Nonlasing Modes Research Articles

Reduction of relative intensity noise in a diamond Raman laser

The relative intensity noise (RIN) characteristics of a continuous-wave diamond Raman laser are investigated for the first time. The results reveal the parasitic stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) that usually occurred with higher-order spatial modes in the diamond Raman resonator is a pivotal factor impacting the Raman longitudinal modes and deteriorating the RIN level. The diamond Raman laser automatically switches to single-longitudinal-mode operation and the RIN level is significantly decreased in the frequency range of 200 Hz to 1 MHz after the parasitic SBS is effectively suppressed through inserting a spatial aperture or a χ(2) nonlinear crystal into the cavity. Due to the introduction of additional nonlinear loss to the high intensity Raman fluctuations and the non-lasing spontaneous Raman modes, the χ(2) nonlinear crystal enables better performance in the RIN-level reduction compared to the spatial aperture which can only achieve SBS inhibition. The RIN reduction routes are well suited for various crystalline Raman media to achieve high power and low intensity noise laser at different wavelengths.

Auto-pump-depleted stable single-longitudinal-mode 1.5 μm source with the assistance of SHG.

To realize a stable single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) 1550-nm light source for the generation of non-classical states, a ring auto-pump-depleted singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO) with the assistance of second-harmonic-wave generation (SHG) is designed and built in this Letter. A magnesium oxide doped periodically polarized lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN) crystal and a lithium triborate (LBO) crystal are employed as the optical parametric downconversion (OPDC) and SHG crystals, respectively. Especially, the introduced SHG can firstly increase the loss difference between the lasing and non-lasing modes so that the dual-mode or multi-mode coupling in the achieved SRO can be effectively eliminated and the stable SLM operation is achieved. At the same time, the SHG will automatically adjust the output coupling efficiency of SRO, so as to achieve efficient conversion efficiency and auto-pump depletion of SRO. In addition, due to the SHG, it is easy to achieve the low-intensity noise multi-wavelength output for the stable SLM SRO. As a result, the output powers of the SLM 1550 nm and 775 nm are up to 4.05 W and 3.25 W, respectively, and the total optical conversion of the built SRO can achieve 45.58%. The presented method paves a way to develop a compact stable SLM multi-wavelength SRO, and the obtained SRO is further beneficial to develop compact continuous-variable non-classical light fields.

Magnetic-Field-Switchable Laser via Optical Pumping of Rubrene.

Volumetric optical imaging of magnetic fields is challenging with existing magneto-optical materials, motivating the search for dyes with strong magnetic field interactions, distinct emission spectra, and an ability to withstand high photon flux and incorporation within samples. Here, the magnetic field effect on singlet-exciton fission is exploited to demonstrate spatial imaging of magnetic fields in a thin film of rubrene. Doping rubrene with the high-quantum yield dye dibenzotetraphenylperiflanthene (DBP) is shown to enable optically pumped, slab waveguide lasing. This laser is magnetic-field-switchable: when operated just below the lasing threshold, application of a 0.4 T magnetic field switches the device between nonlasing and lasing modes, accompanied by an intensity modulation of +360%. This is thought to be the first demonstration of a magnetically switchable laser, as well as the largest magnetically induced change in emission brightness in a singlet-fission material to date. These results demonstrate that singlet-fission materials are promising materials for magnetic sensing applications and could inspire a new class of magneto-optical modulators.

Single-Mode Operation of Fiber Lasers Based on Time Domain Suppression of Non-Lasing Modes

We experimentally and theoretically demonstrate a new method to obtain a single-mode operation in long cavity lasers. The method is based on suppressing non-lasing modes in the time domain by attenuating their intensity beating with the lasing mode. This suppression is implemented in our experiments by adding into the cavity an intensity modulator, which is controlled by the photo-detected beating signal. We have demonstrated the method in a long Erbium-doped fiber ring laser with a ring cavity length of about 13 m. Single-mode operation without mode-hopping was obtained for a long time duration of about 100 minutes. Although Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers are homogeneously broadened at room temperature, a single-mode operation was achieved in several cavity modes, which do not have the highest small-signal gain. A theoretical model, based on a small-signal stability analysis, is given. The model indicates that the control delay should be accurately chosen.

