A Dispersion Interferometer Based on a CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Laser

A double-pass dispersion interferometer based on a 9.6-μm CO₂ laser with a sensitivity of 〈 n _e l〉_min ∼ 1 × 10¹³ cm⁻² and a temporal resolution of ∼50 μ s, designed to measure linear plasma density, is described. A ZnGeP₂ nonlinear crystal is used as the frequency doubler. The main advantages of the interferometer are its compactness and a low sensitivity to vibrations of optical elements. The interferometer requires no special vibration isolation. Its main components are arranged compactly on an optical bench outside the apparatus, except for a window for radiation injection and a retroreflector; these are mounted on the wall of the experimental facility's vacuum chamber. The advantages of the dispersion interferometer have been demonstrated in an experiment with a gas-dynamic trap. __________ Translated from Pribory i Tekhnika Eksperimenta, No. 5, 2005, pp. 96–106. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2005 by Solomakhin, Bagryanskii, Voskoboinikov, Zubarev, Kvashnin, Lizunov, Maksimov, Khil'chenko.     

Development and research of a laser photo-acoustic SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> gas analyzer

An analysis of various optical schemes for the development of a laser SF₆ gas analyzer based on a CO₂ laser operating in free-running mode and a resonant photo-acoustic detector (PAD) is presented. The use of a sealed gas-filled cell to normalize PAD signals on the absorbed power in the cell is suggested. Compensation for the influence of the tuning of the CO₂ laser wavelength near 10.6 μm on measured SF₆ concentration is possible. The results of experimental studies of a laser photo-acoustic SF₆ gas analyzer at various concentrations, including in the air flow, are presented. It is shown experimentally that the relative measurement error of the SF₆ concentration due to the instability of the laser radiation wavelength does not exceed 5% in the range from ~80 ppb to 40 ppm. The limit of the sensitivity of the developed gas analyzer was ~1 ppb SF₆.     

A stabilized pulsed repetition-rate CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser for a laser-plasma generator of multiply charged ions

The design of a laser oscillator with a stabilized frequency composition and a stabilized intensity of output radiation is described. The oscillator’s basic component is a TEA CO₂ module pumped by a self-maintained discharge and operating in a repetition-rate mode at a frequency of up to 3 Hz. A circuit for the formation of a self-maintained homogeneous discharge in the working volume of a CO₂ + N₂ + He mixture at atmospheric pressure is the basic component of the gas-discharge module. This circuit is based on the generation of a high-voltage pulse with a special profile, which provides high-reliability excitation of a discharge and pulse-to-pulse reproducibility of the discharge characteristics. The use of a hybrid circuit in the optical oscillator allows selection of a single longitudinal mode in the output radiation spectrum, thus eliminating undesirable interference phenomena, which lead to instability of the instantaneous values of the radiation intensity. During the development of the oscillator, the optimal operating parameters of the hybrid circuit were obtained, which ensure the high quality and reproducibility of the spatiotemporal and energy parameters of laser radiation.     

A pulsed two-channel Nd:YAG laser with an improved spatial structure of IR radiation for prompt recording and development of photothermoplastic holograms

A two-channel Nd:YAG laser for high-speed recording and development of photothermoplastic holograms has been created. In two independent channels, the laser generates monopulse radiation of nanosecond duration (30 ns) at the second harmonic frequency (λ ₂ = 0.532 μm) and IR radiation (λ ₁ = 1.064 μm) produced by quasi-stationary free-running lasing of millisecond duration (4 ms). The radiations with wavelengths λ ₂ and λ ₁ are used, respectively, for exposure and development of photothermoplastic holograms. A method based on the use of a passive resonator is proposed to improve the spatial structure of IR radiation during lasing.     

Reducing the Energy Consumption of a Laser Photo-Acoustic SF<Subscript>6</Subscript> Gas Analyzer

Experimental studies of the operating modes of a laser photo-acoustic SF₆ gas analyzer that were aimed at reducing its energy consumption were carried out. It was shown in the experiments that an average power of CO₂ laser radiation of at least 100 mW is required for the assured detection of low SF₆ concentrations (less than 100 ppb). To reduce the energy consumption of the gas analyzer, it is proposed to decrease the repetition frequency of CO₂ laser pulses by several times and operate on subharmonics of the resonance frequency of the photo-acoustic detector. The experimental results made it possible to reduce the energy consumption of the gas analyzer to ~15 V A and use a Li-ion battery from a laptop to power it. The duration of the continuous operation of the gas analyzer on one battery charge was at least 6 h.     

