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Optical Switching by Stimulated Thermal Rayleigh Scattering

Lauren M. Peterson

Published Jun 1, 1986• 0 citations

Abstract

Abstract : Preliminary experiments were conducted whose ultimate goal is to develop all-optical control functions useful in an all-optical or optical- electronic hybrid digital computer or for optical interconnects. Stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering (STRS) based upon generator experiments was pursued for scattering angles of 90 deg and 180 deg (backscattering). A pulsed nitrogen laser pumped dye laser served as the radiation source and the interaction medium was a liquid to which an absorbing dye was added. STRS amplifier experiments were successful and gain was observed and studied parametrically using eosine dye in ethanol. The gain was found to increase (although the gain coefficient decreased) with increasing pump power and the gain was found to be a maximum at an absorption coefficient of about 2.6 per cm. The generator experiments did not lead to stimulated scattering due to the limited output power of the laser and its multi-longitudinal spectral mode content. These studies will be continued along with analytical modeling in order to characterize the interaction and to enable the optimization of the scattering process.

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Using well defined input pulses the amplification by stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering was investigated experimentally as a function of time (within the pulse), of absorption coefficient, and of interaction length. The frequency difference between the two interacting light pulses was varied with an accuracy better than Δν/ν = 10-8. Amplification was measured in the backward direction and at several degrees from the forward direction. The various experimental observations are in good agreement with theory. The possibility of determining material parameters in this amplifier system is discussed

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung A•Jul 1, 1970•16 citations

Abstract : Preliminary experiments were conducted whose ultimate goal is to develop all-optical control functions useful in an all-optical or optical- electronic hybrid digital computer or for optical interconnects. Stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering (STRS) based upon generator experiments was pursued for scattering angles of 90 deg and 180 deg (backscattering). A pulsed nitrogen laser pumped dye laser served as the radiation source and the interaction medium was a liquid to which an absorbing dye was added. STRS amplifier experiments were successful and gain was observed and studied parametrically using eosine dye in ethanol. The gain was found to increase (although the gain coefficient decreased) with increasing pump power and the gain was found to be a maximum at an absorption coefficient of about 2.6 per cm. The generator experiments did not lead to stimulated scattering due to the limited output power of the laser and its multi-longitudinal spectral mode content. These studies will be continued along with analytical modeling in order to characterize the interaction and to enable the optimization of the scattering process.

Stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering that has been seen previously in absorbing liquids has been observed in gaseous nitrogen and carbon dioxide using small amounts of N

{\mathrm{O}}_{2}

and

{\mathrm{I}}_{2}

to produce absorption. The anti-Stokes shift of half the half-intensity width of the incident light, thresholds, gain narrowing, and critical absorption coefficients were observed.

The use of stimulated light scattering as a means for achieving optical control functions directed toward an optical computer is described. Stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering is seen to be a preferred nonlinear optical mechanism when compared with the more familiar stimulated Raman and stimulated Brillouin scattering. It possesses the highest gain, the lowest threshold, and scattered radiation which is approximately the same frequency as the inducing radiation. Optical control functions such as optical bistable switching, optical amplification and optical limiting or clipping are described.

A frequency-unshifted and backward stimulated scattering can be efficiently generated in one-photon-absorption free but two-photon absorbing materials. Using a number of novel two-photon absorbing dye solutions as the scattering media and nanosecond pulsed laser as the pump beams, a highly directional backward stimulated scattering at the exact pump wavelength can be readily observed once the pump intensity is higher than a certain threshold level. The spectral and spatial structures as well as the temporal behavior and optical phase-conjugation property of this new type of backward stimulated scattering have been experimentally studied. This stimulated scattering phenomenon can be explained by using a model of two-photon-excitation enhanced standing-wave Bragg grating initially formed by the strong forward pump beam and much weaker backward Rayleigh scattering beam; the partial reflection of the pump beam from this grating provides an positive feedback to the initial backward Rayleigh scattering beam without suffering linear attenuation influence. Comparing to other known stimulated (Raman, Brillouin, Rayleigh-wing, and Kerr) scattering effects, the stimulated Rayleigh-Bragg scattering exhibits the advantages of no frequency-shift, low pump threshold, and low spectral linewidth requirement.

A general transient theory of light amplification in absorbing media is developed for small amplification and for small signal. The amplification by stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering has been studied in detail for various shapes of the laser pulse. A transient gain is predicted when the frequencies of the pump and signal pulse are the same. The dependence of the amplification from the scattering angle was investigated. For narrow angles (Θ < 2 x 10-2 rad) scattering of higher order in angle was calculated. A method of measuring the Rayleigh linewidth with one laser pulse is proposed

Using well defined input pulses the amplification by stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering was investigated experimentally as a function of time (within the pulse), of absorption coefficient, and of interaction length. The frequency difference between the two interacting light pulses was varied with an accuracy better than Δν/ν = 10-8. Amplification was measured in the backward direction and at several degrees from the forward direction. The various experimental observations are in good agreement with theory. The possibility of determining material parameters in this amplifier system is discussed