Intensity Noise of Semiconductor Lasers Induced by Inter-Mode Beating

Beating between the lasing main mode and the non-lasing side modes is one of the intensity noise sources of single longitudinal mode lasers. Its characteristics were investigated experimentally recent years. This paper presents a theoretical study of mode-beating noises in semiconductor lasers, and intends to explain the experimentally observed phenomena. The effects of coherent population oscillation (CPO) induced by mode beating on gain coefficient and on reflective index are analyzed based on Maxwell-Bloch equation and rate equations. The power ratio of the side mode over its conjugation mode generated by four wave mixing (FWM) is discussed; formulas of amplitude and frequency of mode beating intensity noise are given with relations to pump levels and mode orders. The obtained results are suitable for the edge emitting diode lasers and the external cavity lasers. The line shape of mode beating intensity noises is discussed based on CPO-induced phase noise, giving explanations of the experimentally observed phenomenon of multiple sub-peak spectra. The roles of intensity noise reduction by nonlinear optical absorber (NLA) inserted in the laser cavity are described. More factors related to the mode beating noise are discussed qualitatively, such as spectral hole burning of gain (SHB), the effect of external cavity, and higher order FWM.

Multimode Organic Polariton Lasing.

We present a beyond-mean-field approach to predict the nature of organic polariton lasing, accounting for all relevant photon modes in a planar microcavity. Starting from a microscopic picture, we show how lasing can switch between polaritonic states resonant with the maximal gain, and those at the bottom of the polariton dispersion. We show how the population of nonlasing modes can be found, and by using two-time correlations, we show how the photoluminescence spectrum (of both lasing and nonlasing modes) evolves with pumping and coupling strength, confirming recent experimental work on the origin of blueshift for polariton lasing.

Study of wavelength switching time in tunable semiconductor micro-ring lasers: experiment and travelling wave description

We report in this paper the wavelength switching features of semiconductor ring lasers that are wavelength tunable based on filtered optical feedback. The filtered feedback provides a wavelength dependent loss mechanism in these devices with which a particular longitudinal mode, and thus a particular wavelength, can be selected by changing the filter characteristics of the feedback channel. We investigate how the wavelength switching speed depends on the amplitude of the modulation of the switching driving signal and on the different phase factors within the filtering branches of the SRL. We compare qualitatively the experimental results with numerical simulations based on a travelling wave model. We also investigate the dynamical behavior of the lasing and nonlasing longitudinal modes in the two channels of the clockwise and the counter-clockwise directions. We show the crucial importance of various phase relation factors on the wavelength switching behavior. Finally, we discuss what limits the switching speed and how we can accelerate it.

Reducing the sensitivity of semiconductor ring lasers to external optical injection using selective optical feedback

We numerically investigate the influence of an integrated filtered optical feedback on the behavior of a semiconductor ring laser subject to external optical injection. The optical injection is spectrally directed at one of the non-lasing longitudinal modes of the laser. This so-called side-mode injection can cause wavelength switching, directional switching, and changes in the dynamical regime of the semiconductor ring laser. Such changes are often unwanted as they can affect the stability and the performance of the semiconductor ring laser. We investigate to what extent these undesired effects can be avoided by stabilizing the laser using on-chip filtered feedback. A two-directional mode model is used to investigate the dynamical behavior of the semiconductor ring laser under the simultaneous effect of the external optical injection and the integrated feedback. The results show that on-chip filtered optical feedback can be used to reduce the sensitivity of the semiconductor ring laser to external optical injection.

Intensity noise in high-frequency range of an external cavity diode laser and its reduction by second harmonic generation.

Characteristics of intensity noise of optically pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers and solid-state lasers, induced by the beating of the main lasing mode and non-lasing side modes and its reduction, have been reported in recent years. The mode beating noise of an external cavity diode laser composed of an electrically pumped edge-emitting laser diode chip is studied experimentally in this Letter. The noises due to the beating of the main mode with the first- to third-order side modes are observed, and multiple sub-peaks in the beating noise are measured. It is assumed that the new phenomena are coming from the enhanced four-wave mixing in the longer-active medium. Intensity noise reduction is also demonstrated by using the second harmonic generation of a beta barium borate crystal as a nonlinear absorber.

