Single-frequency Tunable Laser Research Articles

Realization of CW single-frequency tunable Ti:sapphire laser with immunity to the noise of the pump source.

All-solid-state continuous-wave (CW) single-frequency tunable Ti:sapphire (Ti:S) laser is an important source in quantum optics and atomic physics. However, intracavity etalon (IE) locking is easily influenced by the intensity noise of the pump source in the low frequency band. In order to address this issue, a differential detector with dual-photodiodes (PDs) is designed and employed in the experiment. Both PDs are used to detect the lights of the pump source and the built Ti:S laser, respectively. As a result, the influence of the intensity noise of the pump source on the stability of the IE locking is successfully eliminated and the IE is stably locked to the oscillating longitudinal-mode of the laser. On this basis, a stable CW single-frequency tunable Ti:S laser is realized. The presented method is beneficial to attain a stable single-frequency tunable laser with immunity to the intensity noise of the pump source.

Engineering nonlinear optical phenomena by arbitrarily manipulating the phase relationships among the relevant optical fields

Nonlinear optical processes are intrinsically dominated by the phase relationships among the relevant electromagnetic fields, including the phase of nonlinear polarization produced in them. If one can arbitrarily manipulate these phase relationships at a variety of desired interaction lengths, direct and highly designable manipulations for the nonlinear optical phenomenon could be achieved. Here, we report a proof-of-principle experiment in which a high-order Raman-resonant four-wave-mixing process is used as a representative nonlinear optical process and is tailored to a variety of targets by implementing such arbitrary manipulations of the phase relationships in the nonlinear optical process. We show that the output energy is accumulated to a specific, intentionally selected Raman mode on demand; and at the opposite extreme, we can also distribute the output energy equally over broad high-order Raman modes in the form of a frequency comb. This concept in nonlinear optical processes enables an attractive optical technology: a single-frequency tunable laser broadly covering the vacuum ultraviolet region, which will pave the way to frontiers in atomic-molecular-optical physics in the vacuum ultraviolet region.

Ultralow-intensity noise, 10 W all-fiber single-frequency tunable laser system around 1550 nm.

We report herein on the development of a linearly polarized, single-frequency tunable laser system producing more than 10 W in the 1550 nm range, using a two-stage erbium/ytterbium co-doped fiber-based master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) architecture. The all-fiber MOPA provides an ultralow intensity noise of -160dBc/Hz beyond 200 kHz between 1533 and 1571 nm (Δλ=38nm) at full output power and a minimum optical signal to noise ratio of 38 dB. A good stability is obtained over 4 h at maximum power for several wavelengths with peak-to-peak fluctuation less than 3% and rms below 0.5%.

Widely-tunable single-frequency diamond Raman laser.

We report a diamond Raman laser that is continuously-tunable across the range from 590 nm to 625 nm producing continuous wave output with up to 8 W. The system is based on an all-fiber and tunable (1020-1072 nm) Yb-doped pump laser with a spectral linewidth of 25 GHz that is Raman-shifted and frequency doubled in a cavity containing diamond and a lithium triborate second harmonic crystal. Despite the broad pump spectrum, single frequency output is obtained across the tuning range 590-615 nm. The results reveal a practical approach to obtain tunable high-power single-frequency laser in a wavelength region not well served by other laser technologies.

Multi-frequency differential absorption lidar incorporating a comb-referenced scanning laser for gas spectrum analysis.

A multi-frequency differential absorption lidar incorporating a tunable laser and an optical frequency comb is demonstrated for precise spectrum analysis of atmospheric gas. The single frequency tunable laser is stabilized by locking to the optical frequency comb, with a standard deviation of 0.5 MHz. To achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio, a multi-mode superconducting nanowire single-photon detector with an active-area diameter of 50 µm, a quantum efficiency of 31.5%, and dark noise of 100 counts per second is implemented, which enables to avoid the need for high energy lasers. In the experiment, the range-resolved spectrum of atmospheric mixture gases (CO2 and HDO) in a region of 1572.2 - 1572.45 nm is obtained. Results show different partially overlapped absorption of two gases in different seasons, with a stronger influence of HDO on CO2 in summer than in winter. The interactions are taken into account by separating the mixture absorption spectrum (one CO2 line and two HDO lines) with triple-peak Voigt fitting. The retrieved concentrations over 6 km with a range resolution of 120 m and a time resolution of 10 min are compared with in-situ sensors. The uncertainties of the retrieved concentrations are as low as 6.5 µmol/mol (ppm) and 1×10-3 g/kg for CO2 and HDO, respectively.

