Single heterostructure lasers: a picosecond light pulse source

In this paper we suggest a new use for single heterostructure semiconductor lasers as a source of high power pulses of coherent light with halfwidths of the order of 10 psec, repetition rates up to hundreds of hertz and tunable photon energy output. Our suggestion is based on the behavior shown by single heterostructure lasers at the Q-switching regime of operation when they exhibit the properties mentioned above.     

Tunable single-mode operation of a pulsed optical parametric oscillator pumped by a multimode laser

High-quality single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) tunable signal radiation is generated by a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped by a compact, inexpensive multimode laser. The OPO is based on periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) in a ring cavity that is injection seeded at its resonated signal wavelength by a single-mode tunable diode laser. Accurate control of the OPO cavity length and crystal temperature ensures a continuously tunable SLM signal output frequency range of >7.5 THz (>250 cm(-1)); the corresponding idler output remains multimode. High-resolution molecular spectra are recorded to verify OPO performance at wavelengths of ~1.55 mum. The observed signal optical bandwidth of 相似文献   

Densification kinetics of powdered copper under single-mode and multimode microwave sintering

This work represents an investigation concerning densification kinetics during microwave sintering of copper powder using single-mode and multimode applicators operating at 2.45 GHz. Analysis of densification kinetics was made using densification parameter. Heating stage for sintering using single-mode applicator was found to be of great importance. While both processes have the same nature of heating, sintering kinetics in single-mode applicator were shown to be faster comparing to those for multimode ones. Partial melting of matter during sintering in single-mode applicator may be considered as an explanation.     

Flash-lamp-pumped Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG and Ho:Tm:Er:YLF lasers: modeling of a single, long pulse length comparison

Two methods of producing the long pulse lengths that promote efficient extraction of energy from low-gain, quasi-four-level lasers are analyzed. A long pulse length output can mitigate laser-induced damage effects and can be generated in quasi-four-level lasers by two disparate methods. One method utilizes Q-switching techniques in resonators designed to extend the pulse length and another utilizes the first pulse in a relaxation oscillation pulse train. Models for quasi-four-level lasers are derived here taking into account the nonnegligible thermal population of the lower laser level. Closed-form expressions are derived for both modes of operation of quasi-four-level laser systems so the parametric dependencies of both forms of operation become obvious, allowing facile comparison. In addition, a combined absorption and quantum efficiency, germane for flash-lamp pumping, is calculated for both Cr and Er sensitizers. Although the former has the advantage of broad absorption bands, the latter has the advantage of a quantum efficiency approaching 3.     

半导体激光器与单模光纤自动对准

提出盲目搜索与模式搜索相结合的多自由度搜索算法,完成半导体激光器(LD)与单模光纤(SMF)的自动对准。盲目搜索算法采用优化策略,使算法能够根据粗对准过程中的异常情况进行自适应调整,避免了搜索结果的不确定性,减少了粗对准时间。精密对准阶段的模式搜索法具有多自由度同时搜索的优点,因此对准速度较快,可以克服多自由度交叉耦合的影响,受噪声影响小。实验结果证明,使用模式搜索法进行xyz三自由度对准,对准时间为30~50s,定位成功率大于80%,对准速度和全局收敛性都优于传统的爬山法。     

Flash-lamp-pumped Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG and Ho:Tm:Er:YLF lasers: experimental results of a single, long pulse length comparison

Flash-lamp-pumped, room-temperature Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG and Ho:Tm:Er:YLF are compared for single but long pulse operation, with pulse lengths of approximately 1.0 mus. Under similar operating conditions in normal-mode operation, a slope efficiency of 0.0331 was observed for Ho:Tm:Er:YLF compared with 0.0047 for Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG. For Q-switched operation, Ho:Tm:Er:YLF yielded a slope efficiency of 0.0075. In comparison, a slope efficiency of 0.0012 was obtained for Ho:Tm:Cr:YAG. Two methods of producing long pulse lengths are compared: pulse selection of normal-mode relaxation oscillations and Q-switching in a long resonator. Theoretical models developed in a companion paper for normal-mode relaxation oscillations and Q-switching in quasi-four-level solid-state lasers are in agreement with the experimental results.     

