Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1605.00312 · Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Coherent blue emission generated by Rb two-photon excitation using diode and femtosecond lasers

Jesus P Lopez, Marco Polo Moreno de Souza, Marcio H G de Miranda, Sandra S Vianna

Published Feb 28, 2017• 6 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract The coherent blue light generated in rubidium vapor due to the combined action of an ultrashort pulse train and a continuous wave diode laser is investigated. Each step of the two-photon transition 5S–5P 3 / 2 –5D is excited by one of the lasers, and the induced coherence between the 5S and 6P 3 / 2 states is responsible for generating the blue beam. Measurements of the excitation spectrum reveal the frequency comb structure and allow us to identify the resonant modes responsible for inducing the nonlinear process. Further, each resonant mode excites a different group of atoms, making the process selective in atomic velocity. The signal dependency on the atomic density is characterized by a sharp growth and a rapid saturation. We also show that for high intensity of the diode laser, the Stark shift at resonance causes the signal suppression observed at low atomic density.

DOI
10.1088/1361-6455/aa636d

Related papers

Observing the optical frequency comb in the blue fluorescence of rubidium vapor

Filipe A Lira, Marco Polo Moreno de Souza, S. S. Vianna

Abstract We report on the direct observation of the frequency comb printed in the blue fluorescence excitation spectrum of rubidium vapor induced by the combined action of an ultrashort pulse train and a cw diode laser. Each laser drives one step of the 5S—5P—5D two-photon transition in a copropagating configuration and the excitation spectrum is obtained while the cw-laser frequency is scanned over the rubidium D 2 lines. Measurements of the fluorescence as a function of the diode intensity and atomic density allow us to investigate how the effect of power broadening and absorption of the diode laser blur the excitation process. The experimental results and the printing process of the comb on the Doppler profile are described well by numerical integration of the Bloch equations for a cascade three-level system.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•Oct 23, 2015•1 citation

Two-photon transitions driven by a combination of diode and femtosecond lasers

Marco Polo Moreno de Souza, Giovana Trevisan Nogueira, D. Felinto +1 more

We report on the combined action of a cw diode laser and a train of ultrashort pulses when each of them drives one step of the 5S-5P-5D two-photon transition in rubidium vapor. The fluorescence from the 6P(3/2) state is detected for a fixed repetition rate of the femtosecond laser while the cw-laser frequency is scanned over the rubidium D(2) lines. This scheme allows for a velocity selective spectroscopy in a large spectral range including the 5D(3/2) and 5D(5/2) states. The results are well described in a simplified frequency domain picture, considering the interaction of each velocity group with the cw laser and a single mode of the frequency comb.

arXiv:1207.3998•Optics Letters•Oct 15, 2012•8 citations

Collimated blue and infrared beams generated by two-photon excitation in Rb vapor

J. F. Sell, M. A. Gearba, B. D. DePaola +1 more

Utilizing two-photon excitation in hot Rb vapor we demonstrate the generation of collimated optical fields at 420 and 1324 nm. Input laser beams at 780 and 776 nm enter a heated Rb vapor cell collinear and circularly polarized, driving Rb atoms to the 5D(5/2) state. Under phase-matching conditions coherence among the 5S(1/2)→5P(3/2)→5D(5/2)→6P(3/2) transitions produces a blue (420 nm) beam by four-wave mixing. We also observe a forward and backward propagating IR (1324 nm) beam, due to cascading decays through the 6S(1/2)→5(1/2) states. Power saturation of the generated beams is investigated by scaling the input powers to greater than 200 mW, resulting in a coherent blue beam of 9.1 mW power, almost an order of magnitude larger than previously achieved. We measure the dependences of both beams in relation to the Rb density, the frequency detuning between Rb ground-state hyperfine levels, and the input laser intensities.

