Diffractive optical chemical sensor based on light absorption

A new type of chemical sensor based on light absorption is proposed. An array of zones alternatively containing the pH indicator thymolphthalein is formed in a gelatin film. By changing the sample solution from acidic to alkaline, a blue stripe appears in the gelatin film. This acts as a transmission grating and diffracts the introduced laser beam. Theory predicts that this method, which is based on light absorption/beam diffraction, is as sensitive as or more sensitive than fluorometry.     

Multipass cell design for Stark-modulation spectroscopy

A multipass cell for absorption measurements with an additionally applied homogeneous electric field for Stark effect measurements is described. The configuration is based on two ring mirrors, where the laser beam propagates between two nested cylindrical-wall electrodes. The total optical path length achieved is 40 m. The beam pointing stability of this setup is investigated and compared to a confocal-type Herriott cell of the same base length, employing numerical simulations. The exit beam pointing stability is found to be very good. The response measurements show fast exchange times, which agree well with theoretical values.     

All-optical switching in plant blue light photoreceptor phototropin

We theoretically analyze all-optical switching in the recently characterized LOV2 domain from Avena sativa (oat) phot1 phototropin, a blue-light plant photoreceptor, based on nonlinear intensity-induced excited-state absorption. The transmission of a cw probe laser beam at 660 nm corresponding to the peak absorption of the first excited L-state, through the LOV2 sample, is switched by a pulsed pump laser beam at 442 nm that corresponds to the maximum initial D state absorption. The switching characteristics have been analyzed using the rate equation approach, considering all the three intermediate states and transitions in the LOV2 photocycle. It is shown that for a given pump pulse intensity, there is an optimum pump pulsewidth for which the switching contrast is maximum. It is shown that the probe laser beam can be completely switched off (100% modulation) by the pump laser beam at 50 kW/cm² for a concentration of 1 mM with sample thickness of 5.5 mm. The switching characteristics are sensitive to various parameters such as concentration, rate constant of L-state, peak pump intensity and pump pulse width. At typical values, the switch-off and switch-on time is 1.6 and 22.3 mus, respectively. The switching characteristics have also been used to design all-optical not and the universal nor and nand logic gates     

All-optical biomolecular parallel logic gates with bacteriorhodopsin

All-optical two input parallel logic gates with bacteriorhodopsin (BR) protein have been designed based on nonlinear intensity-induced excited-state absorption. Amplitude modulation of a continuous wave (CW) probe laser beam transmission at 640 nm corresponding to the peak absorption of O intermediate state through BR, by a modulating CW pump laser beam at 570 nm corresponding to the peak absorption of initial BR state has been analyzed considering all six intermediate states in its photocycle using the rate equation approach. The transmission characteristics have been shown to exhibit a dip, which is sensitive to normalized small-signal absorption coefficient (/spl beta/), rate constants of O and N intermediate states and absorption of the O state at 570 nm. There is an optimum value of /spl beta/ for a given pump intensity range for which maximum modulation can be achieved. It is shown that 100% modulation can be achieved if the initial state of BR does not absorb the probe beam. The results have been used to design low-power all-optical parallel NOT, AND, OR, XNOR, and the universal NAND and NOR logic gates for two cases: 1) only changing the output threshold and 2) considering a common threshold with different /spl beta/ values.     

A Large-Area PVDF Pyroelectric Sensor for CO 2 Laser Beam Alignment

We present the design of a large-area (50 mm times 50 mm) polyvynilidene fluoride (PVDF) pyroelectric sensor array for industrial CO₂ (lambda = 10.6 mum) laser beam positioning. The array dimensions were chosen to match the area typically monitored in the alignment procedure of external optics (beam steering moving arm system, for example) used to redirect the laser beam from the laser output window to a remote working station. The instrument is provided with a tilted, high reflection, ZnSe plate which partially transmits the laser beam onto the sensor array. From positioning simulations with a Gaussian laser intensity profile with a sigma = 3.2 mm standard deviation (equivalent spot size 3sigma cong 20 mm), the positional accuracy along the two orthogonal array dimensions was found to be better than 0.02 mm for an 8 times 8 array and one order of magnitude higher for a 16 times 16 array. The centroid position of a CO₂ industrial laser beam was evaluated by integrating the pyroelectric current for a time comparable to the time duration (100-200 ms) of the laser pulses used in the alignment procedure.     