Influence of external cavity length on multimode hopping in microchip Nd:YAG lasers

The influence of external cavity length on multimode hopping in microchip Nd:YAG lasers is investigated experimentally. With an optical feedback loop, the threshold gain of different longitudinal modes are all modulated by changing the external cavity length; a lambda/2 change in the external cavity length causes a one-period oscillation. The longitudinal modes can be divided into groups according to different initial threshold gain variations and modulation trends corresponding to different external cavity phases. Because of the initial gain difference, only one mode in each group is the dominant potential lasing mode, while others are suppressed. During the 2 pi change of the external cavity phase, mode hopping occurs among these potential lasing modes from different groups. Both the intensity waveforms and the number of hopping modes strongly depend on the external cavity length. Experimental results agree well with the theoretical analysis of the phenomenon of multimode hopping subjected to optical feedback in microchip Nd:YAG lasers.     

Bitapered fiber coupling characteristics between single-mode single-core fiber and single-mode multicore fiber

By splicing and tapering at the fusion point of one-core single-mode fiber and three- or four-core single-mode fiber, an effective bitapered fiber coupling technique is implemented. Based on the beam propagation method, the bitapered coupling characteristics between the one-core fiber and the multicore single-mode fiber are simulated and analyzed. The theoretical prediction is confirmed by the experimental results, and the difference between the simulation and the experimental results is also discussed.     

Relaxation of the single-mode emission conditions in extended-cavity semiconductor lasers with a self-organizing photorefractive filter

Commercial 1.55-microm extended-cavity semiconductor lasers provide single-mode operation that can be continuously tuned over a range larger than 100 nm without mode hopping. But such performance requires delicate factory adjustment and high mechanical stability of the external cavity. Furthermore, at high emission power the tuning range is limited to small values because of the annoying multimode operations that sometimes occur. We have shown that the alignment constraints can be relaxed by use of an intracavity photorefractive filter. Here we present new results obtained with a crystal with low absorption and high photorefractive gain. We demonstrate that, without inducing excessive additional loss, we can preserve single-mode emission at an output power higher than the maximum power obtained in the absence of a photorefractive crystal over the full tuning range of the laser.     

International intercomparison of attenuation in fiber opticsystems: multimode fiber and LED-based comparison

The result of an international comparison of incremental attenuation steps of a multimode fiber-optics attenuator bat 850 nm is reported. In multimode systems, the measurement value varies with such measuring conditions as the light source spectrum and the spatial distribution of light at launching into the fiber. Therefore, a specially designed step attenuator was used as the transfer standard, and reference conditions were set up. The maximum differences among the mean values of the measurements were less than 0.03 dB/10 dB. The result shows the possibility of using a step attenuator as an attenuation standard in multimode fiber-optic systems under specific reference conditions     

Information processing in a gravitational-wave experiment subject to pulse noise

We present a new algorithm for processing information in a gravitational-wave experiment; the algorithm is based on using Pearson curves to approximate the unknown probability density of the output noise of a gravitational antenna subject to chaotic pulse noise. Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No 5, pp. 3–7, May, 1999.     

A new compact circuit-level model of semiconductor lasers: investigation of relative intensity noise and frequency noise spectra

We introduce a new compact noise equivalent circuit model of semiconductor lasers (SLs) from the rate equation including Langevin noise sources. The noise sources are described in terms of the spectral properties of the relative intensity noise (RIN) and frequency/phase noise (FN). Unlike the previous noise equivalent circuit models, which are based on two different DC and small-signal circuit models, using only a single circuit model, the static and dynamic responses and also the noise characteristics of SLs, can be investigated. We examine the validity of the presented noise circuit model by comparing the simulated results with the analytical and numerical results available in the literatures.     

Bandwidth dependence of pulse duration in intra-cavity frequency-doubled lasers: theory and experiment

A model is presented of pulse evolution in broadband intra-cavity frequency-doubled lasers. The model utilizes normalized coupled rate equations for each mode, including terms that represent the loss due to nonlinear mixing between longitudinal modes. The pulse energy, shape, peak power and duration are calculated by numerical solution of these equations. The model shows that the pulse duration depends not only on the initial population inversion, photon lifetime and the effective nonlinear coupling coefficient, as is the case for narrowband lasers, but also on the fundamental bandwidth. A gain-switched Ti:sapphire laser, pumped by a Q-switched Nd-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser at 532?nm, was frequency doubled using an intra-cavity β-barium borate crystal. The bandwidth was reduced from about 25?nm to about 1.5?nm in two steps using a series of prisms, and the resulting changes in experimental pulse durations and energies agree well with the model.     