Quantum effect on characteristics of semiconductor ring laser

A bistable semiconductor ring laser (SRL) with two counter propagation modes has been triggered by optical pulse injection which added to the initial nonlasing mode. As the optical pulse injection (OPI) has an important role in switching and lasing of SRL, we have to find a reliable area to achieve its amplitude and frequency. Numerical results show an increase in amplitude of OPI leading to switching time decreasing as well as an increase to amplitude oscillation. It is shown that in order to prevent the oscillation in laser output characteristic, the OPI power must be less than 2 mW. We have also investigated the effect of quantum wells on active region structure of SRL. It is obvious by increasing the quantum well numbers the output optical power has been increased and the switching time has been decreased. The main advantage of this research work is to apply separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) to multi quantum well (MQW) structure to extract numerical model for amplitude and phase of SCH-SRL. Using SCH in MQW-SRL active region will increase the output power to 0.8 mW and decrease threshold current to 12 mA.

Noise reduction in solid-state lasers using a SHG-based buffer reservoir.

The cancellation of resonant intensity noise, from a few kHz up to several GHz, is reported using a second-harmonic generation (SHG) buffer reservoir in a Nd:YAG solid-state laser. This approach is shown to be well suited and easily optimizable for reducing the excess noise lying at the laser relaxation oscillations as well as that originating from the beating between the lasing mode and nonlasing adjacent longitudinal modes. A thorough analysis of noise spectra of both laser and SHG signals confirms definitely that noise reduction is a consequence of a deep laser dynamics modification rather than noise evacuation mechanism.

SOA-based fiber ring laser with seed of DFB wavelength scanning for relative humidity measurement using an air-guided photonic crystal fiber

We propose a novel ring laser for non-hygroscopic coating relative humidity (RH) fiber sensor by means of infrared absorption spectroscopy. A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based fiber ring laser is used in this scheme. No tunable optical filter is required for the ring laser scheme as wavelength scanning is introduced in the ring using a distributed feedback (DFB) laser. An air-guided photonic crystal fiber (AGPCF) is included in the ring cavity that acts as a sensing head. The detection of gas humidity inside the air holes of AGPCF is determined by DFB wavelength scanning around 1368.59 nm water vapor absorption peak with SOA as a gain medium in the ring. We have experimentally implemented the wavelength scanning of SOA-based fiber ring laser scheme with an AGPCF sensing head of 5 cm and a small gap between single mode fiber and AGPCF to allow air diffusion in and out of the air holes inside the AGPCF. The sensitivity of the sensor is increased from 2.47 to 10.93 mV/1% RH over the range from 0 to 90% RH when the non-lasing mode (single-pass absorption spectroscopy) of the sensor is changed into the lasing mode (multi-pass absorption spectroscopy).

Excitation power dependence of the Purcell effect in photonic crystal microcavity lasers with quantum wires

The Purcell effect dependence on the excitation power is studied in photonic crystal microcavity lasers embedding InAs/InP quantum wires. In the case of non-lasing modes, the Purcell effect has low dependence on the optical pumping, attributable to an exciton dynamics combining free and localized excitons. In the case of lasing modes, the influence of the stimulated emission makes ambiguous the determination of the Purcell factor. We have found that this ambiguity can be avoided by measuring the dependence of the decay time on the excitation power. These results provide insights in the determination of the Purcell factor in microcavity lasers.

Lasing in hybrid metal-Bragg nanocavities

We report room-temperature lasing from an optically pumped subwavelength-scale cylindrical InGaAsP pillar surrounded by circular Bragg reflectors on a metal substrate with a dielectric spacer layer. By taking advantage of wide in-plane photonic bandgaps and proper vertical antiresonances, three dielectric Bragg pairs produce a sufficient optical feedback capable of low threshold lasing from the fundamental TE011 mode. A large spontaneous emission coupling into the lasing mode is obtained from the cavity-enhanced Purcell effects and effective suppression of nonlasing modes.

