Active phase locking of fiber amplifiers using sine-cosine single-frequency dithering technique

The sine-cosine single-frequency dithering technique for active phase locking of fiber amplifiers is presented for the first time to our knowledge. It has twice the phase control speed as the single-frequency dithering technique. Detailed theoretical development has been presented and the relevant experiment has been done. In the experiment, nine 10 W level fiber amplifiers are tiled into 3×3 array and the total output power is about 100 W. The sine-cosine single-frequency dithering algorithm is run on a signal processor based on a field-programmable gate array for phase control on the fiber amplifiers. When the phase control system is in a closed loop, the fringe contrast of far-field intensity pattern is improved by more than 90% from 21% in an open loop, and the residual phase error is less than λ/20.     

基于硬判决的BICM-ID系统的迭代载波相位同步算法

在基于迭代译码的比特交织编码调制(BICM-ID)系统中,提出了一种利用译码产生的硬判决信息作引导的迭代载波相位同步的算法.该算法等效于期望最大化(EM)算法,收敛于最大似然(ML)估计,利用Viterbi译码过程中产生的数据比特硬判决信息,通过迭代地在同步和解码之间交换信息来完成联合解码和载波相位同步,实现了联合解码同步.仿真结果验证了该算法的有效性.在相偏θ∈[-20°,20°]时,其误码率性能最佳;在迭代次数达到5次时,误码率性能基本接近理想同步性能,较传统的相位同步算法具有更优的性能.随着信噪比的增大,能更快地逼近理想同步性能.     

Distributed Brillouin sensor system based on offset locking of two distributed feedback lasers

An offset locking technique, which uses an external optical delay line to tune the distributed feedback (DFB) laser frequency and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller to lock the tuned frequency, is proposed for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, in the distributed Brillouin sensor system. This method provides large tuning range (greater than 1 GHz), high tuning speed (less than 100 mus per frequency step), and frequency tuning is independent of the laser frequency and power. The two DFB lasers are phase locked at the Brillouin frequency using a hardware PID controller. Using this offset locking with optical delay line, we demonstrated a high signal-to-noise ratio of 32 dB, which allows 1 m spatial resolution and better than 0.6 MHz frequency measurement accuracy (equivalent to 0.5 degrees C temperature resolution or 8 microepsilon strain resolution) over kilometers sensing length. The bias of the electro-optic modulator is controlled by a lock-in amplifier to provide high temperature or strain measurement accuracy.     

Analysis of cavities for self-starting Kerr-lens mode-locked lasers

We used the ABCD law to derive the transfer matrix of beam propagation in a Kerr-lens mode-locked laser. On the basis of the transfer matrix and the formulas of the cavity stability G parameters that differ from the simple cavity g parameters, we give the expressions for Kerr-lens mode-locking (KLM) strength and some equations for cavity geometric parameters. The expressions and the equations can be used to construct a laser resonator to achieve self-starting oscillation of KLM. In addition we made a numerical simulation of the KLM strength at different positions in a mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. The numerical results provide a good explanation of some of the physical phenomena observed in our experiments.     

Study of dispersion compensation in femtosecond lasers

Abstract

We present a formal analysis of dispersion compensation in femtosecond lasers and provide a detailed examination of the relevant features in Ti: sapphire and Cr: LiSAF lasers. It is shown that the essential of dispersion compensation up to the fourth order consists of searching for the solutions of a group of three linear equations. With the use of a prism pair, complete compensation of both the second- and the third-order dispersion corresponds to solving two of the three equations with the prism separation and the intraprism beam path length as variables. Owing to the limitations on the practically achievable prism separation and the intraprism path length in a laser set-up, only some of these solutions are physically meaningful; hence both zero second- and third-order cavity dispersion may be realized merely within a certain specific spectral range. The fourth-order dispersion, however, cannot be completely compensated for in this case unless a third control variable is introduced. It is also shown that the dominant parameter in determining the spectral region where dispersion is minimized is the difference between the ratio of the third-order dispersion to the second-order dispersion of the laser rod and that of the selected prism pair material. This also explains the major differences between Ti: sapphire and Cr: LiSAF lasers in terms of dispersion compensation.     

激光器自动锁频方法研究综述

介绍了激光自动锁频的意义与目的,阐述了实现激光自动锁频的算法和常用的光学频率参考,分析了不同算法和频率参考的区别和优劣,探讨了在自动领域下实现激光锁频需要解决的问题和方法,指出了有待加强的领域,提出了部分仍待解决的困难,得出了当前激光自动锁频领域的发展方向和改良趋势,为激光器自动锁频的后续研究提供了参考。     

Two-color femtosecond experiments by use of two independently tunable Ti:sapphire lasers with a sample-and-hold switch

We performed femtosecond two-color experiments (four-wave mixing and pump probe) using two independently tunable, partially synchronized femtosecond lasers. Despite the fact that the jitter is of the order of 5-10 ps, the time resolution is limited only by the pulse width when a homemade sample-and-hold switch is used.     

