Nonlasing Modes Research Articles

Theory of intensity and phase fluctuations of a homogeneously broadened laser

We extend our previous quantum mechanical nonlinear treatment of laser noise to the following problem: We consider a set of atoms each with three levels, which support laser action of one or several modes. The laser action can take place either between the upper or the lower two levels. The atomic line is assumed to be homogeneously broadened. The broadening can be caused by the decay into the nonlasing modes, by the pumping process, lattice vibrations and other, non specified sources. The fluctuations of the atomic variables (or operators) are taken into account in a quantum mechanically consistent way using results of previous papers byHaken andWeidlich as well asSchmid andRisken. The laser modes are coupled to the thermal resonator noise usingSenitzky's method. In the first part of the present paper, we treat quite generally multimode laser action. It is shown, that each light mode chooses a specificcollective atomic “mode” to interact with. We introduce a set of suitable collective atomic “modes”, which leads to a simplification of the equations of motion for theHeisenberg operators of the light field and the atomic operators. From the new equations we can eliminate all atomic operators. We are then left with a set of coupled nonlinear, integro-differential equations for the light field operators alone. These equations, which are completely exact and valid both for running and standing waves, represent a considerable simplification of the original problem. In the second part of this paper, these equations are specialized to single mode operation, which is studied above laser threshold. In the vicinity of the threshold the laser equation can be simplified to an operator-equation, whose classical analogue is vander-Pol's equation with a noisy driving force. With increasing inversion, the full equation must be treated, however. Using the method of our previous paper, we decompose the light amplitude into a phase-factor and a real amplitude, which is expanded around its stable value. We determine the Fourier-transform of the intensity correlation function and the total intensity of the fluctuating part of the amplitude. Somewhat above threshold this intensity drops down with the inverse of the photon output power,P, while the inherent relaxation frequency increases withP. The noise intensity stems in this region from the off-diagonal elements of the noise operators and not from the diagonal elements, which are responsible for the shot noise. This result is insofar remarkable, as a rate equation treatment would include only the latter ones. Under certain conditions the intensity fluctuations can show resonances with increasing output power,P. At high inversion the vacuum fluctuations of the light field are dominant, while the other noise sources give rise to contributions which vanish with the inverse of the output power. As a by-product our treatment yields the following formula for the linewidth (half width at half power) which is caused by phase fluctuations: $$\Delta \nu = \frac{{\gamma _{3 2}^2 \kappa ^2 }}{{(\kappa + \gamma _{3 2} )^2 }}\frac{{\hbar \omega }}{P}\left( {\frac{1}{2}\frac{{(N_3 + N_2 )}}{{N_3 - N_2 }} + n_{Th} + \frac{1}{2}} \right)$$ κ is the cavity half-width, γ32 the atomic half-width for the transition (3→2). N3 and N2 are the steady state occupation numbers of the atoms, nTh is the number of thermal quanta. This formula is valid for running and standing waves (with finite wavelength) and a two, three or four level system. It contains previous results of the present author, as well as those ofLamb,Sauermann andLax, either as special cases, or generalizes the range of applicability, as discussed in the text.

Quantenmechanische Behandlung des optischen Masers

In the present paper we give a fully quantummechanical treatment of the self-sustained oscillation of one mode in solid-state lasers. The total laser system consists of various subsystems: The lasing mode is coupled to the atoms of the active material and to a loss mechanism. It is assumed to be in complete resonance with the homogeneously broadened atomic transition. The pump of the active atoms, which are assumed to have only two levels, is brought about by their interaction with a large system of negative temperature. The active atoms decay not only by induced and spontaneous emission into the lasing mode, but also by spontaneous emission into the continuum of nonlasing modes (and possibly by nonradiative transitions). This process is fully taken into account. The pumping process and the spontaneous emission into the continuum of nonlasing modes are treated as in a preceding paper. There we have shown that the coordinates of these fields can be eliminated in some sense and give rise to a mean dissipative motion of the atoms and to fluctuations.

Intensity Fluctuations in GaAs Laser Emission

The intensity fluctuations in the emission from various lasing and nonlasing modes of a cw GaAs laser have been measured. The measurements were made by two techniques: the coincidence-counting version of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss intensity interferometer, and the single-detector excess-photon-noise technique. The two independent methods give excellent quantitative agreement. The intensity noise in the single lasing mode was studied as the laser was taken continuously through the threshold region; this has permitted observation of the gradual change in the statistical nature of the photon noise which occurs at laser threshold. Observations have also been made of correlations between the intensity fluctuations in the emission from different modes of the laser. The experimental observations of intensity fluctuations and correlations and their dependences on injection current can be understood in terms of the response of single or of coupled van der Pol oscillators to random-noise excitation.