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NASA NTRS2008

Improving the Optical Quality Factor of the WGM Resonator

Resonators usually are characterized with two partially dependent values: finesse (F) and quality factor (Q). The finesse of an empty Fabry-Perot (FP) resonator is defined solely by the quality of its mirrors and is calculated as F=piR(exp 1/2)/(1-R). The maximum up-to-date value of reflectivity R approximately equal to 1 - 1.6 x 10(exp -6) is achieved with dielectric mirrors. An FP resonator made with the mirrors has finesse F=1.9 x 10(exp 6). Further practical increase of the finesse of FP resonators is problematic because of the absorption and the scattering of light in the mirror material through fundamental limit on the reflection losses given by the internal material losses and by thermodynamic density fluctuations on the order of parts in 109. The quality factor of a resonator depends on both its finesse and its geometrical size. A one-dimensional FP resonator has Q=2 F L/lambda, where L is the distance between the mirrors and lambda is the wavelength. It is easy to see that the quality factor of the resonator is unlimited because L is unlimited. F and Q are equally important. In some cases, finesse is technically more valuable than the quality factor. For instance, buildup of the optical power inside the resonator, as well as the Purcell factor, is proportional to finesse. Sometimes, however, the quality factor is more valuable. For example, inverse threshold power of intracavity hyperparametric oscillation is proportional to Q(exp 2) and efficiency of parametric frequency mixing is proportional to Q(exp 3). Therefore, it is important to know both the maximally achievable finesse and quality factor values of a resonator. Whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonators are capable of achieving larger finesse compared to FP resonators. For instance, fused silica resonators with finesse 2.3 x 10(exp 6) and 2.8 x 10(exp 6) have been demonstrated. Crystalline WGM resonators reveal even larger finesse values, F=6.3 x 10(exp 6), because of low attenuation of light in the transparent optical crystals. The larger values of F and Q result in the enhancement of various nonlinear processes. Low-threshold Raman lasing, optomechanical oscillations, frequency doubling, and hyperparametric oscillations based on these resonators have been recently demonstrated. Theory predicts a possibility of nearly 10(exp 14) room-temperature optical Q-factors of optical crystalline WGM resonators, which correspond to finesse levels higher than 10(exp 9). Experiments have shown numbers a thousand times lower than that. The difference occurs due to media imperfections. To substantially reduce the optical losses caused by the imperfections, a specific, multi-step, asymptotic processing of the resonator is implemented. The technique has been initially developed to reduce microwave absorption in dielectric resonators. One step of the process consists of mechanical polishing performed after high temperature annealing. Several steps repeat one after another to lead to significant reduction in optical attenuation and, as a result, to the increase of Q-factor as well as finesse of the resonator which demonstrates a CaF2 WGM resonator with F greater than 10(exp 7) and Q greater than 10(exp 11).

Savchenkov, Anatoliy↗
NASA NTRS2008

Tetravalent chromium doped laser materials and NIR tunable lasers

A method is described to improve and produce purer Cr.sup.4+-doped laser materials and lasers with reduced co-incorporation of chromium in any other valence states, such as Cr.sup.3+, Cr.sup.2+, Cr.sup.5+, and Cr.sup.6+. The method includes: 1) certain crystals of olivine structure with large cation (Ca) in octahedral sites such as Cr.sup.4+:Ca.sub.2GeO.sub.4, Cr.sup.4+:Ca.sub.2SiO.sub.4, Cr.sup.4+:Ca.sub.2Ge.sub.xSi.sub.1-xO.sub.4 (where 0<x<1), and/or 2) high-temperature solution growth techniques that enable the growth of the crystals below the temperature of polymorphic transitions by using low melting point solvent based on oxide, fluoride and/or chloride compounds. Purer Cr.sup.4+-doped laser materials are characterized by a relatively high concentration of Cr.sup.4+-lasing ion in crystalline host that makes these materials suitable for compact high power (thin disk/wedge) NIR laser applications.

