua generated by femtosecond lasers. Three phase-locked optical parametric amplifiers are used for the realisation of heterodyne signal detection. Proper pulse timing yields a gating mechanism which nearly completely suppresses solvent background signals. PACS 42.65.Dr; 42.65.Hw; 42.65.Yj     

Widely usable interpolation formulae for hyperfine splittings in the 127I2 spectrum

Based on new systematic high precision measurements of hyperfine splittings in different rovibrational bands of ¹²⁷I₂ in the near infrared spectral range between 778 nm and 816 nm, and the data in the range from 660 nm to 514 nm available from literature, the quantum number dependence of the different hyperfine interaction parameters was reinvestigated. As detailed as possible parameters were re-fitted from the reported hyperfine splittings in literature, considering that the interaction parameters should vary smoothly with the vibrational and rotational quantum numbers, and follow appropriate physical models. This type of consistency has not been sufficiently taken into account by other authors. To our knowledge it is now possible for the first time to separate the hfs contributions of the two electronic states B ³ and X ¹ Σ ⁺ _g for optical transitions in a very large wavelength range. New interpolation formulae could be derived for both states, describing the quantum number dependences of the nuclear electric quadrupole, of the nuclear spin-rotation and also of the nuclear spin-spin interactions. Using these new interpolation formulae the hyperfine splittings for the components with the quantum number condition F - J = 0 can be calculated with an uncertainty of ≤30 kHz for transitions in the wavelength range between 514 nm and 820 nm. Received 17 July 2001 and Received in final form 17 October 2001     

Precise frequency measurements of lines in the near infrared by Rb reference lines

Frequency measurements of 16 lines of I₂ in the near infrared have been performed using different Rb frequency references: diode lasers stabilised to the Rb D1 line at 377 THz, to the Rb D2 line at 384 THz and to the 5 s -5 d two photon transition at 385 THz. The relative uncertainties of the measurements of are limited by the frequency stability of the laser source locked to I₂ in the case of the Rb D2 and two photon transition or by the accuracy of the Rb D1 line. The internal consistency of calibrations of iodine lines is shown to be better than by measurements of the difference frequencies of calibrated iodine lines using four-wave mixing in laser diodes. Received 12 July 1999 and Received in final form 12 December 1999     

Frequency measurement of I2 lines in the NIR using Ca and CH4 optical frequency standards

2 lines have been carried out using difference-frequency mixing of the emission of CH₄ and Ca frequency standards at 88 THz (or 3.4 μm) and 456 THz (or 657 nm), respectively. A power of ≈10 pW for the mixing product at 815 nm was obtained using a critically phase-matched KTP crystal and input powers of the order of mW. The relative uncertainty of the measurement was a few times 10^-11, limited by the frequency instability of the laser source locked to I₂. Received: 3 December 1997/Revised version: 16 February 1998