Self-stabilized passive, harmonically mode-locked stretched-pulse erbium fiber ring laser

We have studied a passive, harmonically mode-locked stretched-pulse erbium fiber ring laser with net positive dispersion that is self-stabilized by gain depletion and electrostriction. Periodic pulses with supermode suppression of >75 dB and picosecond jitter are achieved. The pulses are compressible to 125 fs by external chirp compensation. The repetition rate is 220 MHz, and the average power is as high as 80 mW.     

Kinetic and mechanistic study with optically active, four-coordinate nickel(II) complexes: stereoselectivity in ligand substitution

Conventional and rapid scan stopped-flow spectrophotometry as well as polarimetry was used to study the kinetics of ligand substitution in six chiral bis N-alkylsalicylaldiminato nickel(II) complexes NiA2 by different chiral salen-type ligands H2B, according to NiA2 + H2B --> NiB + 2HA, in acetone at 298 K and, partly, at variable temperature. In most cases ligand substitution was found to follow monophasic second-order kinetics, rate = k x [NiA2] x [H2B]. Second-order rate constant k, lying in the range 10(-2)-400 M(-1) s(-1) at 298 K, was determined for the various combinations of enantiomers in a given system NiA2/H2B, namely, R-NiA2/R-H2B, S-NiA2/R-H2B, R-NiA2/S-H2B, and S-NiA2/S-H2B. It was found that ligand substitution is subject to chiral discrimination. The ratio of second-order rate constants, kfast/kslow, with kfast being rate constant k for the faster reacting pair of enantiomers and vice versa, lies in the range 1.0-3.0, depending on the nature of the N-alkyl groups in NiA2 and organic groups attached to the ethylene bridge in the salen ligands H2B. The rate discrimination factor of 3.0, as obtained for NiA2 = bis[N-dehydroabietylsalicylaldiminato]nickel(II) reacting with the R- and with the S-enantiomer of H2B = N,N'-disalicylidene-1,2-diamino-4-methylpentane, appears to be the highest stereoselectivity reported so far for ligand substitution in nickel(II) complexes. With NiA2 = R- and S-bis[N-(1-phenylethyl)-5-nitrosalicylaldiminato]nickel(II) and H2B = R- and S-N,N-disalicylidene-1,2-diamino-4-methylpentane, the kinetics of ligand substitution are biphasic, describing initial adduct formation between NiA2 and H2B (equilibrium constant K) and stepwise loss of the two bidentate ligands HA (first-order rate constants k1 and k2). The data for K, k1, and k2 for one of the combinations of enantiomers were determined at variable temperature, and the corresponding activation parameters are presented.     

Collisions in dispersion-managed soliton propagation

We study collisions in dispersion-managed soliton propagation for wavelength-division multiplexing application at zero net dispersion when the Gordon-Haus timing jitter is removed. We show that the collisions can lead to group-velocity changes and spectral collapse. Large channel separation ameliorates the effects. Filters prevent spectral collapse but do not affect the velocity changes.     

Timing restoration dynamics in an actively mode-locked fiber ring laser

Using electronic phase detection, we study the dynamics that govern pulse retiming in an actively mode-locked fiber laser. We compare the dynamics for amplitude and for phase modulation and identify the characteristic time constants for each case. The retiming dynamics for amplitude modulation are revealed as a first-order exponential decay, whereas for phase modulation the dynamics are those of a damped harmonic oscillator. We show that the measured time constants agree with predictions given by the soliton perturbation theory.     

Memory effects on the quantum diffusion of a particle in a fluctuating medium

We introduce a phenomenological Hamiltonian for a particle in a medium with sitediagonal and off-diagonal disorder. Without assuming the usual white noise expression for the correlation between fluctuating variables, we arrive at a master equation using second order perturbation theory. This expression is expanded in powers of the correlation time. The mean square displacement and velocity are discussed and corrections to the diffusion coefficient are given.Partially supported by the grant of the Ministry of Education of the Japanese Government and by Sakkokai Foundation     

Fiber laser mode locked by a Sagnac interferometer with nonlinear polarization rotation

We describe a new fiber laser configuration based on a nonlinear optical loop mirror with a symmetrical coupler, a quarter-wave retarder, and highly twisted, birefringent fiber in the loop. The nonlinear optical loop mirror configuration operates by nonlinear polarization rotation. We have achieved stable generation of subpicosecond pulses with milliwatts of average output power.