A neutron semiconductor detector based on TIInSe<Subscript>2</Subscript>

A new semiconductor detector of neutron radiation based on a TIInSe₂ crystal has been investigated. The detector is produced from a homogeneous semiconductor sample with two electric contacts and operates in an integrating mode. It is shown that, owing to its high sensitivity (～10^?13 A/(neutron cm^?2 s^?1)) and small size (the volume of the sensitive crystal element is ～7 mm³), the detector is capable of monitoring spatial, time, and intensity distributions of γ rays and neutrons in pulse research reactors.     

An acoustooptical frequency shifter of speckle-containing optical radiation

The fundamental possibility of using the acoustooptic (AO) Bragg diffraction in problems of a frequency shift of a speckle-containing optical field both with and without field filtering for removing fine-grain background has been demonstrated. Two regimes of anisotropic diffraction observed in a TeO₂ uniaxial crystal, when optical rays propagate close to the crystal optical axis (I) and far from it (II), have been studied. Experiments performed on the basis of an acoustooptical cell made of TeO₂, in which speckle-containing optical radiation at a wavelength of 0.63 μm and an average speckle size of 50–70 μm diffracted at a slow traveling acoustic wave at a frequency of 44 MHz, demonstrated the absence of radiation filtering in diffraction regime I and enlargement of the average speckle size to 220–280 μm in regime II resulting from diffraction.     

Characteristics of a pulse–periodic CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser for applications in the field of laser-produced plasma

The design of a pulse–periodic СО₂ laser oscillator that operates at a high level of the specific energy deposition into a self-sustained discharge is described. The laser is intended for generating pulses with a high-density radiation flux in a laser-plasma generator of multiply charged ions at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP). The results of investigations of the spatiotemporal and energy characteristics of laser output radiation in a wide range of the discharge excitation level and the mixture composition are presented. The optimal conditions are determined under which the oscillator provides an output energy of >10 J in a pulse with a duration of ~28 ns and a record specific peak radiation power of 190 MW per liter of the active volume of a CO₂: N₂: He mixture. The high quality of the spatial characteristics was confirmed in measurements of the radial energy-density distribution in the far-field zone, whose characteristic size is close to the diffraction limit.     

A high-energy YAG: Nd<Superscript>3+</Superscript> laser with a phase conjugation in an optical fiber

An optical scheme and design of a YAG:Nd³⁺ frequency laser with a two-pass amplifier and a mirror with the phase conjugation by the stimulated Brillouin scattering in an optical fiber is described. The maximal radiation energy is 1000 mJ at a 1.064-μm fundamental wavelength and 500, 200, and 20 mJ at the second, fourth, and fifth harmonics, respectively, when the divergence is ∼5 × 10⁻⁴ rad and the pulse duration is 4.5 ns.     

Single-Frequency TEA CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Laser for Experiments on Non-Resonant Radiation Interaction with Matter

The design philosophy and output radiation parameters of single frequency TEA CO₂ laser with bleaching intracavity longitudinal modes selector (cell filled with SF₆) are described. At cavity tuning to 10P(16) line and choosing optimum SF₆ pressure in the cell the stable single frequency lasing is realized with scatter of radiation peak power in a series of “shots” less than ±7% of average value. The radiation energy density and intensity gradually tuned in the ranges 0.36–12.5 J/cm² and 2.9–100 MW/cm² correspondingly were realized in the focal plane of a lens with f = 127 mm.     

CW可调谐单频环形染料激光器β-BaB2O4晶体内腔倍频

本文论述了利用β-BaB₂O₄晶体进行内腔连续波环形染料激光器倍频,获得了可调谐单频紫外相干辐射。在292nm附近,用3WAr⁺激光(全谱线)泵浦,得到非线性转换系数～8.33×10^-4W^-1。通过改变相位匹配角,在288～302nm范围内输出连续可调谐紫外谐波。β-BaB₂O₄晶体角灵敏度～27cm^-1/mrad。     

Data recording system of a dispersion interferometer based on a CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser

The data recording system of a multichannel double-pass dispersion interferometer based on a CO₂ laser is described. This system has been designed to record the linear density of plasmas in a real-time mode with a time discreteness of 4 μs and resolution 〈N _e L〉 ～ 0.34 × 10¹³ cm^?2 (N _e is the electron component of the plasma density, and L is the plasma size in the wave propagation direction) in the range of linear density variations of up to 10¹⁷ cm^?2. The system is built from unified recording modules that use fast ADCs to record the shape of photodetector and modulator signals and FPGA-based digital units of dataflow processing to form results of measurements. The single-channel recording module of the dispersion interferometer has been tested under actual experimental conditions of the GDL gas-dynamic trap and the TEXTOR tokamak (Julich, Germany).     

