RESUMO
Stimulated Raman scattering is a nonlinear optical process that, in a broad variety of materials, enables the generation of optical gain at a frequency that is shifted from that of the incident radiation by an amount corresponding to the frequency of an internal oscillation of the material. This effect is the basis for a broad class of tunable sources known as Raman lasers. In general, these sources have only small gain (approximately 10(-9) cm W(-1)) and therefore require external pumping with powerful lasers, which limits their applications. Here we report the realization of a semiconductor injection Raman laser designed to circumvent these limitations. The physics underlying our device differs in a fundamental way from existing Raman lasers: it is based on triply resonant stimulated Raman scattering between quantum-confined states within the active region of a quantum cascade laser that serves as an internal optical pump--the device is driven electrically and no external laser pump is required. This leads to an enhancement of orders of magnitude in the Raman gain, high conversion efficiency and low threshold. Our lasers combine the advantages of nonlinear optical devices and of semiconductor injection lasers, and could lead to a new class of compact and wavelength-agile mid-and far-infrared light sources.
RESUMO
We report the development of a novel laser spectrometer for high-sensitivity detection of methane and nitrous oxide. The system relies on a quantum-cascade laser source emitting wavelength of around 8.06 microm, where strong fundamental absorption bands occur for the considered species and their isotopomers. The detection technique is based on audio-frequency and radio-frequency modulation of laser radiation. First experimental tests have been performed to estimate the achievable detection limits and the signal reproducibility levels in view of possible measurements of (13)C/(12)C, (18)O/(16)O, (17)O/(16)O and (15)N/(14)N isotope ratios.
Assuntos
Isótopos de Carbono/análise , Monitoramento Ambiental/métodos , Metano/análise , Isótopos de Nitrogênio/análise , Óxido Nitroso/análise , Isótopos de Oxigênio/análise , Espectrofotometria Infravermelho/métodos , Monitoramento Ambiental/instrumentação , Lasers , Metano/química , Óxido Nitroso/química , Espectrofotometria Infravermelho/instrumentaçãoRESUMO
We combine photonic and electronic band structure engineering to create a surface-emitting quantum cascade microcavity laser. A high-index contrast two-dimensional photonic crystal is used to form a micro-resonator that simultaneously provides feedback for laser action and diffracts light vertically from the surface of the semiconductor surface. A top metallic contact allows electrical current injection and provides vertical optical confinement through a bound surface plasmon wave. The miniaturization and tailorable emission properties of this design are potentially important for sensing applications, while electrical pumping can allow new studies of photonic crystal and surface plasmon structures in nonlinear and near-field optics.
RESUMO
We demonstrate an efficient intracavity nonlinear interaction of laser modes in a specially adapted quantum cascade laser. A two-wavelength quantum cascade laser structure emitting at wavelengths of 7.1 and 9.5 micrometer included cascaded resonant optical intersubband transitions in an intracavity configuration leading to resonantly enhanced sum-frequency and second-harmonic generation at wavelengths of 4.1, 3.6, and 4.7 micrometer respectively. Laser peak optical powers of 60 and 80 mW resulted in 30 nW of sum-frequency signal and 10-15 nW of second-harmonic signal, both in good agreement with theoretical calculations.
RESUMO
We report the first application of a thermoelectrically cooled, distributed-feedback quantum-cascade laser for continuous spectroscopic monitoring of CO in ambient air at a wavelength of 4.6 microm. A noise-equivalent detection limit of 12 parts per billion was demonstrated experimentally with a 102-cm optical pathlength and a 2.5-min data acquisition time at a 10-kHz pulsed-laser repetition rate. This sensitivity corresponds to a standard error in fractional absorbance of 3 x 10(-5).
Assuntos
Atmosfera , Monóxido de Carbono , Temperatura Baixa , Eletricidade , Monitoramento Ambiental/instrumentação , Lasers , Modelos TeóricosRESUMO
A compact ammonia sensor based on a 10-microm single-frequency, thermoelectrically cooled, pulsed quantum-cascade laser with an embedded distributed feedback structure has been developed. To measure NH3 concentrations, we scanned the laser over two absorption lines of its fundamental v2 band. A sensitivity of better than 0.3 parts per million was achieved with just a 1-m optical path length. The sensor is computer controlled and automated to monitor NH3 concentrations continuously for extended periods of time and to store data in the computer memory.
Assuntos
Amônia/análise , Reatores Biológicos , Monitoramento Ambiental/instrumentação , Lasers , Teoria Quântica , Espectrofotometria Infravermelho/instrumentação , Desenho de Equipamento , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Processamento de Sinais Assistido por ComputadorRESUMO
The fundamental mechanism behind laser action leads in general only to narrowband, single-wavelength emission. Several approaches for achieving spectrally broadband laser action have been put forward, such as enhancing the optical feedback in the wings of the gain spectrum, multi-peaked gain spectra, and the most favoured technique at present, ultrashort pulse excitation. Each of these approaches has drawbacks, such as a complex external laser cavity configuration, a non-flat optical gain envelope function, or an inability to operate in continuous mode, respectively. Here we present a monolithic, mid-infrared 'supercontinuum' semiconductor laser that has none of these drawbacks. We adopt a quantum cascade configuration, where a number of dissimilar intersubband optical transitions are made to cooperate in order to provide broadband optical gain from 5 to 8 microm wavelength. Laser action with a Fabry-Pérot spectrum covering all wavelengths from 6 to 8 microm simultaneously is demonstrated with this approach. Lasers that emit light over such an extremely wide wavelength range are of interest for applications as varied as terabit optical data communications or ultra-precision metrology and spectroscopy.
RESUMO
We demonstrate the generation of cw tunable far-infrared radiation by mixing a quantum cascade laser and a CO>(2) laser in a W-Ni metal-insulator-metal diode. The first known spectroscopic application to the recording of an H(79)Br transition near 4.47 THz is reported.
RESUMO
Measurements of the optical spectra of semiconductor injection lasers with deformed cylinder resonators show strong indications of the classical Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser transition from integrability to chaos for devices with small deformation. At larger deformation, evidence for laser action on scar modes is obtained. The diode lasers operate with TE polarization, resulting in laser action on (partially) chaotic whispering-gallery modes for all deformations.
RESUMO
We report a heterodyne beat with a linewidth of 5.6+/-0.6 Hz between two cavity-stabilized quantum-cascade lasers operating at 8.5 microm . We also present a technique for measuring this beat that avoids the need for extreme isolation of the optical cavities from the environment, that of employing a third servo loop with low bandwidth to force one cavity to track the slow drifts and low-frequency fluctuations of the other. Although it is not fully independent, this technique greatly facilitates heterodyne beat measurements for evaluating the performance of cavity-locked lasers above the bandwidth of the third loop.