Noise properties of microwave signals synthesized with femtosecond lasers

We discuss various aspects of high resolution measurements of phase fluctuations at microwave frequencies. This includes methods to achieve thermal noise limited sensitivity, along with the improved immunity to oscillator amplitude noise. A few prototype measurement systems were developed to measure phase fluctuations of microwave signals extracted from the optical pulse trains generated by femtosecond lasers. This enabled first reliable measurements of the excess phase noise associated with optical-to-microwave frequency division. The spectral density of the excess phase noise was found to be -140 dBc/Hz at 100 Hz offset from the 10 GHz carrier which was almost 40 dB better than that of a high quality microwave synthesizer.     

Relationship between phase synchronization of chaotic oscillators and time scale synchronization

The relationship between the phase synchronization of chaotic oscillators and their time scale synchronization has been considered, and it is established that the onset of the time scale synchronization depends on the resolving power of the base wavelet. This synchronization usually appears either before or (if said resolving power is insufficient) simultaneously with the onset of phase synchronization. The results are illustrated in the case of one-way coupled Rössler type dynamical systems.     

Dynamical properties and synchronization of complex non-linear equations for detuned lasers

We study the dynamics and synchronization properties of a system of complex non-linear equations describing detuned lasers. These equations possess a whole circle of fixed points, while the corresponding real variable equations have only isolated fixed points. We examine the stability of their equilibrium points and determine conditions under which the complex equations have positive, negative or zero Lyapunov exponents and chaotic, quasiperiodic or periodic attractors for a wide range of parameter values. We investigate the synchronization of chaotic solutions of our detuned laser system, using as a drive a similar set of equations and applying the method of global synchronization. We find attractors whose three-dimensional projection is not at all similar to the well-known shape of the (real) Lorenz attractor. Finally, we apply complex periodic driving to the electric field equation and show that the model can exhibit a transition from chaotic to quasiperiodic oscillations. This leads us to the discovery of an exact periodic solution, whose amplitude and frequency depend on the parameters of the system. Since this solution is stable for a wide range of parameter values, it may be used to control the system by entraining it with the applied periodic forcing.     

Frequency locking of tunable diode lasers to a rubidium-stabilized ring-cavity resonator

We demonstrate a technique for locking the frequency of a tunable diode laser to a ring-cavity resonator. The resonator is stabilized to a diode laser that is in turn locked to an atomic transition in rubidium, thus giving it absolute frequency calibration. The principal advantage of the ring-cavity design is that there is no feedback destabilization of the laser. The cavity has a free-spectral range of 1.3 GHz and Q of approximately 35, which provides robust locking of the laser. The locked laser is able to track large scans of the cavity.     

Review of low timing jitter mode-locked fiber lasers and applications in dual-comb absolute distance measurement

Passively mode-locked fiber lasers emit femtosecond pulse trains with excellent short-term stability. The quantum-limited timing jitter of a free running femtosecond erbium-doped fiber laser working at room temperature is considerably below one femtosecond at high Fourier frequency. The ultrashort pulse train with ultralow timing jitter enables absolute time-of-flight measurements based on a dual-comb implementation, which is typically composed of a pair of optical frequency combs generated by femtosecond lasers. Dead-zone-free absolute distance measurement with sub-micrometer precision and kHz update rate has been routinely achieved with a dual-comb configuration, which is promising for a number of precision manufacturing applications, from large step-structure measurements prevalent in microelectronic profilometry to three coordinate measurements in large-scale aerospace manufacturing and shipbuilding. In this paper, we first review the sub-femtosecond precision timing jitter characterization methods and approaches for ultralow timing jitter mode-locked fiber laser design. Then, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art dual-comb absolute ranging technology in terms of working principles, experimental implementations, and measurement precisions. Finally, we discuss the impact of quantum-limited timing jitter on the dual-comb ranging precision at a high update rate. The route to highprecision dual-comb range finder design based on ultralow jitter femtosecond fiber lasers is proposed.     

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.     

Stable injection locking of diode lasers through a phase-modulated double phase-conjugate mirror

The stable injection locking of 0.8-mum diode lasers with a double phase-conjugate mirror (DPCM) was achieved. Phase modulation by piezoelectric transducers allowed us to keep two input beams of the DPCM mutually incoherent during locking. We preserved the high performance of the DPCM and retained stable locking for more than an hour.     

Periodic regimes and phase locking in the rf SQUID

TheI–V characteristic of the rf SQUID in the region of the first plateau is studied in the framework of the RSJ model of the Josephson junction. Periodic orbits with periods equal to integer multiples of the bias current period have been found. The given period is constant within a small interval of the bias current amplitude. The consequences of such phase locking on theI–V characteristic are discussed.     

Generation of carrier-envelope phase-controlled isolated attosecond pulses using chirped femtosecond excitation lasers

ABSTRACT

We present an efficient approach for producing a carrier-envelope phase controlled isolated attosecond pulse by an optimized intense driving laser pulse. High-order harmonics are produced by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the one-dimensional hydrogen atom in an ultrashort laser pulse. We define an efficient cost function to optimize the laser pulse by a genetic algorithm scheme. Our approach produces single attosecond pulses with desired properties, including the carrier-envelope phase, central frequency, and duration. Also, we analyze the time–frequency profiles of the attosecond emissions to gain a deeper insight into the underlying physical mechanism.