Generation of the second harmonic of laser radiation in powders of pure and doped potassium nitrate in the temperature interval of 25–160 °C

The temperature dependence of the intensity of generation of the second harmonic of laser radiation with λ = 1.064 µm in various powders of extra-pure potassium nitrate is studied. The powders are obtained from crystals grown in a KNO₃-Ba(NO₃)₂—H₂O water-salt system. It is demonstrated that the centrosymmetric phase is crystallized from pure solutions. If Ba(NO₃)₂ is added to the solution, non-centrosymmetric phases of KNO₃ or 2KNO₃ · Ba(NO₃)₂ double salt are formed. As the crystals are cooled down from the temperature of 160 °C, the samples display a ferroelectric phase transition and a hysteresis relaxation dependence of the nonlinear optical response due to the method of sample preparation.     

Development of high-repetition-rate laser pump/x-ray probe methodologies for synchrotron facilities

We describe our implementation of a high repetition rate (54 kHz-6.5 MHz), high power (>10 W), laser system at the 7ID beamline at the Advanced Photon Source for laser pump/x-ray probe studies of optically driven molecular processes. Laser pulses at 1.06 μm wavelength and variable duration (10 or 130 ps) are synchronized to the storage ring rf signal to a precision of ~250 fs rms. Frequency doubling and tripling of the laser radiation using nonlinear optical techniques have been applied to generate 532 and 355 nm light. We demonstrate that by combining a microfocused x-ray probe with focused optical laser radiation the requisite fluence (with <10 μJ/pulse) for efficient optical excitation can be readily achieved with a compact and commercial laser system at megahertz repetition rates. We present results showing the time-evolution of near-edge x-ray spectra of a well-studied, laser-excited metalloporphyrin, Ni(II)-tetramesitylporphyrin. The use of high repetition rate, short pulse lasers as pump sources will dramatically enhance the duty cycle and efficiency in data acquisition and hence capabilities for laser-pump/x-ray probe studies of ultrafast structural dynamics at synchrotron sources.     

A facility for studying the spatial and temporal characteristics of a plume produced by interaction of high-power CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser pulses with a solid-state target in various gas environments

An experimental facility for studying the kinetics of molecular association formation from atoms produced by evaporation of the target material by powerful CO₂ laser pulses is described. First experimental results are presented for the spectral and spatial-temporal characteristics of the spread of Al atoms produced in interactions of laser radiation with aluminum oxide Al₂O₃, followed by AlO formation in various low-pressure (0.1–0.3 Torr) atmospheres. Images of structurally similar forms condensed on a glass surface have been observed with an atomic-force microscope.     

晶体已加工表面频率特征对亚表层温度场的影响

为了更加准确地分析表面形貌对KH2PO4(KDP)晶体元件激光损伤和使用性能的影响，通过功率谱密度和连续小波变换对KDP晶体已加工表面存在的实际频率特征进行提取和重构。利用波动光学理论分析经入射波长1.064 μm、功率20 MW/μm2的激光束照射1 ns后，表面频率特征对KDP晶体亚表层光场及温度场的影响。结果表明，当表面频率特征的波长越接近入射光波长1.064 μm，KDP晶体亚表层的光场畸变现象越严重，会造成局部聚焦，温度越高；当波长超过20 μm时，在振幅不变的情况下，最高温度随着波长的增加基本不变。通过切削实验获得的KDP晶体已加工表面上明显存在的波长分别为14 μm、50 μm和140 μm，对KDP晶体亚表层造成的温升分别为56 K、22 K和12 K。当波长相同时，KDP晶体的最高温度与表面频率幅值成线性关系。随着表面频率波长的增加，温度最高点的位置向KDP晶体内部延伸。     

