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Journal of Optics

Active isotropic slabs: conditions for amplified reflection

Liliana Ines Perez, Claudia L. Matteo, J. I. Etcheverry, María Celeste Duplaá

Published Nov 22, 2012• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We analyse in detail the necessary conditions to obtain amplified reflection (AR) in isotropic interfaces when a plane wave propagates from a transparent medium towards an active one. First, we demonstrate analytically that AR is not possible if a single interface is involved. Then, we study the conditions for AR in a very simple configuration: normal incidence on an active slab immersed in transparent media. Finally, we develop an analysis in the complex plane in order to establish a geometrical method that not only describes the behaviour of active slabs but also helps to simplify the calculus.

DOI
10.1088/2040-8978/14/12/125711

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We analyse in detail the necessary conditions to obtain amplified reflection (AR) in isotropic interfaces when a plane wave propagates from a transparent medium towards an active one. First, we demonstrate analytically that AR is not possible if a single interface is involved. Then, we study the conditions for AR in a very simple configuration: normal incidence on an active slab immersed in transparent media. Finally, we develop an analysis in the complex plane in order to establish a geometrical method that not only describes the behaviour of active slabs but also helps to simplify the calculus.
We investigate the reflection of plane waves of s and p polarization from the interface between a homogeneous transparent medium and an amplifying medium with a gain profile decreasing exponentially with depth of penetration. For angles of incidence less than critical angle, the reflectance curves are essentially the same as those deduced from the usual Fresnel formulas for two transparent media. In the vicinity of critical angle, the reflection coefficients are virtually the same for both polarizations and are greater than unity. Beyond critical angle, the reflectances fall toward unity as grazing incidence is approached. Both the reflectance and the far-field transmittance peak in the immediate vicinity of critical angle. For angles less than critical angle, the transmittance can be 2 orders of magnitude greater than the reflectance. Certain values of gain parameters and incident angle lead to singularities in the theoretical reflectance. At these points the usual neglect of the effect of the transmitted wave on the population inversion is no longer valid.
We calculate the effects of normal transmission through an amplifying dielectric slab on the properties of an incident pulse of light. The transmitted pulse shows shifts in peak position and additional lengthening or shortening with respect to the unamplified incident pulse. The magnitudes of these effects are generally larger than those of the corresponding changes that occur in transparent or attenuating slabs. They are interpreted in terms of the interference of multiply reflected contributions to the transmitted pulse. The theory is valid for pulses of nonclassical light, but the same reshaping occurs for appropriate pulses of classical light.
The existing linear theory of the reflection of light waves from an amplifying medium is debated. The exiting data are often contradictory, a reflection coefficient of amplifying medium of greater than unity is discussed, an upper bound of 5.82 is imposed on this quantity, significant corrections of prelaser concepts regarding the reflection and refraction of light in such media are proposed, etc. This stimulates reconsideration of the existing results. Evidently, the corresponding analysis must be based on the data obtained with a commonly accepted and, preferably, simplest approach. In our opinion, such an approach represents an analytical continuation of the known prelaser achievements (the Airy formulas for the reflection and transmission of light in a transparent medium proposed in 1833) to the domain of the amplifying media. The results presented can improve the basis of a linear theory for the interaction of light with amplifying media.
The theory of the effect of optical saturation upon the reflectance of a plane slab (irradiated by a linearly polarized monochromatic electromagnetic wave of constant amplitude at normal incidence) is developed. The absorbing centers within the slab are described by means of the density matrix, and the electromagnetic field is described by Maxwell's equations. For simplicity's sake, it is assumed that only two quantum states (characterized by a transition dipole moment μ and relaxation times T1 and T2) at exact resonance with the electromagnetic wave are necessary to describe the absorption process. The coupling between waves travelling in opposite directions is provided by Fresnel reflection at the boundaries of the slab. Only the steady-state solutions are found.