Non-collinear CPOPA seeded by an Yb3+-doped self-starting passive mode-locked fiber laser

Using a home-made seed at 1053 nm from a Yb3+-doped passively mode-locked fiber laser of 1.5 nJ/pulse, 362 ps pulse duration with a repetition rate of 3.842 MHz, a compact, low cost, stable and excellent beam quality non-collinear chirped pulse optical parametric amplifier omitting the bulky pulse stretcher has been demonstrated. A gain higher than 4.0 x 10(6), single pulse energy exceeding 6 mJ with fluctuations less than 2% rms, 14 nm amplified signal spectrum and recompressed pulse duration of 525 fs are achieved. This provides a novel and simple amplification scheme. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.

Gaussian entanglement for quantum key distribution from a single-mode squeezing source

We report the suitability of an Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement source for Gaussian continuous-variable quantum key distribution at 1550 nm. Our source is based on a single continuous-wave squeezed vacuum mode combined with a vacuum mode at a balanced beam splitter. Extending a recent security proof, we characterize the source by quantifying the extractable length of a composable secure key from a finite number of samples under the assumption of collective attacks. We show that distances in the order of 10 km are achievable with this source for a reasonable sample size despite the fact that the entanglement was generated including a vacuum mode. Our security analysis applies to all states having an asymmetry in the field quadrature variances, including those generated by superposition of two squeezed modes with different squeezing strengths.

Fabrication and characterization of dye mixture doped polymer optical fiber as a broad wavelength optical amplifier

Rhodamine 6G and Rhodamine B dye mixture doped polymer optical fiber amplifier (POFA), which can operate in a broad wavelength region (60 nm), has been successfully fabricated and tested. Tunable operation of the amplifier over a broad wavelength region is achieved by mixing different ratios of the dyes. The dye doped POFA is pumped axially using 532 nm, 10 ns laser pulses from a frequency doubled Q-switched Nd: YAG laser and the signals are taken from an optical parametric oscillator. A maximum gain of 22.3 dB at 617 nm wavelength has been obtained for a 7 cm long dye mixture doped POFA. The effects of pump energy and length of the fiber on the performance of the fiber amplifier are also studied. There exists an optimum length for which the amplifier gain is at a maximum value.

Fabrication and characterization of dye-doped polymer optical fiber as a light amplifier

The fabrication and characterization of a Rhodamine 6G-doped polymer optical fiber amplifier have been carried out. Two different schemes were employed to characterize the optical fiber: the stripe illumination technique to study the fiber as a gain medium and another technique to study its performance as an amplifier. We observed a spectral narrowing from 42 to 7 nm when the pump energy was increased to 6 mJ in the stripe illumination geometry. A gain of 18 dB was obtained in the amplifier configuration. The effects of pump power and dye concentration on the performance of the fiber as an amplifier were also studied.

Polymer-Optical-Fiber Lasers and Amplifiers Doped with Organic Dyes

Polymer optical fibers (POFs) doped with organic dyes can be used to make efficient lasers and amplifiers due to the high gains achievable in short distances. This paper analyzes the peculiarities of light amplification in POFs through some experimental data and a computational model capable of carrying out both power and spectral analyses. We investigate the emission spectral shifts and widths and on the optimum signal wavelength and pump power as functions of the fiber length, the fiber numerical aperture and the radial distribution of the dopant. Analyses for both step-index and graded-index POFs have been done.

基于周期极化LiTaO3晶体的高增益简并啁啾脉冲参量放大

根据准相位匹配理论计算了周期极化LiTaO3（PPLT）晶体中0类准相位匹配过程（e＋e→e）的增益曲线．在此基础上，使用数百心的低抽运能量获得了-10^6的增益和-10．3％的转换效率，实现了中心波长位于1064nm的基于简并光学啁啾脉冲参量放大（OPCPA）技术的高增益放大，为产生超短超强激光脉冲提供了新的技术手段．实验结果与理论预期基本符合．

Development of high-power OPCPA laser at 1064 and 780 nm

A compact 10-TW/100-fs level ultrashort-pulse and ultra-intense laser system at 1064 nm based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) scheme is described, at which the pump and seed for the optical parametric amplification (OPA) process is optically synchronized. We investigated the output stability and the conversion efficiency of the system. Moreover, a design toward higher peak power output is given and an optically synchronized amplifier based on the concept of OPCPA at 800 nm is preliminarily explored.

Spectroscopic properties of Er3+ doped TeO2-BaO (Li2O, Na2O)-La2O3 glasses for 1.5-mu m optical amplifiers

This paper reports on the optical spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of Er3+-doped TeO2-BaO (Li2O,NaO)-La2O3 glasses for developing 1.5-mu m fiber amplifiers. Upon excitation at 977 nm laser diode, an intense 1.53-mu m infrared fluorescence has been observed with a broad full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 60 nm for the Er3+-doped TeO2-BaO (Li2O, Na2O)-La2O3 glass with 10 mol% of BaO. The calculated fluorescence lifetime and the emission cross-sections of the 1.53-mu m transition are 2.91 ms and similar to 9.97 x 10(-21) cm(2), respectively. It is noted that the gain bandwidth, a, x FWHM, of the TeO2-BaO-La2O3Er2O3 glass is about 600, which is significantly higher than that in silicate and phosphate glasses. Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the TeO2-BaO-La2O3-Er2O3 glass has shown a high glass thermal stability and good infrared transmittance. As a result, TeO2-BaO (Li2O, Na2O)-La2O3 glass with 10 mol% of BaO has been considered to be more useful as a host for broadband optical fiber amplifier. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tunable parametric fluorescence using a single crystal

In this paper, we investigate the mechanism of tunable parametric superfluorescence (PS) based on the second harmonic generation and parametric processes taking place in the same nonlinear crystal (BBO). The tunable spectra of PS has been generated between 480 nm and 530 nm, which is pumped by the second-harmonic from the high-power Ti: sapphire laser system at 1 kHz repetition rate. We present the generation mechanism of PS theoretically and simulate the process of PS ring using the amplification transfer function. The experiment and the theory show that PS will appear when the phase matching angle for second-harmonic generation is close to the optimal pump angle for optical parametric generation, and then the tunable spectra of PS are generated by slightly adjusting the crystal angle. The result provides a theoretical basis for controlling the generation of PS and quantum entanglement states, which is of great significance for the development of quantum imaging, quantum communications and other applieations.