Alfano, Robert R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Low-Light-Shift Cesium Fountain without Mechanical Shutters

A new technique for reducing errors in a laser-cooled cesium fountain frequency standard provides for strong suppression of the light shift without need for mechanical shutters. Because mechanical shutters are typically susceptible to failure after operating times of the order of months, the elimination of mechanical shutters could contribute significantly to the reliability of frequency standards that are required to function continuously for longer time intervals. With respect to the operation of an atomic-fountain frequency standard, the term "light shift" denotes an undesired relative shift in the two energy levels of the atoms (in this case, cesium atoms) in the atomic fountain during interrogation by microwaves. The shift in energy levels translates to a frequency shift that reduces the precision and possibly accuracy of the frequency standard. For reasons too complex to describe within the space available for this article, the light shift is caused by any laser light that reaches the atoms during the microwave- interrogation period, but is strongest for near-resonance light. In the absence of any mitigating design feature, the light shift, expressed as a fraction of the standard fs frequency, could be as large as approx. 2 x 10(exp -11), the largest error in the standard. In a typical prior design, to suppress light shift, the intensity of laser light is reduced during the interrogation period by using a single-pass acoustooptic modulator to deflect the majority of light away from the main optical path. Mechanical shutters are used to block the remaining undeflected light to ensure complete attenuation. Without shutters, this remaining undeflected light could cause a light shift of as much as .10.15, which is unacceptably large in some applications. The new technique implemented here involves additionally shifting the laser wavelength off resonance by a relatively large amount (typically of the order of nanometers) during microwave interrogation. In this design, when microwave interrogation is not underway, the atoms are illuminated by a slave laser locked to the lasing frequency of a lower power master laser.

Enzer, Daphna↗
NASA NTRS2008

Spatial Combining of Laser-Diode Beams for Pumping an NPRO

A free-space optical beam combiner now undergoing development makes it possible to use the outputs of multiple multimode laser diodes to pump a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO) laser while ensuring that the laser operates at only a single desired frequency. Heretofore, a Nd:YAG NPRO like the present one has been pumped by a single multimode laser-diode beam delivered via an optical fiber. It would be desirable to use multiple pump laser diodes to increase reliability beyond that obtainable from a single pump laser diode. However, as explained in this article, simplistically coupling multiple multimode laser-diode beams through a fiber-optic combiner would entail a significant reduction in coupling efficiency, and lasing would occur at one or more other frequencies in addition to the single desired frequency. To minimize coupling loss, one must ensure that the NA (approximately equal to 0.3) of the combined laser-diode beams is less than the NA of the fiber. The A(Omega) of the laser-diode beam in the slow-axis plane is 1/1.3 as large as that of the fiber. This A(Omega) is small enough to enable efficient coupling of light into the optical fiber, but too large for combining of beams in the slow-axis plane. Therefore, a pair of cylindrical lenses is used to cancel the slow-axis plane magnification introduced by the on-cylindrical lenses used to effect magnification in the fast-axis plane.

Gelsinger, Paul↗
NASA NTRS2009

Infrared Heterodyne Spectroscopy and its Unique Application to Planetary Studies

Since the early 1970's the infrared heterodyne technique has evolved into a powerful tool for the study of molecular constituents, temperatures, and dynamics in planetary atmospheres. Its extremely high spectral resolution (Lambda/(Delta)Lambda/>10(exp 6)) and highly accurate frequency measurement (to 1 part in 10(exp 8)) enabled the detection of nonthermal/natural lasing phenomena on Mars and Venus; direct measurements of winds on Venus, Mars, and Titan; study of mid-infrared aurorae on Jupiter; direct measurement of species abundances on Mars (ozone, isotopic CO2), hydrocarbons on Jupiter, Saturn., Neptune, and Titan, and stratospheric composition in the Earth's stratosphere (O3, CIO, N2O, CO2 ....). Fully resolved emission and absorption line shapes measured by this method enabled the unambiguous retrieval of molecular abundances and local temperatures and thermal structure in regions not probed by other techniques. The mesosphere of Mars and thermosphere of Venus are uniquely probed by infrared heterodyne spectroscopy. Results of these studies tested and constrained photochemical and dynamical theoretical models describing the phenomena measured. The infrared heterodyne technique will be described. Highlights in its evolution to today's instrumentation and resultant discoveries will be presented, including work at Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Koln. Resultant work will include studies supporting NASA and ESA space missions and collaborations between instrumental and theoretical groups.

