Lasing in active, sub-mean-free path-sized systems with dense, random, weak scatterers

We report enhanced emission and gain narrowing in Rhodamine 590 perchlorate dye in an aqueous suspension of polystyrene microspheres. A systematic experimental study of the threshold condition for and the gain narrowing of the stimulated emission over a wide range of dye concentrations and scatterer number densities showed several interesting features, even though the transport mean free path far exceeded the system size. The conventional diffusive-reactive approximation to radiative transfer in an inhomogeneously illuminated random amplifying medium, which is valid for a transport mean-free path much smaller than the system size, is clearly inapplicable here. We propose a new probabilistic approach for the present case of dense, random, weak scatterers involving the otherwise rare and ignorable sub-mean-free-path scatterings, now made effective by the high gain in the medium, which is consistent: with experimentally observed features. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.

再生放大器宽带光谱整形的双折射片设计

提出了一种用于再生放大器中展宽光谱的双折射片的设计方法，利用这种方法设计了厚度为761微米的石英双折射片，并将其插入钛宝石再生放大器中，有效抑制了增益窄化效应，实验的结果和理论计算一致。使用设计的石英双折射片后光谱带宽由使用前的28nm展宽到了62nm，最后压缩脉冲为23fs。

Generation of 17-TW 23-fs pulses with a two-stage Ti : Sapphire amplifier at repetition rate 10 Hz

We have developed a two-stage Ti:sapphire amplifier system which can produce 17-TW/23-fs pulses at a repetition rate 10 MHz. A birefringent plate is used in the regenerative amplifier to alleviate gain narrowing, while an all-reflective cylindrical-mirror-based pulse stretcher and an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter (AOPDF) are used to compensate for the higher order dispersion of the system.

Spectral shaping of femtosecond pulses with a prism-waveguide coupler

We report a novel technique for spectral shaping of femtosecond pulses employing a prism-waveguide coupler (PWC). It is demonstrated that the PWC is capable of producing a frequency-dependent loss with greater attenuation at the peak of the spectrum profile of femtosecond pulses than in the wings, which is especially useful for compensation for gain narrowing in most chirped-pulse amplification laser systems.

变栅距光栅实现啁啾脉冲光谱整形

为了充分利用放大介质的增益带宽，获得脉宽更短，功率更高的输出脉冲，需要将输入到主放大链的种子脉冲进行光谱整形来补偿放大过程中的增益窄化效应。提出了利用变栅距反射光栅实现中心波长1053nm，谱宽6nm啁啾脉冲的光谱整形。运用严格的光栅衍射耦合波理论分析光栅的衍射特性，发现该方案不会引入相位畸变。分别计算和分析了刻槽深度、入射角大小、光栅周期以及入射光波长的变化对衍射效率的影响，通过选取适当的光栅参量可获得0．5％～84％的光谱调制深度。

基于电光调制的激光光谱整形技术

提出了一种新型的基于电光调制的激光光谱整形方案，该整形技术可以减轻啁啾脉冲放大系统中的增益窄化效应。傅立叶变换限的宽带种子激光脉冲通过光学展宽器线性展宽后，耦合到加载有整形电脉冲的集成波导调制器中进行整形，整形电脉冲由孔径耦合带状线电脉冲发生器产生。由于线性啁啾脉冲时间-频率的直接对应关系，在时域内对宽带种子激光脉冲整形，其光谱也得到了同样形状的整形。模拟了整形光谱形状，相应的整形电脉冲波形，分析了该整形技术的光谱整形分辨率，以及整形过程中引入的相位畸变。

用于钕玻璃啁啾脉冲放大系统光谱整形的多层介质膜反射镜

在千焦拍瓦高功率啁啾脉冲放大系统设计中,为了尽量消除增益窄化和增益饱和效应的影响,同时尽可能提高高功率激光输出脉冲信噪比参数,激光脉冲时空和光谱的整形问题备受关注.提出一种光谱整形新方法,利用特定结构的多层介质膜反射镜,可实现对大能量高功率啁啾脉冲钕玻璃放大系统中啁啾脉冲的光谱整形.研究结果表明,只要合理选择多层介质膜系的结构参数,可有效地控制其反射率分布,且在保证反射相位基本不变的条件下其调制度可超过60%.针对钕玻璃1053nm波长设计而成的光谱整形反射镜,反射带宽可达到196nm,色分辨率约为0.1nm,在几十纳米波长范围所对应的相位偏差小于12mrad,相当于λ/524,能够满足"神光Ⅱ"千焦拍瓦改造的技术指标要求.