Multipartite entanglement and quantum state exchange

We investigate multipartite entanglement in relation to the process of quantum state exchange. In particular, we consider such entanglement for a certain pure state involving two groups of N trapped atoms. The state, which can be produced via quantum state exchange, is analogous to the steady-state intracavity state of the subthreshold optical nondegenerate parametric amplifier. We show that, first, it possesses some 2N-way entanglement. Second, we place a lower bound on the amount of such entanglement in the state using a measure called the entanglement of minimum bipartite entropy.

Critical fluctuations and entanglement in the nondegenerate parametric oscillator

We present a fully quantum mechanical treatment of the nondegenerate optical parametric oscillator both below and near threshold. This is a nonequilibrium quantum system with a critical point phase transition, that is also known to exhibit strong yet easily observed squeezing and quantum entanglement. Our treatment makes use of the positive P representation and goes beyond the usual linearized theory. We compare our analytical results with numerical simulations and find excellent agreement. We also carry out a detailed comparison of our results with those obtained from stochastic electrodynamics, a theory obtained by truncating the equation of motion for the Wigner function, with a view to locating regions of agreement and disagreement between the two. We calculate commonly used measures of quantum behavior including entanglement, squeezing, and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) correlations as well as higher order tripartite correlations, and show how these are modified as the critical point is approached. These results are compared with those obtained using two degenerate parametric oscillators, and we find that in the near-critical region the nondegenerate oscillator has stronger EPR correlations. In general, the critical fluctuations represent an ultimate limit to the possible entanglement that can be achieved in a nondegenerate parametric oscillator.

Bright tripartite entanglement in triply concurrent parametric oscillation

We show that an optical parametric oscillator based on three concurrent chi((2)) nonlinearities can produce, above threshold, bright output beams of macroscopic intensities which exhibit strong tripartite continuous-variable entanglement. We also show that there are two ways that the system can exhibit a three-mode form of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox, and calculate the extracavity fluctuation spectra that may be measured to verify our predictions.

DPSK signal regeneration with a dual-pump nondegenerate phase-sensitive amplifier

We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, regeneration of a 42.66-Gb/s differential phase-shift keyed signal using a dual-pump nondegenerate four-wave-mixing-based fiber-optic parametric amplifier. The regenerative performance of the subsystem is characterized in terms of bit-error rate against narrowband and wideband introduced noise. While a strong receiver sensitivity improvement, up to 20 dB, is noticed against narrowband noise, against quasi-random (wideband) noise we observe a regeneration of 2.7 dB.

Frequency-comb-referenced molecular spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region

A simple method for absolute frequency measurements of molecular transitions in the mid-infrared region is reported. The method is based on a cw singly-resonant optical parametric oscillator (SRO), which is tunable from 3.2 to 3.45 µm. The mid- infrared frequency of the SRO is referenced to an optical frequency comb through its pump and signal beams. Sub-Doppler spectroscopy and absolute frequency measurement of the P(7) transition of the ν3 band of CH4 are demonstrated.

Vibrational predissociation spectroscopy of mass-selected ionic clusters

This thesis presents structural investigations of molecular ions and ionic clusters using vibrational predissociation spectroscopy. Experimentally, a pulsed beam of the mass-selected ion is crossed by a tunable infrared laser beam generated by a Nd:YAG pumped LiNbO_3 optical parametric oscillator. The resulting fragment ion is mass-analyzed and detected, with its intensity as a function of the laser wavelength being the "action" spectrum of the parent ion. In the case of SiH_7^+, we observed a vibrational band centered at 3866 cm^(-1) with clear P, Q, R branches, which is assigned as a perturbed H_2 stretch. The absence of a second H_2 band suggests that the ion forms a symmetric complex with a structure H_2•SiH_3^+•H_2 , in contrast to the species CH_7^+, which has the structure CH_5^+•H_2. The infrared spectra of NO_2^+(H_2O)_n clusters exhibit a marked change with cluster size, indicating that an intracluster reaction occurs with sufficient solvation. Specifically, in NO_2^+(H_2O)_n clusters where n≤3, H_2O binds to a nitronium ion core; but at n=4 the NO_2^+ reacts, transforming the cluster to a new structure of H_3O^+•(H_2O)_(n_2)•HNO_3. For protonated chlorine nitrate, we have observed two distinct isomers previously predicted by ab initio calculations: NO_2^+•(HOC1), the lowest energy isomer, and (ClO)(HO)NO^+, a covalently bonded isomer about 20 kcal/mol higher in energy. Both isomers decompose to NO_2^+ and HOCl upon photo-excitation. These results for HClONO_2^+ lend strong support to the involvement of an ionic mechanism in the reaction of ClONO_2 on polar stratospheric cloud surfaces, a critical step in the dramatic springtime depletion of ozone over Antarctica. Current research activities on halide-solvent clusters and metal-ligand complexes as well as technological improvements of the apparatus are also discussed.