Kostiuk, Theodore↗
NASA NTRS2010

Measuring a Fiber-Optic Delay Line Using a Mode-Locked Laser

The figure schematically depicts a laboratory setup for determining the optical length of a fiber-optic delay line at a precision greater than that obtainable by use of optical time-domain reflectometry or of mechanical measurement of length during the delay-line-winding process. In this setup, the delay line becomes part of the resonant optical cavity that governs the frequency of oscillation of a mode-locked laser. The length can then be determined from frequency-domain measurements, as described below. The laboratory setup is basically an all-fiber ring laser in which the delay line constitutes part of the ring. Another part of the ring - the laser gain medium - is an erbium-doped fiber amplifier pumped by a diode laser at a wavelength of 980 nm. The loop also includes an optical isolator, two polarization controllers, and a polarizing beam splitter. The optical isolator enforces unidirectional lasing. The polarization beam splitter allows light in only one polarization mode to pass through the ring; light in the orthogonal polarization mode is rejected from the ring and utilized as a diagnostic output, which is fed to an optical spectrum analyzer and a photodetector. The photodetector output is fed to a radio-frequency spectrum analyzer and an oscilloscope. The fiber ring laser can generate continuous-wave radiation in non-mode-locked operation or ultrashort optical pulses in mode-locked operation. The mode-locked operation exhibited by this ring is said to be passive in the sense that no electro-optical modulator or other active optical component is used to achieve it. Passive mode locking is achieved by exploiting optical nonlinearity of passive components in such a manner as to obtain ultra-short optical pulses. In this setup, the particular nonlinear optical property exploited to achieve passive mode locking is nonlinear polarization rotation. This or any ring laser can support oscillation in multiple modes as long as sufficient gain is present to overcome losses in the ring. When mode locking is achieved, oscillation occurs in all the modes having the same phase and same polarization. The frequency interval between modes, often denoted the free spectral range (FSR), is given by c/nL, where c is the speed of light in vacuum, n is the effective index of refraction of the fiber, and L is the total length of optical path around the ring. Therefore, the length of the fiber-optic delay line, as part of the length around the ring, can be calculated from the FSRs measured with and without the delay line incorporated into the ring. For this purpose, the FSR measurements are made by use of the optical and radio-frequency spectrum analyzers. In experimentation on a 10-km-long fiber-optic delay line, it was found that this setup made it possible to measure the length to within a fractional error of about 3 10(exp -6), corresponding to a length error of 3 cm. In contrast, measurements by optical time-domain reflectometry and mechanical measurement were found to be much less precise: For optical time-domain reflectometry, the fractional error was found no less than 10(exp -4) (corresponding to a length error of 1 m) and for mechanical measurement, the fractional error was found to be about 10(exp -2) (corresponding to a length error of 100 m).