Bilateral comparison of power measurement standards for KrF excimer lasers between PTB and NIST

We report results of the first bilateral laser power comparison for 248 nm KrF excimer lasers accomplished by the National Metrology Institutes of Germany (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB) and of the United States of America (National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST). Laser transfer standards for average power were calibrated at both laboratories. The average powers were approximately 0.5 W, 1 W and 2 W. At 248 nm, the relative agreement was between 1×10⁻³ and 6×10⁻³, which is well within the expanded uncertainty of the bilateral degree of equivalence of approximately 2×10⁻². Thus, this comparison confirms that the measurement procedures of both laboratories are consistent and the uncertainty budgets contain all significant contributions.     

Thermal characteristics of optical pulse transit time delay and fiber strain in a single-mode optical fiber cable

Thermal characteristics of optical pulse transit time delay and fiber strain in a single-mode optical fiber cable are investigated theoretically and experimentally. Measurements of the transit time delay shift are made by a spatial interference technique using a 1.5-in long fiber, six-fiber unit, and cable. Experimental results for a jacketed fiber whose fiber axis is well centered in nylon coating are in good agreement with those predicted from the theory. A jacketed fiber whose fiber axis is positioned eccentrically from the jacket center exhibits a small change in fiber strain at low temperature due to fiber buckling compared with that for the well-centered jacketed fiber. The loss increase for the off-centered jacketed fiber is explained by the buckling model. Furthermore, thermal characteristics of the unit-type cable examined here are found to coincide with those for the constituent six-fiber unit.     

Investigation of evanescent coupling between tapered fiber and a multimode slab waveguide

A tapered fiber-slab waveguide coupler (TFSC) is proposed in this paper. Both the numerical analysis based on the beam propagation method and experiments are used for investigating the dependencies of TFSC transmission features on their geometric parameters. From the simulations and experimental results, the rules for fabricating a TFSC with low transmission loss and sharp resonant spectra by optimizing the configuration parameters are presented. The conclusions derived from our work may provide helpful references for optimally designing and fabricating TFSC-based devices, such as sensors, wavelength filters, and intensity modulators.     

Performance comparison between the combined R134a/CO2 heat pump and cascade R134a/CO2 heat pump for space heating

In this paper, the performance of combined R134a/CO₂ and cascade R134a/CO₂ systems for space heating was studied and compared under specific operating conditions. A mathematical model was developed for this purpose and was verified by experimental data. The effects of key parameters such as water feed temperature, water supply temperature and ambient temperature on the performance of the two systems were further investigated. Results showed that cascade and combined systems had different preferable application conditions. The cascade system performed better at low ambient temperatures while the combined system performed better under conditions of high ambient temperature and high hot water temperature differences between the system inlet and outlet. A correlation was established and an operating condition coefficient was proposed to determine which system should be used for any given set of working conditions.     

Launching light from semiconductor lasers into multimode optical fibers having hemispherical ends and taper-with-hemisphere ends

The plane ends (PE) of various multimode optical fibers have been transformed into (a) hemispherical ends (HE) and (b) taper-with-hemisphere ends (TE) by using a microtorch and also a CO2 laser for HE only. We confirmed that the launching efficiency eta from semiconductor lasers into multimode fibers is much greater than TE and HE compared with PE, with TE being the most efficient. A rigorous comparison between these three launching arrangements is reported here for the first time together with detailed analysis of similar published work. The effect of various misalignments is also investigated and compared for the three fiber terminations.     

Characterization of a low frequency magnetic noise from a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler

Magnetic noise of a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler (PT) was measured by a fundamental mode orthogonal fluxgate magnetometer and by a LTS Double Relaxation Oscillation SQUID (DROS) first-order planar gradiometer. The magnetometer was installed in a dewar made of aluminum at 12 cm distance from a section containing magnetic regenerative materials of the second pulse tube. The magnetic noise spectrum showed a clear peak at 1.8 Hz, which is the fundamental frequency of the He gas pumping rate. The 1.8 Hz magnetic noise registered a peak, during the cooling down process, when the second cold-stage temperature was around 12 K, which is well correlated with the 1.8 Hz variation of the temperature of the second cold stage. Hence, we attributed the main source of this magnetic noise to the temperature variation of the magnetic moments resulting from magnetic regenerative materials, Er₃Ni and HoCu₂, in the presence of background static magnetic fields. We have also pointed out that the superconducting magnetic shield of lead sheets reduced the low frequency magnetic noise generated from the magnetic regenerative materials. With this arrangement, the magnetic noise amplitude measured with the LTS DROS gradiometer, mounted at 7 cm horizontal distance from the magnetic regenerative materials, in the optimum condition, was lower than 500 pT peak-to-peak, whereas the noise level without lead shielding was higher than the dynamic range of DROS instrumentations which was around .