Silver-coated hollow-glass waveguide for applications at 800 nm

A 250-microm-bore size and 50-cm-length hollow-glass waveguide (HGW) coated with a thin film of silver has been used to transport laser pulses at 800 nm from a Ti:sapphire oscillator. The silver film is deposited by a liquid-phase process. The measured transmission of this silver-coated HGW is 95%, which is considerably higher than the transmission of HGWs with no coating, as reported by other groups. The image of the output beam taken at different distances from the fiber output shows that a single HE11 mode couples to free-space modes from the exit of the fiber. Considerable spectral broadening can be obtained with high-intensity femtosecond pulse when this waveguide is filled with argon. This HGW can be used for such applications as beam transport and optical-pulse compression.     

Near-IR absorption in high-purity photothermorefractive glass and holographic optical elements: measurement and application for high-energy lasers

Volume Bragg gratings (VBGs) in photothermorefractive (PTR) glass are widely used for laser beam control including high-power laser systems. Among them, spectral beam combining based on VBGs is one of the most promising. Achieving 100+ kW of combined laser beams requires the development of PTR glass and VBGs with an extremely low absorption coefficient and therefore methods of its measurement. This paper describes the calorimetric method that was developed for measuring a low absorption coefficient in PTR glass and VBGs. It is based on transmission monitoring of the intrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer produced by the plane-parallel surfaces of the measured optical elements when heated by high-power laser radiation. An absorption coefficient at 1085 nm as low as 5×10(-5) cm(-1) is demonstrated in pristine PTR glass while an absorption coefficient as low as 1×10(-4) cm(-1) is measured in high-efficiency reflecting Bragg gratings with highest purity. The actual level of absorption in PTR glass allows laser beam control at the 10 kW level, while the 100 kW level would require active cooling and/or decreasing the absorption in PTR Bragg gratings to a value similar to that in virgin PTR glass.     

On-line reaction monitoring in the liquid phase using two mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers simultaneously

On-line monitoring of a model reaction was performed by employing two pulsed mid-infrared Fabry-Pérot quantum cascade lasers (QCL). The emission maxima of the QCLs were located at 1393 and 1080 cm(-1). An optical system of parabolic mirrors and a ZnSe beam splitter combined the two laser beams and allowed a transmission cell to be probed with both QCLs simultaneously. The reaction mixture was pumped continuously through a cell that had an optical path of 48 microm. This dual QCL system allowed fast absorption measurements of the reaction mixture at two distinct wavenumbers. The reaction under study was the oxidation of sulfite to sulfate with hydrogen peroxide acting as oxidant. On-line measurements of the chemical reaction allowed direct, real-time monitoring of sulfate formation and hydrogen peroxide depletion.     

Effects of Broadband Laser Generated Ultrasound on Array Gain

Array gain is a common parameter used in laser phased array research. This paper will present a new parameter called the frequency modulation of laser phased array (FMLPA). The array gain model for laser phased arrays was derived using an assumption that ultrasound from each array member interferes with each other. This would be always true if laser generated ultrasound is narrow band. However, laser generation of ultrasound is broad band. Broad band ultrasound signals have short duration in the time domain. If the time delay between generated wave fronts from each array member is longer than the duration of the broad band ultrasound signal from each array member, the ultrasound signals from each array member will not interfere with each other. The time delay between generated wave fronts from each array member is 0 s at a laser phased array’s beam steering angle and increases away from the beam steering angle. Therefore, ultrasound from each array member always interfere at angles close to the beam steering angle. However, ultrasound from each array member may not interfere at angles away from the beam steering angle depending on the time delay between generated wave fronts and duration of the broad band ultrasound signal. A theoretical model of the FMLPA was developed and experimentally verified for use when ultrasound from each array member does not interfere with each other. It was experimentally verified that current array gain equations still apply when ultrasound from array members interfere with each other. The FMLPA can be used to create new techniques for measuring weld penetration depth, crack location, and dimensions of objects.     