Tu, Meirong↗
NASA NTRS2007

NASA Tech Briefs, September 2007

Topics covered include; Rapid Fabrication of Carbide Matrix/Carbon Fiber Composites; Coating Thermoelectric Devices To Suppress Sublimation; Ultrahigh-Temperature Ceramics; Improved C/SiC Ceramic Composites Made Using PIP; Coating Carbon Fibers With Platinum; Two-Band, Low-Loss Microwave Window; MCM Polarimetric Radiometers for Planar Arrays; Aperture-Coupled Thin-Membrane L-Band Antenna; WGM-Based Photonic Local Oscillators and Modulators; Focal-Plane Arrays of Quantum-Dot Infrared Photodetectors; Laser Range and Bearing Finder With No Moving Parts; Microrectenna: A Terahertz Antenna and Rectifier on a Chip; Miniature L-Band Radar Transceiver; Robotic Vision-Based Localization in an Urban Environment; Programs for Testing an SSME-Monitoring System; Cathodoluminescent Source of Intense White Light; Displaying and Analyzing Antenna Radiation Patterns; Payload Operations Support Team Tools; Space-Shuttle Emulator Software; Soft Real-Time PID Control on a VME Computer; Analyzing Radio-Frequency Coverage for the ISS; Nanorod-Based Fast-Response Pressure-Sensitive Paints; Capacitors Would Help Protect Against Hypervelocity Impacts; Diaphragm Pump With Resonant Piezoelectric Drive; Improved Quick-Release Pin Mechanism; Designing Rolling-Element Bearings; Reverse-Tangent Injection in a Centrifugal Compressor; Inertial Measurements for Aero-assisted Navigation (IMAN); Analysis of Complex Valve and Feed Systems; Improved Path Planning Onboard the Mars Exploration Rovers; Robust, Flexible Motion Control for the Mars Explorer Rovers; Solar Sail Spaceflight Simulation; Fluorine-Based DRIE of Fused Silica; Mechanical Alloying for Making Thermoelectric Compounds; Process for High-Rate Fabrication of Alumina Nanotemplates; Electroform/Plasma-Spray Laminates for X-Ray Optics; An Automated Flying-Insect Detection System; Calligraphic Poling of Ferroelectric Material; Blackbody Cavity for Calibrations at 200 to 273 K; KML Super Overlay to WMS Translator; High-Performance Tiled WMS and KML Web Server; Modeling of Radiative Transfer in Protostellar Disks; Composite Pulse Tube; Photometric Calibration of Consumer Video Cameras; Criterion for Identifying Vortices in High- Pressure Flows; Amplified Thermionic Cooling Using Arrays of Nanowires; Delamination-Indicating Thermal Barrier Coatings; Preventing Raman Lasing in High-Q WGM Resonators; Procedures for Tuning a Multiresonator Photonic Filter; Robust Mapping of Incoherent Fiber-Optic Bundles; Extended-Range Ultrarefractive 1D Photonic Crystal Prisms; Rapid Analysis of Mass Distribution of Radiation Shielding; Modeling Magnetic Properties in EZTB; Deep Space Network Antenna Logic Controller; Modeling Carbon and Hydrocarbon Molecular Structures in EZTB; BigView Image Viewing on Tiled Displays; and Imaging Sensor Flight and Test Equipment Software.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2010

Got Mercury?

Many lamps used in various spacecraft contain elemental mercury, which is efficiently absorbed through the lungs as a vapor. The liquid metal vaporizes slowly at room temperature, but may be completely vaporized when lamps are operating. Because current spacecraft environmental control systems are unable to remove mercury vapors, we considered short-term and long-term exposures. Using an existing study, we estimated mercury vapor releases from lamps that are not in operation during missions lasting less than or equal to 30 days; whereas we conservatively assumed complete vaporization from lamps that are operating or being used during missions lasing more than 30 days. Based on mercury toxicity, the Johnson Space Center's Toxicology Group recommends stringent safety controls and verifications for any hardware containing elemental mercury that could yield airborne mercury vapor concentrations greater than 0.1 mg/m3 in the total spacecraft atmosphere for exposures lasting less than or equal to 30 days, or concentrations greater than 0.01 mg/m3 for exposures lasting more than 30 days.

Meyers, Valerie↗
NASA NTRS2009

186 K Operation of Terahertz Quantum-Cascade Lasers Based on a Diagonal Design

Resonant-phonon terahertz quantum-cascade lasers operating up to a heat-sink temperature of 186 K are demonstrated. This record temperature performance is achieved based on a diagonal design, with the objective to increase the upper-state lifetime and therefore the gain at elevated temperatures. The increased diagonality also lowers the operating current densities by limiting the flow of parasitic leakage current. Quantitatively, the diagonality is characterized by a radiative oscillator strength that is smaller by a factor of two from the least of any previously published designs. At the lasing frequency of 3.9 THz, 63 mW of peak optical power was measured at 5 K, and approximately 5 mW could still be detected at 180 K.

