Dynamical properties of total intensity fluctuation spectrum in two-mode Nd:YVO_4 microchip laser

We investigate the total intensity fluctuation spectrum of the two-longitudinal- mode Nd：YVO4microchip laser（ML）.We find that low-frequency relaxation oscillation（RO） peaks still appear in the total intensity fluctuation spectrum, which is different from a previous research result that the low-frequency RO peaks exist in the spectrum of the individual mode but compensate for each other totally in the total intensity fluctuation spectrum. Taking the spatial hole-burning effect into account, one and two-mode rate equations for Nd：YVO4ML laser are established and studied. Based on the theoretical model, we find that when the gains and losses for two longitudinal models are different, a low-frequency RO peak will appear in the total intensity fluctuation spectrum, while when they share the same gain and loss, the total spectrum will behave like that of a single mode laser. Theoretical simulation results coincide with experimental results very well.

Spectroscopic properties of heavily Ho^(3+) -doped barium yttrium fluoride crystals

The 30 at.% Ho： BaY2F8 crystals were grown by the Czochralski method, and their spectroscopic properties are analyzed systematically by standard Judd–Ofelt theory. The Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters are estimated to be Ω2 =6.74 × 10^-20cm^2,Ω4 = 1.20 × 10^-20cm^2, and Ω6= 0.66 × 10^-20cm^2, and the fluorescence branching ratios and radiative lifetimes for a series of excited state manifolds are also determined. The emission cross sections with our measured infrared luminescence spectra, especially important for 4.1 μm, are calculated to be about 4.37 × 10^-21cm^2. The crystal quality is preliminarily tested through a mid-infrared laser emission experiment.

Quantum limit in low-loss ring laser gyros

Contrary to expectations, a measurement of the random walk in the ring laser gyro （RLG） as a function of laser power P shows that it is not consistent with the Psub〉1/2 rule. In the experiment, the random walk and laser power are tested and recorded at different discharge currents. The random walk decreases with increasing power, but with a rate much less than the theoretical value according to current literature. In order to solve the inconsistency above, we derive the expression for the random walk in RLGs based on laser theory. Theoretical analysis shows that, accumulating effects of lower energy level due to its limited lifetime lead to additional quantum noise from spontaneous emission. Results show that the random walk in the RLGs consists of two components. The former decreases with increasing power according to the P-1/2 rule, whereas the other is power-independent. Thus far, the power-independent quantum limit has not appeared in the literature; therefore, the expressions for RLGs should be modified to describe the lowloss RLGs exactly, where the power-independent term takes a relatively larger proportion. The findings are significant to the further reduction of quantum limit in low-loss RLGs.

Thermal stress cleaving of silicon wafer by pulsed Nd:YAG laser

The applied laser energy absorbed in a local area in laser thermal stress cleaving of brittle materials using a controlled fracture technique produces tensile thermal stress that causes the material to separate along the moving direction of the laser beam. The material separation is similar to crack extension, but the fracture growth is controllable. Using heat transfer theory, we establish a three-dimensional （3D） mathematical thermoelastic calculational model containing a pre-existing crack for a two-point pulsed Nd：YAG laser cleaving silicon wafer. The temperature field and thermal stress field in the silicon wafer are obtained by using the finite element method （FEM）. The distribution of the tensile stress and changes in stress intensity factor around the crack tip are analyzed during the pulse duration. Meanwhile, the mechanism of crack propagation is investigated by analyzing the development of the thermal stress field during the cleaving process.

Studies on the mechanisms of powerful terahertz radiations from laser plasmas

A survey on the mechanisms of powerful terahertz （THz） radiation from laser plasmas is presented.Firstly,an analytical model is described,showing that a transverse net current formed in a plasma can be converted into THz radiations at the plasma oscillation frequency.This theory is applied to explain THz generation in a gas driven by two-color laser pulses.It is also applied to THz generation in a tenuous plasma driven by a chirped laser pulse,a few-cycle laser pulse,a DC/AC bias electric field.These are well verified by particle-in-cell simulations,demonstrating that THz radiations produced in these approaches are nearly single-cycles and linear polarized.In the chirped laser scheme and the few-cycle laser scheme,THz radiations with the peak field strength of tens of MV/cm and the peak power of gigawatt can be achieved with the incident laser intensity less than 10 17 W/cm 2.