Pattern modification of a neuronal network for individual-cell-based electrophysiological measurement using photothermal etching of an agarose architecture with a multielectrode array

A new type of individual-cell-based on-chip multielectrode array (MEA) cell-cultivation system with an agarose microchamber (AMC) array for topographical control of the network patterns of a living neuronal network has been developed. The advantages of this system are that it allows control of the cell positions and numbers for cultivation using AMCs, as well as easy and flexible control of the pattern of connections between the AMCs through photothermal etching where a portion of the agarose layer is melted with a 1480 nm infrared laser beam. With adequate laser power, narrow micrometer-order grooves (microchannels) can easily be fabricated that can be used to combine neighbouring AMCs to enable topographical control of the neural network pattern. Using this system, an individual-cell-based neural network pattern was formed of rat hippocampal cells within the AMC array without cells escaping from the electrode positions in the microchamber during an eight-day cultivation, and could record cell firing in response to 1.5 V, 500 kHz stimulation through an electrode. This demonstrated the potential of the on-chip AMCMEA cell cultivation system for long-term single-cell-based electrophysiological measurement of a neural network system.     

Decentered elliptical Gaussian beam

A new kind of laser beam, called a decentered elliptical Gaussian beam (DEGB), is defined by a tensor method. The propagation formula for a DEGB passing through an axially nonsymmetrical paraxial optical system is derived through vector integration. The derived formula can be reduced to the formula for a fundamental elliptical Gaussian beam and a decentered Gaussian beam under certain conditions. As an example application of the derived formula, the propagation characteristics of a DEGB in free space are calculated and discussed. As another example we study the properties of a generalized laser beam array constructed by use of a DEGB as the fundamental mode.     

Decentered elliptical Hermite-Gaussian beam

A new kind of laser beam called the decentered elliptical Hermite-Gaussian beam (DEHGB) is defined by use of a tensor method. The propagation formula of the DEHGB passing through a nonsymmetrical paraxial optical system is derived through vector integration. The derived formula can be easily reduced to the propagation formula of an aligned elliptical Hermite-Gaussian beam and that of a decentered elliptical Gaussian beam under certain conditions. By use of this formula, the propagation characteristics of the DEHGB through free space are presented graphically. As application examples, we construct a generalized laser array using the DEHGB as the fundamental mode. We also obtain the decentered elliptical flattened Gaussian beam by expressing it as superposition of a series of DEHGBs by using polynomial expansion.     

Quantitative Analysis of Trace Moisture in N(2) and NH(3) Gases with Dual-Cell Near-Infrared Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy

This paper demonstrates our optical measurement system based on near-infrared tunable diode laser absorption spectrometry and reports the results of trace moisture determination in nitrogen and ammonia gases. A near-infrared InGaAsP distributed feedback diode laser operating at room temperature was employed as the optical source. We used a dual-cell detection strategy to cancel common mode noise from the diode laser and remove the effect of the residual moisture absorption in the beam path outside the sample cell. We also used this method to successfully eliminate the interfering absorption of matrix gas molecules such as NH(3). The detection limit of H(2)O absorption of 4 ppb in nitrogen and 12 ppb in ammonia was obtained using a single-pass absorption cell of only 92 cm in length and the average results of 10 scan measurements. This system has characteristics of both the high sensitivity and capability of in situ and real-time measurement.     

Taper array in silica glass for beam splitting

We proposed taper array in silica glass for beam splitting which was fabricated by water-assisted femtosecond laser direct writing technology and the subsequent heat treatment. We divided the array into many fabricating cells which were executed automatically in sequences as specified by the program that contained the information for the three-dimensional stage movements. Each cell could fabricated a rectangular cylinder. The size and distribution of the rectangular cylinder could be controlled by adjusting the position of the fabricating cells. Then the heat treatment should be used to reshape the rectangular cylinders into taper array. The experimental results show that the taper periodic microstructures in silica glass are uniform and smooth, and the tapers can divide the incident light into beam array. The results demonstrated that the combination of the water-assisted femtosecond laser direct writing technology and the heat treatment is accessible and practical for the high quality micro-optical elements. These micro-optical elements will have potential applications in fluorescence detection and beam splitter.     