Stimulated emission in the film of polymer/dye blend

Optically pumped stimulated emission behavior in an organic film was demonstrated in this study. The gain material consists of a laser dye perylene doped into polystyrene (PS) matrix in an appropriate weight ratio. The sample was transversely pumped by the three harmonic output of a mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. The change of the emission spectra showed a clear threshold action and gain narrowing phenomenon when increasing the excitation intensity. Three emission peaks were observed below the excitation threshold, which are locate at 446, 475 and 506 nm, respectively. However, only the gain narrowing peak centered at 475 nm could be detected above the threshold. The spectra narrowing observed results from the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in the gain material. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Tunable and multiple-wavelengths/temporal output from gain-switched diode laser and a four Bragg-grating fiber

The spectral narrowing and selective tuning of picosecond pulse outputs from gain-switched diode laser and a four Bragg-grating fiber, were investigated. The fiber used under investigation was designed to provide spectral narrowing and multiple wavelength/temporal output. The maximum transmission out of each of the four output fibers was ∼7.5 mW, for a current of 180 mA. The results show that an output of any combination of multiple wavelengths is only produced at modulation frequencies which satisfy resonant conditions for all cavity arms simultaneously.

Case study of collaborative learning in two contexts : what do English language learners gain?

This chapter describes the use of collaborative learning as an approach to enhance English language learning by students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) principles were applied to two case studies, one comprising of undergraduate English as Foreign Language Learners in Turkey and the other involved English as Second Language learners in Australia. Social constructivism inspired communicative language teaching using collaborative learning activities such as team work, interactive peer-based learning, and iterative stages of learning matrix were incorporated to enhance students' learning outcomes. Data collected after the CLT intervention was made up of field notes, reflective logs and focus group interviews which revealed complementarities, as well as subtle differences between the two cases. The findings were summarized as learning dispositions; speaking fluency and confidence; learning diagnostics and completion deficiencies; task engagement, flow theory and higher order thinking skills; in addition to self efficacy and development of student identity. CLT has the potential to provide a more inclusive and dynamic education for diverse learners through vital outcomes and benefits which resonate with the real world.

Behavioural biases and information disclosure laws relating to residential property sales : narrowing the gap between existing laws and calls for future reforms

Market failures involving the sale of complex merchandise, such as residential property, financial products and credit, have principally been attributed to information asymmetries. Existing legislative and regulatory responses were developed having regard to consumer protection policies based on traditional economic theories that focus on the notion of the ‘rational consumer’. Governmental responses therefore seek to impose disclosure obligations on sellers of complex goods or products to ensure that consumers have sufficient information upon which to make a decision. Emergent research, based on behavioural economics, challenges traditional ideas and instead focuses on the actual behaviour of consumers. This approach suggests that consumers as a whole do not necessarily benefit from mandatory disclosure because some, if not most, consumers do not pay attention to the disclosed information before they make a decision to purchase. The need for consumer policies to take consumer characteristics and behaviour into account is being increasingly recognised by governments, and most recently in the policy framework suggested by the Australian Productivity Commission

Overeating as a clue to weight gain: behavioural and physiological interactions in the control of food intake

It has been estimated that 25-50% of people in most affluent societies are either obese or overweight. These disorders are the result of an imbalance between calorific intake and energy expenditure over a prolonged time period. These types of disorders are among the most common health problems in industrialized societies. Addressing these issues and offering new strategies, this thorough new study draws together contributions from interdisciplinary and international group of specialists, includes recent research on genetic influences, features discussions of epidemiological studies and covers both biological and social aspects of obesity.

Distributed orthogonal space-time block codes with adaptive diversity gain

In this paper we present a novel distributed coding protocol for multi-user cooperative networks. The proposed distributed coding protocol exploits the existing orthogonal space-time block codes to achieve higher diversity gain by repeating the code across time and space (available relay nodes). The achievable diversity gain depends on the number of relay nodes that can fully decode the signal from the source. These relay nodes then form space-time codes to cooperatively relay to the destination using number of time slots. However, the improved diversity gain is archived at the expense of the transmission rate. The design principles of the proposed space-time distributed code and the issues related to transmission rate and diversity trade off is discussed in detail. We show that the proposed distributed space-time coding protocol out performs existing distributed codes with a variable transmission rate.