A Watt-Level Single-Frequency Fiber Laser at 2 $\mu$ m Using a Silica Prolate Microresonator

We report on a single-frequency Tm-doped fiber laser based on a high-quality (Q) prolate microresonator. A maximum power of 0.9 W was extracted from the laser oscillator directly. To our best knowledge, it is the first report on a Watt-level single-frequency laser at the 2- $\mu \text{m}$ wavelength band with such a laser configuration. The laser linewidth is measured to be ~15.1 kHz by self-heterodyne method. Moreover, we explore the tuning ability of the laser through exciting different modes in the microresonator selectively. A wavelength-tuning range of 20 nm is obtained. The approach can be a competitive candidate for developing tunable, highly efficient, and high-power single-frequency lasers in the 2- $\mu \text{m}$ band.

Visible Raman and Brillouin lasers from a microresonator/ZBLAN-fiber hybrid system

Raman and Brillouin lasers based on a high-quality (high-Q) whispering gallery mode microresonator (WGMR) are usually achieved by employing a tunable single-frequency laser as a pump source. Here, we experimentally demonstrate visible Raman and Brillouin lasers using a compact microresonator/ZrF4−BaF2−LaF3−AlF3−NaF (ZBLAN)-fiber hybrid system by incorporating a WGMR with a fiber-compatible distributed Bragg reflector/fiber Bragg grating to form a Fabry–Perot (F-P) fiber cavity and using a piece of Pr:ZBLAN fiber as gain medium. The high-Q silica-microsphere not only offers a Rayleigh-scattering-induced backreflection to form the ∼635 nm red laser oscillation in the F-P fiber cavity, but also provides a nonlinear gain in the WGMR itself to generate either stimulated Raman scattering or stimulated Brillouin scattering. Up to six-order cascaded Raman lasers at 0.65 μm, 0.67 μm, 0.69 μm, 0.71 μm, 0.73 μm, and 0.76 μm are achieved, respectively. Moreover, a Brillouin laser at 635.54 nm is clearly observed. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of visible microresonator-based lasers created by combining a Pr:ZBLAN fiber. This structure can effectively extend the laser wavelength in the WGMR to the visible waveband and may find potential applications in underwater communication, biomedical diagnosis, microwave generation, and spectroscopy.

420 mW全固态连续单频可调谐1 542 nm激光器

420 mW全固态连续单频可调谐1 542 nm激光器

High-power tunable low-noise coherent source at 106 μm based on a surface-emitting semiconductor laser

Exploiting III-V semiconductor technologies, vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) technology has been identified for years as a good candidate to develop lasers with high power, large coherence, and broad tunability. Combined with fiber amplification technology, tunable single-frequency lasers can be flexibly boosted to a power level of several tens of watts. Here, we demonstrate a high-power, single-frequency, and broadly tunable laser based on VECSEL technology. This device emits in the near-infrared around 1.06µm and exhibits high output power (>100 mW) with a low-divergence diffraction-limited TEM00 beam. It also features a narrow free-running linewidth of <400 kHz with high spectral purity (side mode suppression ratio >55 dB) and continuous broadband tunability greater than 250GHz (<15 V piezo voltage, 6kHz cutoff frequency) with a total tunable range up to 3THz. In addition, a compact design without any movable intracavity elements offers a robust single-frequency regime. Through fiber amplification, a tunable single-frequency laser is achieved at an output power of 50W covering the wavelength range from 1057 to 1066nm. Excess intensity noise brought on by the amplification stage is in good agreement with a theoretical model. A low relative intensity noise value of -145 dBc/Hz is obtained at 1MHz, and we reach the shot-noise limit above 200MHz.

