Continuous-wave Beam Research Articles

High-Performance Continuous-Wave Operation of $\lambda \sim {\hbox {4.6}}~\mu{\hbox {m}}$ Quantum-Cascade Lasers Above Room Temperature

We report the high-performance continuous-wave (CW) operation of 10-mum-wide quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) emitting at lambda ~ 4.6mum, based on the GaInAs-AlInAs material without regrowth, in epilayer-up and -down bonding configurations. The operational characteristics of QCLs such as the maximum average power, peak output power, CW output power, and maximum CW operating temperature are investigated, depending on cavity length. Also, important device parameters, i.e., the waveguide loss, the transparency current density, the modal gain, and the internal quantum efficiency, are calculated from length-dependent results. For a high-reflectivity (HR) coated 4-mm-long cavity with epilayer-up bonding, the highest maximum average output power of 633 mW is measured at 65% duty cycle, with 469 mW still observed at 100%. The laser exhibits the maximum wall-plug efficiencies of 8.6% and 3.1% at 298 K, in pulsed and CW operatons, respectively. From 298 to 393 K, the temperature dependent threshold current density in pulsed operation shows a high characteristic temperature of 200 K. The use of an epilayer-down bonding further improves the device performance. A CW output power of 685 mW at 288 K is achieved for the 4-mm-long cavity. At 298 K, the output power of 590 mW, threshold current density of 1.52 kA/cm2, and maximum wall-plug efficiency of 3.73% are obtained under CW mode, operating up to 363 K (90degC). For HR coated 3-mm-long cavities, laser characteristics across the same processed wafer show a good uniformity across the area of 21 cm2, giving similar output powers, threshold current densities, and emission wavelengths. The CW beam full-width at half-maximum of far-field patterns are 25deg and 46deg for the parallel and the perpendicular directions, respectively.

Phase analysis of stimulated Brillouin scattering in long, graded-index optical fiber

A continuous-wave beam was wavefront-split by a prism and propagated through separate paths before being coupled into a long, graded-index fiber. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) was generated in the fiber and the phase of the reflection was compared to that of the pump using lateral shearing interferometers immediately after reflection and also after propagating back through the separate paths. To analyze the phase conjugating properties of SBS in the fiber, one of the paths included a pathlength oscillation. It was found that SBS from the long, graded-index fiber did not conjugate the phase of the pump. SBS formed a phase-locked beam immediately after reflection from the fiber, but did not lock the phases of the two beams after recombination as would be expected from a phase conjugate reflection.

Experimental confirmation of the theory of acoustic radiation pressure applying on transparent interfaces

Since Rayleigh and Brilloin, the acoustic radiation pressure has been the subject of several theoretical works, but of few quantitative tests. Whereas the radiation pressure acting on perfectly reflecting or perfectly absorbing solid targets is commonly used for the calibration of high intensity focused ultrasonic beams, it has never been quantitatively studied on acoustically transparent interfaces. Using an acoustically transparent liquid‐liquid interface deformed by the radiation pressure of a focused, continuous wave beam, we have tested the theory of the acoustic radiation pressure acting on transparent interfaces for the first time. At large intensity, depending on the direction of propagation of the beam, we observe surprising interface shapes such as drop emitting jets and nipple‐like deformations.

Nonlinear change of on-axis pressure and intensity maxima positions and its relation with the linear focal shift effect

A comprehensive experimental, analytical and numerical study of the true focal region drift relative to the geometrical focus (focal shift effect) in acoustic focused beams and its nonlinear evolution is presented. For this aim, the concept of Fresnel number, proportional to the linear gain, is introduced as a convenient parameter for characterizing focused sources. It is shown that the magnitude of the shift is strongly dependent on the Fresnel number of the source, being larger for weakly focused systems where a large initial shift occurs. Analytical expressions for axial pressure distributions in linear regime are presented for the general case of truncated Gaussian beams. The main new contribution of this work is the examination of the connection between the linear and nonlinear stages of the focal shift effect, and its use for the estimation of the more complicated nonlinear stage. Experiments were carried out using a continuous-wave ultrasonic beam in water, radiated by a focused source with nominal frequency f = 1 MHz, aperture radius a = 1.5 cm and geometrical focal distance R = 11.7 cm, corresponding to a Fresnel number N F = 1.28. The maximum measured shifts for peak pressure and intensity were 4.4 and 1.1 cm, respectively. The evolution of the different maxima with the source amplitude, and the disparity in their axial positions, is interpreted in terms of the dynamics of the nonlinear distortion process. Analytical results for the particular case of a sound beam with initial Gaussian distribution are also presented, demonstrating that the motion of peak pressure and peak intensity may occur in opposite directions.