Kumar, Sushil↗
NASA NTRS2008

Magnetic-Field-Assisted Terahertz Quantum Cascade Laser Operating up to 225 K

Advances in semiconductor bandgap engineering have resulted in the recent development of the terahertz quantum cascade laser1. These compact optoelectronic devices now operate in the frequency range 1.2-5 THz, although cryogenic cooling is still required2.3. Further progress towards the realization of devices operating at higher temperatures and emitting at longer wavelengths (sub-terahertz quantum cascade lasers) is difficult because it requires maintaining a population inversion between closely spaced electronic sub-bands (1 THz approx. equals 4 meV). Here, we demonstrate a magnetic-field-assisted quantum cascade laser based on the resonant-phonon design. By applying appropriate electrical bias and strong magnetic fields above 16 T, it is possible to achieve laser emission from a single device over a wide range of frequencies (0.68-3.33 THz). Owing to the suppression of inter-landau-level non-radiative scattering, the device shows magnetic field assisted laser action at 1 THz at temperatures up to 215 K, and 3 THz lasing up to 225 K.

Wade, A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Catalyst for Carbon Monoxide Oxidation

In many applications, it is highly desirable to operate a CO2 laser in a sealed condition, for in an open system the laser requires a continuous flow of laser gas to remove the dissociation products that occur in the discharge zone of the laser, in order to maintain a stable power output. This adds to the operating cost of the laser, and in airborne or space applications, it also adds to the weight penalty of the laser. In a sealed CO2 laser, a small amount of CO2 gas is decomposed in the electrical discharge zone into corresponding quantities of CO and O2. As the laser continues to operate, the concentration of CO2 decreases, while the concentrations of CO and O2 correspondingly increase. The increasing concentration of O2 reduces laser power, because O2 scavenges electrons in the electrical discharge, thereby causing arcing in the electric discharge and a loss of the energetic electrons required to boost CO2 molecules to lasing energy levels. As a result, laser power decreases rapidly. The primary object of this invention is to provide a catalyst that, by composition of matter alone, contains chemisorbed water within and upon its structure. Such bound moisture renders the catalyst highly active and very long-lived, such that only a small quantity of it needs to be used with a CO2 laser under ambient operating conditions. This object is achieved by a catalyst that consists essentially of about 1 to 40 percent by weight of one or more platinum group metals (Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, Os, Pt being preferred); about 1 to 90 percent by weight of one or more oxides of reducible metals having multiple valence states (such as Sn, Ti, Mn, Cu, and Ce, with SnO2 being preferred); and about 1 to 90 percent by weight of a compound that can bind water to its structure (such as silica gel, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, hydrated alumina, and magnesium perchlorate, with silica gel being preferred). Especially beneficial results are obtained when platinum is present in the catalyst composition in an amount of about 5 to 25 (especially 7) percent by weight, SnO2 is present in an amount of about 30 to 40 (especially 40) percent by weight, and silica gel is present in an amount of 45 to 55 (especially 50) percent by weight. The composition of this catalyst was suggested by preliminary experiments in which a Pt/SnO2 catalyst was needed for bound water to enhance its activity. These experimental results suggested that if the water were bound to the surface, this water would enhance and prolong catalyst activity for long time periods. Because the catalyst is to be exposed to a laser gas mixture, and because a CO2 laser can tolerate only a very small amount of moisture, a hygroscopic support for the catalyst would provide the needed H2O into the gas. Silica gel is considered to be superior because of its property to chemisorb water on its surface over a wide range of moisture content.