arXiv:1311.4626•Optics Letters•Jan 21, 2014•59 citations

Blue five-level frequency-upconversion system in rubidium

T. Meijer, J. D. White, B. Smeets +2 more

We demonstrate production of continuous coherent blue laser light by using a five-level system in rubidium vapor. Two low-power lasers, at 780 and 776 nm, induce strong atomic coherence in the 5S-5P-5D states. The atoms decay to the 6P excited state, from which stimulated emission produces a coherent blue (420 nm) beam. We have coupled both ground-state hyperfine levels, effecting coherence between four levels. The coherent blue output is enhanced by several mechanisms, including stronger coupling to a larger fraction of the atomic population, operation at a detuning such that the vapor is nominally transparent to the 780 nm pump field, reduced losses owing to optical pumping, and optimal phase matching. We report experimental findings and compare them with results from a semiclassical Maxwell-Bloch model.

Optics Letters•Mar 23, 2006•97 citations

Interference effect and Autler-Townes splitting in coherent blue light generated by four-wave mixing

Marco Polo Moreno de Souza, A. A. C. de Almeida, S. S. Vianna

An unexpected interference effect between four-wave mixing excitation routes in rubidium vapor is observed using a combination of a cw diode laser and a 1-GHz femtosecond pulse train. The generated coherent blue light is analyzed by scanning the diode frequency and the repetition rate of the frequency comb. In both cases, the cw laser induces an Autler-Townes splitting, and a large separation is observed in the doublet structure due to the configuration of copropagating fields. Remarkably, by scanning the repetition rate, a narrow peak appears as a signature of the interfering pathways. A nonperturbative treatment of the Bloch equations achieves good agreement with the experimental data and demonstrates that the interfering effect appears only when both lasers are resonant with one- and two-photon transitions for the same atomic velocity group.

arXiv:1902.10761•Physical Review A•Apr 8, 2019•14 citations

Collimated blue light generation in rubidium vapor

Marcus Kienlen, Noah T. Holte, Hunter A. Dassonville +4 more

We describe an experiment for generating and characterizing a beam of collimated blue light (CBL) in a rubidium vapor. Two low-power, grating-feedback diode lasers, operating at 780.2 nm (5S1/2→5P3/2) and 776.0 nm (5P3/2→5D5/2), respectively, provide step-wise excitation to the 5D excited state in rubidium. Under the right experimental conditions, cascade decay through the 6P excited state will yield a collimated blue (420-nm) beam of light with high temporal and spatial coherence. We investigate the production of a blue beam under a variety of experimental conditions and characterize the spatial coherence and spectral characteristics. This experiment provides advanced undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to investigate nonlinear optical phenomena in the laboratory and uses equipment that is commonly available in laboratories equipped to investigate diode-laser-based absorption spectroscopy in rubidium.