Generation of CW cold CH3CN molecular beam by a bent electostatic quadrupole guiding: Monte-Carlo study

A new kind of continuous-wave (CW) cold molecular beam, methyl cyanide (CH3CN) beam, is generated by a bent electrostatic quadrupole guiding. The Stark shift of rotational energy levels of CH3CN molecule and its population distribution are calculated, and the dynamic processes of electrostatic guiding and energy filtering of CH3CN molecules from a gas source with room temperature (300 K) are simulated by Monte Carlo Method. The study showed that the longitudinal and transversal temperatures of output cold CH3CN beam could be about ∼2 K and ∼ 420 mK, and the corresponding guiding efficiency was about 10−5 as the guiding voltage was 3 kV. Furthermore, the temperature of the guided molecules and its guiding efficiency can be controlled by adjusting the guiding voltages applied on electrodes.

STED microscopy with continuous wave beams

We report stimulated emission depletion (STED) fluorescence microscopy with continuous wave (CW) laser beams. Lateral fluorescence confinement from the scanning focal spot delivered a resolution of 29-60 nm in the focal plane, corresponding to a 5-8-fold improvement over the diffraction barrier. Axial spot confinement increased the axial resolution by 3.5-fold. We observed three-dimensional (3D) subdiffraction resolution in 3D image stacks. Viable for fluorophores with low triplet yield, the use of CW light sources greatly simplifies the implementation of this concept of far-field fluorescence nanoscopy.

Realization of a High Coupling Efficiency by Employing a Concave Lens Based on Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystals With a Negative Refractive Index

A study of the interaction of a continuous-wave Gaussian beam with a concave lens used as a spot-size converter (SSC) is presented. The lens is based on a 2-D photonic crystal (PC) structure with a negative refractive index. A numerical method based on a 2-D finite-difference time domain was employed to investigate the light propagation in a photonic integrated circuitry (PIC). The PIC consisted of a single-mode fiber, an SSC, and a PC waveguide (PCW). By employing an optimized planoconcave lens, a large spot-size area of the Gaussian beam was focused/transformed into a very small spot-size area, which is even smaller than the order of the operating wavelength. Optimization of the proposed device parameters has also been reported. A significant reduction in the device size, transmission efficiency, and coupling efficiency has been achieved by optimizing the planoconcave lens and the PCW.

Composition-spread thin films of pentacene and 6,13-pentacenequinone fabricated by using continuous-wave laser molecular beam epitaxy

Synthesis of continuous composition-spread (CCS) thin films is widely recognized in combinatorial material science as a powerful technique for rapidly investigating the properties of new functional materials. However, there are very few reports of CCS organic thin films due to the fact that the thermal evaporation method with Knudsen cells, which is commonly used to fabricate organic thin films in vacuum, does not offer the necessary level of deposition rate control as, for example, does pulsed laser deposition (PLD). We have successfully fabricated organic CCS thin films of pentacene and 6,13-pentacenequinone by continuous-wave laser molecular beam epitaxy (CWL-MBE), which we developed as a new fabrication method for organic thin films. The composition-spread films were characterized systematically by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and two-probe conductivity measurements. The present work brings the advantages of high-throughput parallel synthesis and systematic characterization to the field of organic electronics, allowing for quick exploration and rapid optimization of organic functional materials and devices.

Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Epicardial Echocardiography Examination: Recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction 921General Guidelines 922Training and Certification 922Indications for TEE 923Management of Patient Sedation 927Sedation and Anesthesia 929Probe Insertion Techniques 930Instrument Controls 930Instrument Manipulation 931Comprehensive Imaging Examination 932ME Views 932TG

Guidelines for Performing a Comprehensive Epicardial Echocardiography Examination: Recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists

Scott T. Reeves, MD, FASE, Kathryn E. Glas, MD, FASE, Holger Eltzschig, MD, Joseph P. Mathew, MD, FASE, David S. Rubenson, MD, FASE, Gregg S. Hartman, MD, and Stanton K. Shernan, MD, FASE, for the Council for Intraoperative Echocardiography of the American Society of Echocardiography, Charleston, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Tubingen, Germany; Durham, North Carolina; La Jolla, California; and Lebanon, New Hampshire

Photothermal flow cytometry in vitro for detection and imaging of individual moving cells

Photothermal (PT) cytometry has recently demonstrated great potential for the label-free detection of nonfluorescent cells under static conditions. The goal of our investigation was to expand this technique to the detection of flowing cells in vitro. Cells in flow were irradiated with short, tunable laser pulses (420-2,300 nm, 8 ns), and the absorbed energy was detected by monitoring of the temperature-dependent variations in the refractive index in the cells with a second, collinear probe beam in two modes: (a) PT imaging of single cells with a pulsed probe beam (639 nm, 13 ns) and (b) thermolens monitoring of the integral PT responses from individual cells as whole with a continuous-wave probe beam (633 nm, 2 mW). PT flow cytometry at the current speed of analysis of 10 cell/s, with the capability to image selected cells of interest flowing at velocities up to 2 m/s, demonstrated the capability for (a) label-free detection of flowing single cells (e.g., blood and cancer cells) on the basis of the differences in their endogenous absorption properties, (b) identification of cells labeled with gold nanoparticles, (c) rapid cell viability testing, (d) aggregation immunoassay, and (e) optimization of selective nanophotothermolysis. PT cytometry can be extended to the study of cells in flow. This new technique increases the speed of cell analysis approximately 10(2) times over that of conventional PT technique, with the potential to achieve a rate of 10(4)-10(5) cells/s in specific PT applications, which has previously been realized only with cells under static conditions.

Analysis of the dimensional dependence of semiconductor optical amplifier recovery speeds

We investigate the dependence of the speed of recovery of optically excited semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) on the active region dimensions. We use a picosecond pump-probe arrangement to experimentally measure and compare the gain and phase dynamics of four SOAs with varying active region dimensions. A sophisticated time domain SOA model incorporating amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) agrees well with the measurements and shows that, in the absence of a continuous wave (CW) beam, the ASE plays a similar role to such a holding beam. The experimental results are shown to be consistent with a recovery rate which is inversely proportional to the optical area. A significant speed increase is predicted for an appropriate choice of active region dimensions.

Generation of continuous-wave broadband entangled beams using periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides

Continuous-wave light beams with broadband quantum entanglement are created with two independent squeezed light beams generated by two periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides and a symmentric beam splitter. The quantum entanglement is confirmed with a sufficient criterion ΔA,B2=⟨[Δ(x̂A−x̂B)]2⟩+⟨[Δ(p̂A+p̂B)]2⟩<1 and the observed ΔA,B2 is 0.75 over the bandwidth of 30MHz. Although the bandwidth is limited by that of the detector so far, it would be broadened up to 10THz which would be only limited by the bandwidth of phase matching for the second-order nonlinear process.

Influence of spatiotemporal coupling on the capture-and-acceleration-scenario vacuum electron acceleration by ultrashort pulsed laser beam

This paper investigates the properties of the ultrashort pulsed beam aimed to the capture-and-acceleration-scenario (CAS) vacuum electron acceleration. The result shows that the spatiotemporal distribution of the phase velocity, the longitudinal component of the electric field and the acceleration quality factor are qualitatively similar to that of the continuous-wave Gaussian beam, and are slightly influenced by the spatiotemporal coupling of the ultrashort pulsed beam. When the pulse is compressed to an ultrashort one in which the pulse duration TFWHM<5T0, the variation of the maximum net energy gain due to the carrier-envelope phase is a crucial disadvantage in the CAS acceleration process.