Davis, Patricia↗
NASA NTRS2010

Optimization of Noise Performance of Low-Back Ground Detector Arrays

The performance of the 2k x 2k Teledyne H2RG detectors is key to the success of the JWST mission. For broadband imaging, where background limited sensitivity is quickly reached, the key parameter is the quantum efficiency of the detectors, which is, in general, very good. For near infrared spectroscopy and narrow band imaging, we cannot generally reach the back-round limit, so instrument sensitivity is directly dependent on the read noise of the detector. We have initiated a program to analyze the noise characteristics of the H2RG detectors, studying the correlations among the detector outputs and with the reference output, as well as the temporal correlations in a given detector section. Lasing the measured characteristics of the noise correlations, we can determine the optimal coefficients for the removal of correlated noise as a function of frequency. By using available reference sources and adding more frequent references, we have been able to reduce the noise by a factor of two. We find that the detectors have significantly lower noise that observed in prior tests, and can offer significant improvements in the performance of the JWST instruments. We will present the analysis and mitigation techniques, discuss prospects for further improvements with existing detectors, and describe considerations for improvements in next-generation detectors.

Rauscher, Bernard J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Ring-laser gyroscope system using dispersive element(s)

A ring-laser gyroscope system includes a ring-laser gyroscope (RLG) and at least one dispersive element optically coupled to the RLG's ring-shaped optical path. Each dispersive element has a resonant frequency that is approximately equal to the RLG's lasing frequency. A group index of refraction defined collectively by the dispersive element(s) has (i) a real portion that is greater than zero and less than one, and (ii) an imaginary portion that is less than zero.

Smith, David D.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Ultra-High Resolution Spectroscopic Remote Sensing: A Microscope on Planetary Atmospheres

Remote sensing of planetary atmospheres is not complete without studies of all levels of the atmosphere, including the dense cloudy- and haze filled troposphere, relatively clear and important stratosphere and the upper atmosphere, which are the first levels to experience the effects of solar radiation. High-resolution spectroscopy can provide valuable information on these regions of the atmosphere. Ultra-high spectral resolution studies can directly measure atmospheric winds, composition, temperature and non-thermal phenomena, which describe the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere. Spectroscopy in the middle to long infrared wavelengths can also probe levels where dust of haze limit measurements at shorter wavelength or can provide ambiguous results on atmospheric species abundances or winds. A spectroscopic technique in the middle infrared wavelengths analogous to a radio receiver. infrared heterodyne spectroscopy [1], will be describe and used to illustrate the detailed study of atmospheric phenomena not readily possible with other methods. The heterodyne spectral resolution with resolving power greater than 1,000.000 measures the true line shapes of emission and absorption lines in planetary atmospheres. The information on the region of line formation is contained in the line shapes. The absolute frequency of the lines can be measured to I part in 100 ,000,000 and can be used to accurately measure the Doppler frequency shift of the lines, directly measuring the line-of-sight velocity of the gas to --Im/s precision (winds). The technical and analytical methods developed and used to measure and analyze infrared heterodyne measurements will be described. Examples of studies on Titan, Venus, Mars, Earth, and Jupiter will be presented. 'These include atmospheric dynamics on slowly rotating bodies (Titan [2] and Venus [3] and temperature, composition and chemistry on Mars 141, Venus and Earth. The discovery and studies of unique atmospheric phenomena will also be described, such as non-thermal and lasing phenomena on Mars and Venus, mid-infrared aurora on Jupiter [5], and results of small body impacts on Jupiter [6]. The heterodyne technique can also be applied for detailed study of the Earth's stratosphere and mesosphere by measuring trace constituent abundances and temporal and spatial variability as well as winds, which provide information of transport. All ground-based measurements will be described as complementary and supporting studies for on-going and future space missions [7] (Mars Express, Venus Express, Cassini Huygens, JUNO, ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, and the Europa Jupiter System Mission, an Earth Science Venture Class missions), Proposed instrument and technology development for a space flight infrared heterodyne spectrometer will be described.