American Journal of Physics•May 20, 2013•23 citations
Abstract The coherent blue light generated in rubidium vapor due to the combined action of an ultrashort pulse train and a continuous wave diode laser is investigated. Each step of the two-photon transition 5S–5P 3 / 2 –5D is excited by one of the lasers, and the induced coherence between the 5S and 6P 3 / 2 states is responsible for generating the blue beam. Measurements of the excitation spectrum reveal the frequency comb structure and allow us to identify the resonant modes responsible for inducing the nonlinear process. Further, each resonant mode excites a different group of atoms, making the process selective in atomic velocity. The signal dependency on the atomic density is characterized by a sharp growth and a rapid saturation. We also show that for high intensity of the diode laser, the Stark shift at resonance causes the signal suppression observed at low atomic density.
Abstract We report on the direct observation of the frequency comb printed in the blue fluorescence excitation spectrum of rubidium vapor induced by the combined action of an ultrashort pulse train and a cw diode laser. Each laser drives one step of the 5S—5P—5D two-photon transition in a copropagating configuration and the excitation spectrum is obtained while the cw-laser frequency is scanned over the rubidium D 2 lines. Measurements of the fluorescence as a function of the diode intensity and atomic density allow us to investigate how the effect of power broadening and absorption of the diode laser blur the excitation process. The experimental results and the printing process of the comb on the Doppler profile are described well by numerical integration of the Bloch equations for a cascade three-level system.
We report on the combined action of a cw diode laser and a train of ultrashort pulses when each of them drives one step of the 5S-5P-5D two-photon transition in rubidium vapor. The fluorescence from the 6P(3/2) state is detected for a fixed repetition rate of the femtosecond laser while the cw-laser frequency is scanned over the rubidium D(2) lines. This scheme allows for a velocity selective spectroscopy in a large spectral range including the 5D(3/2) and 5D(5/2) states. The results are well described in a simplified frequency domain picture, considering the interaction of each velocity group with the cw laser and a single mode of the frequency comb.
Utilizing two-photon excitation in hot Rb vapor we demonstrate the generation of collimated optical fields at 420 and 1324 nm. Input laser beams at 780 and 776 nm enter a heated Rb vapor cell collinear and circularly polarized, driving Rb atoms to the 5D(5/2) state. Under phase-matching conditions coherence among the 5S(1/2)→5P(3/2)→5D(5/2)→6P(3/2) transitions produces a blue (420 nm) beam by four-wave mixing. We also observe a forward and backward propagating IR (1324 nm) beam, due to cascading decays through the 6S(1/2)→5(1/2) states. Power saturation of the generated beams is investigated by scaling the input powers to greater than 200 mW, resulting in a coherent blue beam of 9.1 mW power, almost an order of magnitude larger than previously achieved. We measure the dependences of both beams in relation to the Rb density, the frequency detuning between Rb ground-state hyperfine levels, and the input laser intensities.
We demonstrate production of continuous coherent blue laser light by using a five-level system in rubidium vapor. Two low-power lasers, at 780 and 776 nm, induce strong atomic coherence in the 5S-5P-5D states. The atoms decay to the 6P excited state, from which stimulated emission produces a coherent blue (420 nm) beam. We have coupled both ground-state hyperfine levels, effecting coherence between four levels. The coherent blue output is enhanced by several mechanisms, including stronger coupling to a larger fraction of the atomic population, operation at a detuning such that the vapor is nominally transparent to the 780 nm pump field, reduced losses owing to optical pumping, and optimal phase matching. We report experimental findings and compare them with results from a semiclassical Maxwell-Bloch model.
An unexpected interference effect between four-wave mixing excitation routes in rubidium vapor is observed using a combination of a cw diode laser and a 1-GHz femtosecond pulse train. The generated coherent blue light is analyzed by scanning the diode frequency and the repetition rate of the frequency comb. In both cases, the cw laser induces an Autler-Townes splitting, and a large separation is observed in the doublet structure due to the configuration of copropagating fields. Remarkably, by scanning the repetition rate, a narrow peak appears as a signature of the interfering pathways. A nonperturbative treatment of the Bloch equations achieves good agreement with the experimental data and demonstrates that the interfering effect appears only when both lasers are resonant with one- and two-photon transitions for the same atomic velocity group.
We describe an experiment for generating and characterizing a beam of collimated blue light (CBL) in a rubidium vapor. Two low-power, grating-feedback diode lasers, operating at 780.2 nm (5S1/2→5P3/2) and 776.0 nm (5P3/2→5D5/2), respectively, provide step-wise excitation to the 5D excited state in rubidium. Under the right experimental conditions, cascade decay through the 6P excited state will yield a collimated blue (420-nm) beam of light with high temporal and spatial coherence. We investigate the production of a blue beam under a variety of experimental conditions and characterize the spatial coherence and spectral characteristics. This experiment provides advanced undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to investigate nonlinear optical phenomena in the laboratory and uses equipment that is commonly available in laboratories equipped to investigate diode-laser-based absorption spectroscopy in rubidium.