Photon number distributions from a diode laser

We use balanced homodyne detection to characterize light from a diode laser as it crosses the threshold. We measure the single-time second-order correlation function g(2), and also extract the photon number distribution. Just above the laser threshold, we find that the measured g(2) exceeds the prediction of the semiclassical single-mode laser model. From the reconstructed photon number distributions, we conclude that this excess is due to emission from nonlasing modes. For higher pumping current, the light noise increases due to a different mechanism, possibly mode competition or mode partition noise.

Observation of noise phase locking in a single-frequency VECSEL

We present an experimental observation of phase locking effects in the intensity noise spectrum of a semiconductor laser. These noise correlations are created in the medium by coherent carrier-population oscillations induced by the beatnote between the lasing and non-lasing modes of the laser. This phase locking leads to a modification of the intensity noise profile at around the cavity free-spectral-range value. The noise correlations are evidenced by varying the relative phase shift between the laser mode and the non-lasing adjacent side modes.

Ultrafast switching dynamics of nonlasing modes of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Single-mode vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been investigated with ultrafast optical modulation. After injection of a subpicosecond laser pulse into the VCSEL cavity, nonlasing modes were excited and produced optical beating in the emission of the VCSEL. After these oscillations have died down, when the VCSEL is operating at high power and when the injected laser pulses exceed a power threshold as well, the injected laser pulses can induce the lasing to switch to a normally nonlasing mode with crossed polarization. Our measurements of the decay time of the nonlasing modes at low injected pulse energy are consistent with the interpretation of this switching as enabled by increased lifetime of the nonlasing modes at high power.

Observation of Slow Light in the Noise Spectrum of a Vertical External Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser

The role of coherent population oscillations is evidenced in the noise spectrum of an ultralow noise laser. This effect is isolated in the intensity noise spectrum of an optimized single-frequency vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser. The coherent population oscillations induced by the lasing mode manifest themselves through their associated dispersion that leads to slow light effects probed by the spontaneous emission present in the nonlasing side modes.

Lasing Mode Hysteresis Characteristics in Semiconductor Ring Lasers

Wavelength and directional hysteresis due to increasing and decreasing current and temperature have been investigated. Measurements indicate that lasing direction hysteresis associated with changes in injection current can be attributed to the resulting shift in the linear gain peak which is due to the change in device temperature. Interaction between the linear gain spectrum and the asymmetric nonlinear gain spectrum results in contrasting behavior for increasing and decreasing temperature and current. The phenomena are modeled using a nonlinear time domain model including the carrier density pulsation (CDP), carrier heating (CH) and spectral hole burning (SHB) effects. The numerically reproduced hysteresis loop is in close agreement to the experimental observation. Our work further shows that mode hops to longer wavelength non lasing modes are quicker than those to shorter wavelength lasing modes due to the lack of four wave mixing (FWM) mode coupling in the non-lasing mode. The same model can be used to study the dynamics during switching of lasing directions triggered by other means, such as optical injection.

Experimental Investigation and Analytical Modeling of Excess Intensity Noise in Semiconductor Class-A Lasers

Excess intensity noise in a low-noise single-frequency class-A VECSEL is experimentally investigated over the frequency range 10 kHz-18 GHz. An analytical model is derived, based on multimode Langevin equations, to describe the observed laser excess noise over the whole bandwidth. From 50 MHz to 18 GHz, class-A operation leads to a shot noise limited relative intensity noise (RIN), namely -155 dB/Hz for 1-mA detected photocurrent, except at harmonics of the cavity free spectral range (FSR). At these frequencies, the excess noise is shown to be due to the amplified spontaneous emission contained in the nonlasing side modes. The measured levels of excess noise correspond to side mode suppression ratios (SMSRs) ranging from 70 to 90 dB, in agreement with the model. At low frequencies, 10 kHz-50 MHz, the observed excess noise spectrum has the expected Lorentzian shape. Its bandwidth increases with the pumping rate to an upper limit given by the cavity photon lifetime. Below this cutoff frequency, we show that the pump RIN is the dominant source of noise, while it is filtered by the laser dynamics above. Finally, our model permits to design a semiconductor class-A laser with an intensity noise limited to the shot noise level over the whole 10 kHz-18 GHz bandwidth.