Office-Based and Microlaryngeal Applications of a Fiber-Based Thulium Laser

The carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is the premier dissecting instrument for hemostatic cutting and ablation during endolaryngeal surgery. However, microlaryngeal tangential dissection and office-based photoablation have been limited by the lack of a fiber-based delivery system. To address this limitation, a new laser was designed, which is a diode-pumped solid-state laser with a thulium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser rod. It produces a continuous-wave beam with a wavelength of 2013 nm and a target chromophore of water. This new laser functions similarly to a CO2 laser with the benefit of being delivered through a small glass fiber (0.365 to 0.550 mm). A prospective pilot trial was done in 74 cases to explore applications of the new thulium laser. Thirty-two procedures were done with the laser used as an ablating instrument and topical anesthesia through a flexible laryngoscope (papillomatosis, 20; microinvasive carcinoma, 6; benign supraglottic lesions, 3; edema, 2; granuloma, (1). Forty-two procedures were done with the laser used as a cutting or ablating instrument for microlaryngeal dissection and general anesthesia. These included 27 partial laryngeal resections (supraglottis, 15; glottis, 10; subglottis, (2) and 8 posterior glottic laryngoplasties. The laser was also used as an ablative instrument during microlaryngoscopy in 7 cases. The thulium laser was used effectively in all cases, under both local and general anesthesia. In microlaryngeal dissection, electrocautery was not needed to control bleeding, even during cutting in the highly vascular paraglottic space. No complications related to the use of the thulium laser were experienced in any case. Because of the fiber-based delivery system, the 2013-nm continuous-wave thulium laser shows substantial promise for tangential dissection during microlaryngoscopy and soft tissue photoablation during office-based flexible laryngoscopy. Hemostasis was judged to be superior to experiences with the CO2 laser. In this pilot study, performing en bloc laryngeal cancer resection procedures was facilitated by use of the thulium laser.

A Quantum Study of Multibit Phase Coding for Optical Storage

We propose a scheme which encodes information in both the longitudinal and spatial transverse phases of a continuous-wave optical beam. A split detector-based interferometric scheme is then introduced to optimally detect both encoded phase signals. In contrast to present-day optical storage devices, our phase coding scheme has an information storage capacity which scales with the power of the read-out optical beam. We analyse the maximum number of encoding possibilities at the shot noise limit. In addition, we show that using squeezed light, the shot noise limit can be overcome and the number of encoding possibilities increased. We discuss a possible application of our phase coding scheme for increasing the capacities of optical storage devices.

Optical Absorption Coefficient, Time of Thermal Relaxation, Time of Surface Threshold, and Time of Heat Incubation for PMMA Samples at the CO2Laser-Beam Wavelength of 10.6 µm