Steady-state property and dynamics in graphene-nanoribbon- array lasers

In this work, we present a schematic configuration and device model for a graphene-nanoribbon （GNR）-array-based nanolaser, which consists of a three-variable rate equations that takes into account carrier capture and Pauli blocking in semiconductor GNR-array lasers to analyze the steady- state properties and dynamics in terms of the role of the capture rate and the gain coefficient in GNR array nanolasers. Furthermore, our GNR-array nanolaser device model can be determined as two distinct two-variable reductions of the rate equations in the limit of large capture rates, depending on their relative values. The first case leads to the rate equations for quantum well lasers, exhibiting relaxation oscillations dynamics. The second case corresponds to GNRs nearly saturated by the carriers and is characterized by the absence of relaxation oscillations. Our results here demonstrated that GNR-array as gain material embedded into a high finesse microcavity can serve as an ultralow lasing threshold nanolaser with promising applications ranging widely from optical fiber communi- cation with increasing data processing speed to digital optical recording and biology spectroscopy.

Investigation on 1.07 μm laser emission in Nd^(3+)-doped sodium fluoroborate glasses

Spectroscopic and fluorescence properties of Nd 3＋ ions in sodium fluoroborate（SFB） glasses were prepared and characterized through optical absorption,emission and decay measurements.The energy level analysis was carried out using free-ion Hamiltonian model.Experimental oscillator strengths were determined by measuring the area encompassed by the absorption peaks recorded for 1.0 mol.% Nd 3＋-doped glasses.The Judd-Ofelt parameters（2,4,6） were used to evaluate the laser characteristic parameters such as radiative transition probability（A R）,radiative decay time（τ R）,fluorescence branching ratio（β R） and stimulated emission cross-section（σ e） for the 4 F 3/2 metastable state.The fluorescence spectra for different concentrations of Nd 3＋ ions were recorded by exciting the samples at 514.5 nm Ar ＋ ion laser.

Study of heat transfer characteristics in PCFG fabrication technology using heat method

The fiber gratings fabrication technology with the heating method in a photonic crystal fiber （PCF） based on structural change is examined. The principle of photonic crystal fiber gratings （PCFGs） is analyzed in theory. The heat transfer theory and finite element method are used to examine the thermal field distribution in the fiber and the influence of the air hole structure in the cladding, and the parameters of the laser beam in the process of grating fabrication are discussed. The results show that gratings can be formed by the periodic collapse of air holes in the cladding of PCFs. Under double-point heating condition, the energy is uniformly distributed in the radial direction and is approximate to Gaussian distribution in the axial direction. With the same size of the luminous spot, as the layers and radius of the air holes increase, the laser power needed to make the air holes collapse decreases. With the same laser power, as the luminous spot radius increases, the needed heating time increases. Moreover, the relationship between the laser power needed and the air filling rate is obtained as the number of layers of the air holes changes from 1 to 7. This kind of PCFG can overcome the long-term thermal instability of conventional gratings in substance and thus has great potential applications in the related field of optical fiber sensors.

Photoelectron angular distributions from two-photon ionization of atoms near ionization threshold

Photoelectron angular distributions （PADs） from two-photon ionization of atoms in linearly polarized strong laser fields are obtained in accordance with the nonperturbative quantum scattering theory. We also study the influence of laser wavelength on PADs. For two-photon ionization very close to the ionization threshold, most of the ionized electrons are vertically ejected to the laser polarization. PADs from two- photon ionization of atoms are determined by the second order generalized phased Bessel function at which the ponderomotive parameter plays a key role. In terms of dependence of PADs on laser wavelength, corresponding variations for the ponderomotive parameter are demonstrated.

Research on the resolution of micro stereo lithography

Micro stereo lithography is a kind of technology utilizing the solidified effect that photo curable polymer will appear under ultraviolet （UV） laser exposure. It is widely used in three-dimensional （3D） micro fabrication. We get the experimental values of a pair of UV laser curing coefficients, absorption coefficient and critical curing energy, of curable resin by fitting the calculation results of the Gaussian beam theory and experimental curing results. The theoretical relation between the curing unit＇s shape and the exposure features of time and intensity of convergent Gaussian beam is presented. The calculation and experimental results of curing unit under different conditions agree well with each other. This research offers a steady base for further research about the improvement of resolution.

Slow light deflection in Gaussian pumped atomic medium

We present the moments formalism theory to study the deflection of the slow signal light in the cold atomic media, which is under the condition of the Gaussian control laser and electromagnetically induced transparency. Deflection, the interesting phenomenon on quantum coherence, is testified by analytic and numerical methods. Results show that, as the signal light propagating in the medium, there would be an observable deflection before the general diffraction. Influences of the coupling intensity on deflection phenomenon and the beam waist of the signal light in the medium are also investigated.