Phase matching of high-order harmonic generation in helium- and neon-filled gas cells

Abstract

10 mJ laser pulses are used to study high-order harmonic generation in helium- and neon-filled gas cells of various lengths. Harmonic orders in the range 50–100 are investigated. A semi-infinite cell geometry produces brighter harmonics than subcentimetre cells. In the semi-infinite geometry, the gas occupies the region from the focusing lens to a thin exit foil near the laser focus. Restricting the laser beam with an aperture in front of the focusing lens increases the emission of most harmonic orders observed by as much as an order of magnitude. Counter-propagating light is used to probe the region in the focus where the high harmonics are generated. In neon, the harmonics are generated in the last few millimetres before the exit foil. In helium, the harmonics are produced over a longer distance, indicating good phase-matching conditions.     

Ray matrix for Gaussian beam propagation in a nonlinear medium: experimental results

The validity of a ray-matrix formulation of Gaussian beam propagation in a liquid nonlinear medium exhibiting self-defocusing is examined experimentally. By comparing the measured spot size of a Gaussian laser beam passing through the medium with the calculated spot size, it was found that the theory is consistent with the experimental results as long as the waist position of the input beam is not close to the exit surface of the medium.     

卤化银多晶光纤传输CO2激光性能的研究

通过采用高真空熔炼、反应气氛下区域融熔和高真空石英安瓿内单晶生长等特殊工艺方法对卤化银原料进行提纯,并用热挤压成型方法制得卤化银光纤．本文研究了卤化银原料的提纯和光纤成型工艺对损耗的影响,研究结果表明,增加提纯次数可降低卤化银光纤预制棒的吸收系数．通过合理控制工艺参数,提纯后的卤化银原料制成的光纤预制棒,经ＣＯ_２激光量热计法测量在１０．６μｍ处的吸收系数＜５×１０^－4ｃｍ^－１,热挤压成型的光纤在１０．６μｍ处的损耗为０.３～０.５ｄＢ／ｍ,直径φ１０ｍｍ、长度１．６４ｍ的光纤可传输ＣＯ_２激光功率＞２０Ｗ．     

Laser Noise Cancellation in Single-Cell CPT Clocks

We demonstrate a new technique for the suppression of noise associated with the laser source in atomic clocks based on coherent population trapping (CPT). The technique uses differential detection of the transmission of linearly and circularly polarized beams that propagate through different parts of a single rubidium vapor cell filled with a buffer gas mixture. The common-mode noise associated with the laser frequency and amplitude noise is suppressed by the differential detection of the two laser beams. The CPT signal, which is present only in the circularly polarized laser beam, is unaffected. The implementation of the technique requires only a change of the polarization of part of the laser beam and an additional photodiode. The technique is simple and applicable to CPT frequency references where a major source of noise is the laser, such as compact and chip-scale devices.     

A photoacoustic imager with light illumination through an infrared-transparent silicon CMUT array

A novel hardware design and preliminary experimental results for photoacoustic imaging are reported in this paper. This imaging system makes use of an infrared-transparent capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) chip for ultrasound reception and illuminates the image target through the CMUT array. The cascaded arrangement between the light source and transducer array allows for a more compact imager head and results in more uniform illumination. Taking advantage of the low optical absorption coefficient of silicon in the near infrared spectrum as well as the broad acoustic bandwidth that CMUTs provide, an infrared-transparent CMUT array has been developed for ultrasound reception. The center frequency of the polysilicon-membrane CMUT devices used in this photoacoustic system is 3.5 MHz, with a fractional bandwidth of 118% in reception mode. The silicon substrate of the CMUT array has been thinned to 100 μm and an antireflection dielectric layer is coated on the back side to improve the infrared-transmission rate. Initial results show that the transmission rate of a 1.06-μm Nd:Yag laser through this CMUT chip is 12%. This transmission rate can be improved if the thickness of silicon substrate and the thin-film dielectrics in the CMUT structure are properly tailored. Imaging of a metal wire phantom using this cascaded photoacoustic imager is demonstrated.     

Dependence of the laser two-photon ionization process in solution on the laser pulse width

The laser two-photon ionization process has been investigated using simultaneous irradiation of an UV beam and an IR beam. When the laser pulse width was 300 ps, it proceeded through a geminate pair state (a stepwise process), as indicated by the signal enhancement with simultaneous irradiation of the two laser beams. Although no signal enhancement was observed when the laser pulse width was 100 fs, and because molecules with no absorption at the laser wavelength showed an intense signal, the two-photon ionization excited by a femtosecond laser should proceed through a simultaneous two-photon process. The detection limit was quite susceptible to the laser fluctuations.