&gt;1 kW all-fiberized narrow-linewidth polarization-maintained fiber amplifiers with wavelength spanning from 1065 to 1090 nm

We demonstrate all-fiberized, kilowatt-level, narrow-linewidth, Yb-doped and polarization-maintained (PM) amplifiers with a central wavelength spanning from 1065 to 1090nm. The laser system consists of a tunable single-frequency laser seed and multistage PM fiber amplifiers in the master oscillator power amplifier configuration. The stimulated Brillouin scattering effect is suppressed by phase modulation based on a white noise source. The linewidth (Δλ∼0.12 nm at 1kW), polarization extinction ratio (PER>13 dB) and beam quality (M2∼1.2) are well maintained during the power scaling process, and the slope efficiency of this system is 70.8%.

Low-threshold stimulated Brillouin scattering in high-Q whispering gallery mode tellurite microspheres

We demonstrate the first observation of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a high-Q whispering gallery mode tellurite microsphere. Tellurite glass with composition of 70TeO₂-20ZnO-5Na₂O-5La₂O₃ (molar ratio) was prepared in-house using a melt-quenching technique. Moreover, tellurite microspheres with Q in excess of 13 millions at 1550 nm were fabricated by melting tellurite microwires using a CO₂ laser. By pumping the tellurite microspheres with a tunable single frequency laser, SBS is further realized with a threshold as low as 0.58 mW. At last, the beat notes between the pump and the Stokes signals were measured, which indicated the Brillouin frequency shift is at the 8.2 GHz band for our tellurite glass. Our results could propel significant applications utilizing SBS by employing tellurite microspheres.

Real-time trace gas sensor using a multimode diode laser and multiple-line integrated cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy.

We describe and demonstrate a highly sensitive trace gas sensor based on a simplified design that is capable of measuring sub-ppb concentrations of NO2 in tens of milliseconds. The sensor makes use of a relatively inexpensive Fabry-Perot diode laser to conduct off-axis cavity enhanced spectroscopy. The broad frequency range of a multimode Fabry-Perot diode laser spans a large number of absorption lines, thereby removing the need for a single-frequency tunable laser source. The use of cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy enhances the sensitivity of the sensor by providing a pathlength on the order of 1 km in a small volume. Off-axis alignment excites a large number of cavity modes simultaneously, thereby reducing the sensor's susceptibility to vibration. Multiple-line integrated absorption spectroscopy (where one integrates the absorption spectra over a large number of rovibronic transitions of the molecular species) further improves the sensitivity of detection. Relatively high laser power (∼400 mW) is used to compensate for the low coupling efficiency of a broad linewidth laser to the optical cavity. The approach was demonstrated using a 407 nm diode laser to detect trace quantities of NO2 in zero air. Sensitivities of 750 ppt, 110 ppt, and 65 ppt were achieved using integration times of 50 ms, 5 s, and 20 s respectively.

Swept optical SSB-SC modulation technique for high-resolution large-dynamic-range static strain measurement using FBG-FP sensors.

This Letter presents a static strain demodulation technique for FBG-FP sensors using a suppressed carrier LiNbO(3) (LN) optical single sideband (SSB-SC) modulator. A narrow-linewidth tunable laser source is generated by driving the modulator using a linear chirp signal. Then this tunable single-frequency laser is used to interrogate the FBG-FP sensors with the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) technique, which is beneficial to eliminate the influence of light intensity fluctuation of the modulator at different tuning frequencies. The static strain is demodulated by calculating the wavelength difference of the PDH signals between the sensing FBG-FP sensor and the reference FBG-FP sensor. As an experimental result using the modulator, the linearity (R2) of the time-frequency response increases from 0.989 to 0.997, and the frequency-swept range (dynamic range) increases from hundreds of MHz to several GHz compared with commercial PZT-tunable lasers. The high-linearity time-wavelength relationship of the modulator is beneficial for improving the strain measurement resolution, as it can solve the problem of the frequency-swept nonlinearity effectively. In the laboratory test, a 0.67 nanostrain static strain resolution, with a 6 GHz dynamic range, is demonstrated.

Freely designable optical frequency conversion in Raman-resonant four-wave-mixing process.

Nonlinear optical processes are governed by the relative-phase relationships among the relevant electromagnetic fields in these processes. In this Report, we describe the physics of arbitrary manipulation of Raman-resonant four-wave-mixing process by artificial control of relative phases. As a typical example, we show freely designable optical-frequency conversions to extreme spectral regions, mid-infrared and vacuum-ultraviolet, with near-unity quantum efficiencies. Furthermore, we show that such optical-frequency conversions can be realized by using a surprisingly simple technology where transparent plates are placed in a nonlinear optical medium and their positions and thicknesses are adjusted precisely. In a numerical simulation assuming practically applicable parameters in detail, we demonstrate a single-frequency tunable laser that covers the whole vacuum-ultraviolet spectral range of 120 to 200 nm.