This paper discusses in detail the mathematical identification of the optical absorption alpha (cm(1)) of Beer's law, a crucial parameter to study the development of laser beam craters into dry poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) samples exposed to steady CO(2) laser beams emitting radiation at lambda = 10.6 microm in continuous- wave (CW) mode. Three additional time-dependent coefficients have been determined as well. In clinical applications, these results are important in order to precisely quantify and forecast the ablation capabilities of the CO(2) laser beam, to optimize its usage in the operating room, and to address the safety issues related to surgical interventions on human tissue. Currently, the data available in the literature do not allow the identification of the numerical value of alpha (cm(1)) for PMMA at lambda = 10.6 microm with enough, and therefore satisfactory, accuracy. Additionally, the correct identification of the optical absorption of PMMA would allow the isolation, with better accuracy, of other key time-dependent coefficients, such as relaxation time, surface threshold time, and heat incubation time, which are all described in the literature in a qualitative rather than quantitative fashion. Correct bone cement preparation depends on the value of alpha (cm(1)) of the PMMA in order to avoid unwanted complications in patients during cement removal via laser techniques. The laser in use was configured in different combinations with the following parameters: transverse electromagnetic modes (TEMnm), output power (I0), exposure times (te), and focal lengths (fk). Several PMMA blocks (1 cm x 4 cm x 4 cm) were exposed to CW radiation of three commercially available CO(2) medical laser devices showing a TEM11 mode. Each block was exposed to the beam on a horizontal and well-polished surface of each sample. Four focal lengths (2.5", 5", 7.5", and 15.75" [400 mm]) were used to focus the beam on the well-polished and dry surface of the PMMA samples. The resulting dimensions of the craters were measured after each exposure, which has been kept at a 10-Watt CW beam. Exposure time ranged from 0.5 to 2 sec. The value of alpha = 502 (cm(1)) for PMMAat 10.6 microm was identified, matching other results reported in the literature for similar compact media in the absence of water content, such as PMMA. The time of thermal relaxation was 9.358 x 10(4) sec, the time of surface threshold was 9.365 x 10(4) sec, and the time of heat incubation was 3.6 x 10(7) sec (all three for PMMAat 10.6 microm for any exposure). Using the calculated value of alpha, one of the practical clinical recommendations would be, for instance, to reduce or to abolish the utilization of colorant dopants in the preparation of the bone cement mixture and therefore reduce the danger of bone damage possible during the removal of bone cement via laser techniques. Other examples refer to other clinical bone and dental treatments.

Submillisecond response of a photorefractive polymer under single nanosecond pulse exposure

Individual nanosecond pulses at 532nm are applied to record gratings in photorefractive composite. At 4mJ∕cm2 illumination, maximum diffraction efficiencies of 56% have been reached with a build-up time of only 300μs (t1) demonstrating one order of magnitude faster recording compared to writing with continuous wave beams. This fast response enables applications in optical processing requiring frame rates of 100Hz or more. Due to the short duration of the writing pulses, the recording is insensitive to vibrations.

All-Optical Switching in Pharaonis Phoborhodopsin Protein Molecules

Low-power all-optical switching with pharaonis phoborhodopsin (ppR) protein is demonstrated based on nonlinear excited-state absorption at different wavelengths. A modulating pulsed 532-nm laser beam is shown to switch the transmission of a continuous-wave signal light beam at: 1) 390 nm; 2) 500 nm; 3) 560 nm; and 4) 600 nm, respectively. Simulations based on the rate equation approach considering all seven states in the ppR photocycle are in good agreement with experimental results. It is shown that the switching characteristics at 560 and 600 nm, respectively, can exhibit negative to positive switching. The switching characteristics at 500 nm can be inverted by increasing the signal beam intensity. The profile of switched signal beam is also sensitive to the modulating pulse frequency and signal beam intensity and wavelength. The switching characteristics are also shown to be sensitive to the lifetimes of ppR(M) and ppR(O) intermediates. The results show the applicability of ppR as a low-power wavelength tunable all-optical switch.

Radiation force exerted on nanometer size non-resonant Kerr particle by a tightly focused Gaussian beam

We calculate the radiation force that is exerted by a focused continuous-wave Gaussian beam of wavelength λ on a non-absorbing nonlinear particle of radius a ≪ 50 λ/π. The refractive index of the mechanically-rigid particle is proportional to the incident intensity according to the electro-optic Kerr effect. The force consists of two components representing the contributions of the electromagnetic field gradient and the light scattered by the Kerr particle. The focused intensity distribution is determined using expressions for the six electromagnetic components that are corrected to the fifth order in the numerical aperture (NA) of the focusing objective lens. We found that for particles with a < λ/21.28, the trapping force is dominated by the gradient force and the axial trapping force is symmetric about the geometrical focus. The two contributions are comparable with larger particles and the axial trapping force becomes asymmetric with its zero location displaced away from the focus and towards the beam propagation direction. We study the trapping force behavior versus incident beam power, NA, λ, and relative refractive index between the surrounding liquid and the particle. We also examine the confinement of a Kerr particle that exhibits Brownian motion in a focused beam. Numerical results show that the Kerr effect increases the trapping force strength and significantly improves the confinement of Brownian particles.