A Raman Spectroscopic Study of MoS<Subscript>2</Subscript> and MoO<Subscript>3</Subscript>: Applications to Tribological Systems

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and molybdenum trioxide are investigated using Raman spectroscopy with emphasis on the application to tribological systems. The Raman vibrational modes were investigated for excitation wavelengths at 632.8 and 488 nm using both micro-crystalline MoS₂ powder and natural MoS₂ crystals. Differences are noted in the Raman spectra for these two different wavelengths, which are attributed to resonance effects due to overlap of the 632.8 nm source with electronic absorption bands. In addition, significant laser intensity effects are found that result in laser-induced transformation of MoS₂ to MoO₃. Finally, the transformation to molybdenum trioxide is explored as a function of temperature and atmosphere, revealing an apparent transformation at 375 K in the presence of oxygen. Overall, Raman spectroscopy is an useful tool for tribological study of MoS₂ coatings, including the role of molybdenum trioxide transformations, although careful attention must be given to the laser excitation parameters (both wavelength and intensity) when interpreting Raman spectra.     

PHOEBE,a prototype scanning laser-feedback microscope for imaging biological cells in aqueous media

Based on the principle of laser-feedback interferometry (LFI), a laser-feedback microscope (LFM) has been constructed capable of providing an axial (z) resolution of a target surface topography of ～ 1 nm and a lateral (x, y) resolution of ～ 200 nm when used with a high-numerical-aperture oil-immersion microscope objective. LFI is a form of interferometry in which a laser's intensity is modulated by light re-entering the illuminating laser. Interfering with the light circulating in the laser resonant cavity, this back-reflected light gives information about an object's position and reflectivity. Using a 1-mW He–Ne (λ = 632·8 nm) laser, this microscope (PHOEBE) is capable of obtaining 256 × 256-pixel images over fields from (10 μm × 10 μm) to (120 μm × 120 μm) in ～ 30 s. An electromechanical feedback circuit holds the optical pathlength between the laser output mirror and a point on the scanned object constant; this allows two types of images (surface topography and surface reflectivity) to be obtained simultaneously. For biological cells, imaging can be accomplished using back-reflected light originating from small refractive-index changes (> 0·02) at cell membrane/water interfaces; alternatively, the optical pathlength through the cell interior can be measured point-by-point by growing or placing a cell suspension on a higher-reflecting substrate (glass or a silicon wafer). Advantages of the laser-feedback microscope in comparison to other confocal optical microscopes include: the simplicity of the single-axis interferometric design; the confocal property of the laser-feedback microscope (a virtual pinhole), which is achieved by the requirement that only light that re-enters the laser meeting the stringent frequency, spatial (TEM₀₀), and coherence requirements of the laser cavity resonator mode modulate the laser intensity; and the improved axial resolution, which is based on interferometric measurement of optical amplitude and phase rather than by use of a pinhole as in other types of confocal microscopes.     

A polarization analyzer of optical radiation on the basis of the light diffraction by sound

A device with an acousto-optic polarization splitter as the basic unit has been developed to record polarization-modulated optical signals. It spatially separates input radiation into two beams with mutually orthogonal polarizations. The difference of their intensities serves as the measure of changes in the input-radiation polarization plane. Experiments were performed using a TeO₂ single crystal as the acousto-optic splitter and showed the high efficiency of splitting optical radiation with a wavelength of 0.63 μm in the range of acoustic frequencies of 10–26 MHz.     

Peculiarities of intrinsic background in LaBr<Subscript>3</Subscript>: Ce and CeBr<Subscript>3</Subscript> scintillating crystals

The intrinsic background was measured in LaBr₃:Ce and CeBr₃ scintillating crystals grown at the Institute of Solid-State Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The measurements were taken in the range of γ-ray energies from 20 keV to ～5 MeV. Cylindrical samples with dimensions of Ø 1.5 × 1.8 cm for LaBr₃:Ce and Ø 0.5 × 1.5 cm for CeBr₃ were used. Well-known peculiarities due to the ¹³⁸La radioactive iso-tope and actinide contaminants were reproduced in the recorded background spectrum of the LaBr₃:Ce crystal. The detailed spectrum of the intrinsic background in the CeBr₃ crystal was measured for the first time. At energies of >200 keV, the background rate of CeBr₃ appeared to be much lower than that of LaBr₃:Ce both in the continuum and in the peculiarities associated with the radioactivity of possible contaminants.