Dark state lasers.

We propose a new type of laser resonator based on imaginary energy-level splitting (imaginary coupling or quality factor Q-splitting) in a pair of coupled microcavities. A particularly advantageous arrangement involves two microring cavities with different free-spectral ranges in a configuration wherein they are coupled by far-field interference in a shared radiation channel. A novel Vernier-like effect for laser resonators is designed in which only one longitudinal resonant mode has a lower loss than the small-signal gain and can achieve lasing while all other modes are suppressed. This configuration enables ultrawidely tunable single-frequency lasers based on either homogeneously or inhomogeneously broadened gain media. The concept is an alternative to the common external cavity configurations for achieving tunable single-mode operation in a laser. The proposed laser concept builds on a high-Q "dark state," which is established by radiative interference coupling and bears a direct analogy to parity-time symmetric Hamiltonians in optical systems. Variants of this concept should be extendable to parametric-gain-based oscillators, enabling widely tunable single-frequency light sources.

Robust interferometric frequency lock between cw lasers and optical frequency combs

A transfer interferometer is presented which establishes a versatile and robust optical frequency locking link between a tunable single frequency laser and an optical frequency comb. It enables agile and continuous tuning of the frequency difference between both lasers while fluctuations and drift effects of the transfer interferometer itself are widely eliminated via common mode rejection. Experimental results will be presented for a tunable extended-cavity 1.5μm laser diode locked to an Er-fiber based frequency comb.

超低噪声单频可调谐光纤激光器

A tunable single frequency laser with ultralow-noise and high vibration resistance is developed,and its working principle and structure design are introduced.The laser worked at 1 550 nm is consisted of a single frequency laser resonant cavity,a polarization containing optical fiber amplifier and a monitoring feedback optical path.By using a closed-loop temperature control technology,the laser shows a higher precision and stability,and its extremely temperature control resolution is up to 0.001 ℃.Using frequency components and a matched closed-loop system,the locked output frequency and power of the laser are implemented.The closed loop system not only gives the stability of wavelength and power,but also greatly reduces the low frequency noise of the laser system and effectively improves the laser damage threshold.As a result,the fiber laser can provide the long-term power stability better than 1% and the relative intensity noise better than-130 dBc/Hz.By selecting different types of seed light source cavities,the laser line-width can be controlled in the 1-400 kHz.Furthermore,the output power of fiber laser is 1 W and tunable wavelength is 3 nm.At 1 Hz,the phase noise is less than 10 μrad·Hz-1 2/m OPD and the shock resistance ability is 0.1g(g for the acceleration of gravity).

“Fiber-Optic Cavities for Physical and Chemical Sensing”

Fiber-optic resonators can be used as ideal mechanical probes and chemical sensors owing to their unique sensitivity to static and dynamic strain applied to the fiber as well as to optical absorption or refractive index changes in the surrounding medium when the evanescent or the internal light field is exposed. The intrinsic properties of high-finesse fiber cavities, either based on Bragg-grating structures or closed fiber rings, are discussed for quasi-static and dynamic strain sensing. Laser illumination and high precision laser frequency-locking techniques are considered for low-noise, fast and wide dynamic range active interrogation. Also, possible detection schemes for liquid sensing and spectroscopy using fiber resonators are illustrated using single-frequency tunable lasers or supercontinuum comb generators as light sources.

激光二极管抽运的单块非平面环形腔可调谐单频激光器

激光二极管抽运的单块非平面环形腔可调谐单频激光器

Single-frequency tunable laser for pumping cesium frequency standards

A single-frequency tunable laser for pumping the cesium frequency standard is studied. It is shown experimentally that the laser emits at a single frequency despite the fact that a few longitudinal modes of the external cavity fall within the reflection band of a fibre Bragg grating (FBG) written in the optical fibre. The laser wavelength can be tuned by varying the pump current of the laser, its temperature, and the FBG temperature. The laser linewidth does not exceed 2 MHz for 10 mW of output power.