Kostiuk, Theodor↗
NASA NTRS2010

Ground Based Observation of Isotopic Oxygen in the Martian Atmosphere Using Infrared Heterodyne Spectroscopy

Infrared heterodyne spectra of isotopic CO2 in the Martian atmosphere were obtained using the Goddard Heterodyne Instrument for Planetary Wind and Composition, HIPWAC, which was interfaced with the 3-meter telescope at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility- Spectra were colle cted at a resolution of lambda/delta lambda=10(exp 7). Absorption fea tures of the CO2 isotopologues have been identified from which isotop ic ratios of oxygen have been determined. The isotopic ratios O-17/O -16 and O-18/O-16 in the Martian atmosphere can be related to Martian atmospheric evolution and can be compared to isotopic ratios of oxyg en in the Earth's atmosphere. Isotopic carbon and oxygen are importa nt constraints on any theory for the erosion of the Martian primordia l atmosphere and the interaction between the atmosphere and surface o r subsurface chemical reservoirs. This investigation explored the pr esent abundance of the stable isotopes of oxygen in Mars' atmospheric carbon dioxide by measuring rovibrational line absorption in isotop ic species of CO2 using groundbased infrared heterodyne spectroscopy in the vicinity of the 9.6 micron and 10.6 micron CO2 lasing bands. T he target transitions during this observation were O-18 C-12 O-16 as well as O-178 C-12 O-16 and O-16 C-113 O-16 at higher resolving power of lambda/delta lambda=10(exp 7) and with high signal-to-noise ratio (longer integration time) in order to fully characterize the absorpt ion line profiles. The fully-resolved lineshape of both the strong n ormal-isotope and the weak isotopic CO2 lines were measured simultane ously in a single spectrum.

Smith, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Amplitude Noise Reduction of Ion Lasers with Optical Feedback

A reduction in amplitude noise on the output of a multi-mode continuous-wave Ar-ion laser was previously demonstrated when a fraction of the output power was retroreflected back into the laser cavity. This result was reproduced in the present work and a Fabry-Perot etalon was used to monitor the longitudinal mode structure of the laser. A decrease in the number of operating longitudinal cavity modes was observed simultaneously with the introduction of the optical feedback and the onset of the amplitude noise reduction. The noise reduction is a result of a reduced number of lasing modes, resulting in less mode beating and amplitude fluctuations of the laser output power.

Herring, Gregory C.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Dual Wavelength Lasers

Dual wavelength lasers are discussed, covering fundamental aspects on the spectroscopy and laser dynamics of these systems. Results on Tm:Ho:Er:YAG dual wavelength laser action (Ho at 2.1 m and Er at 2.9 m) as well as Nd:YAG (1.06 and 1.3 m) are presented as examples of such dual wavelength systems. Dual wavelength lasers are not common, but there are criteria that govern their behavior. Based on experimental studies demonstrating simultaneous dual wavelength lasing, some general conclusions regarding the successful operation of multi-wavelength lasers can be made.

Walsh, Brian M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Rapid Switching and Modulation by use of Coupled VCSELs

Devices incorporating coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have been proposed as means to effect unprecedentedly rapid modulation and/or switching of light beams in advanced optical communication and information-processing systems. A basic device according to the proposal would comprise two or more VCSELs (1) positioned so close to each other that they are coupled and (2) connected to a current source that biases them at a steady current above the threshold current for lasing. The operation of VCSELs under the conditions stated above has been simulated computationally with an algorithm that solves an approximation of the Maxwell-Bloch equations. (These are nonlinear coupled partial differential equations that model the relevant aspects of the physics of semiconductor lasers.) The results of the simulations show that the intensities of the beams oscillate, out of phase relative to each other, at a frequency that is typically of the order of tens of gigahertz. In particular, one simulation was performed for two coupled VCSELs, each having a circular aperture 5.6 microns in diameter, operating at a wavelength of 980 nm. The results of the simulation showed that the intensities of the two beams oscillated in opposite phase (see Figure 1) at a frequency of 42 GHz. In the far field, the beams were found to be separated by an angle of approx.=8deg. The intensities of the beams were also found to oscillate in the near field, 90deg out of phase with the oscillation in the far field. Figure 2 depicts a simple near-field switching device in which an assembly of microlenses would couple the two oscillating beams to two receivers.

Goorjian, Peter M.↗