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

Review of Scientific Instruments

Artificial spectral broadening of lasers with random telegraph noise

M. W. Hamilton, Gordon N. Sinclair

Published Jul 1, 1994• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Three methods are given for imposing random telegraph phase or frequency noise on a stabilized cw laser thus giving explicit control of the coherence of the laser field. In the case of phase noise, the resulting laser spectrum consists of a carrier part with nearly Lorentzian shaped noise sidebands which have full-width at half maximum up to 14 MHz. Complete suppression of the carrier is possible if the phase is made to jump by π radians. Frequency telegraph noise results in a laser power spectrum that can be single or double peaked, depending on the relative sizes of the average dwell time and the frequency jump. The laser field has been produced for studies of noise in nonlinear spectroscopic interactions. Measurements of the resulting laser spectra are presented. As an example of the application of such a noisy laser, some results from studies of the dependence of two photon absorption on higher-order optical coherences are given.

DOI
10.1063/1.1144723

Related papers

Effect of random-telegraph laser phase on two-photon absorption

Gordon N. Sinclair, Xiaoyi Bao, Daniel S. Elliott +1 more

Measurements of two-photon absorption spectra have been made for the case where the exciting laser has a random-telegraph phase. The resulting spectral shapes are compared to theoretical predictions and to previous data taken with a phase-diffusing laser field [Elliott et al., Phys. Rev. A 32, 887 (1985)]. A striking dependence of the absorption spectrum on the second-order coherence of the field was observed. Using the theory for the propagation of second-order spatial coherence, we draw an analogy between diffraction and two-photon absorption which we use to interpret the two-photon absorption spectra.

Physical Review A•Jun 1, 1995•3 citations

Noise in strong laser-atom interactions: Phase telegraph noise

Joseph H. Eberly, K. Wódkiewicz, Bruce W. Shore

We discuss strong laser-atom interactions that are subjected to jump-type (random telegraph) random-phase noise. Physically, the jumps may arise from laser fluctuations, from collisions of various kinds, or from other external forces. Our discussion is carried out in two stages. First, direct and partially heuristic calculations determine the laser spectrum and also give a third-order differential equation for the average inversion of a two-level atom on resonance. At this stage a number of general features of the interaction are able to be studied easily. The optical analog of motional narrowing, for example, is clearly predicted. Second, we show that the theory of generalized Poisson processes allows laser-atom interactions in the presence of random telegraph noise of all kinds (not only phase noise) to be treated systematically, by means of a master equation first used in the context of quantum optics by Burshtein. We use the Burshtein equation to obtain an exact expression for the two-level atom's steady-state resonance fluorescence spectrum, when the exciting laser exhibits phase telegraph noise. Some comparisons are made with results obtained from other noise models. Detailed treatments of the effects of other than phase noise are given in other papers.

Physical Review A•Nov 1, 1984•119 citations

Role of fluctuations in nonlinear optical aberration processes

Stephen J. Smith

The power spectrum of a well-stabilized single-mode laser is deliberately broadened by introducing Gaussian frequency fluctuations in order to synthesize laser power spectra statistically well characterized to all orders. The objective is to carryout fully quantitative investigations of certain nonlinear atomic absorption processes. The results of a calculation of the power spectrum of a carrier frequency modulated by Gaussian noise will be outlined, and the approach to Lorentzian and Gaussian power spectra demonstrated as limiting cases. Experimental methodology for controlling the power spectrum to ~1 GHz from line center is discussed briefly.

International Laser Science Conference•Jan 1, 1986•0 citations

Two-photon processes in the presence of phase- or frequency-telegraph noise: Experimental study

R. Boscaino, Rosario N. Mantegna

Stochastic fields with non-Gaussian Markovian phase or frequency jumplike noise are produced at microwave frequency and used to induce two-photon (TP) processes in a S=(1/2 spin system. The influence of the field statistics on the TP-induced second-order response is experimentally investigated in a system with very short relaxation times, in its stationary state and in the weak-field limit. In the case of frequency-telegraph noise the experimental spectra of the nonlinear response are found to reproduce roughly the spectral profiles of the corresponding driving fields but with a larger width. When the telegraph noise modulates the phase of the field, the relationship between input and output spectra depends on the phase-jump amplitude ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$. For ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$=\ensuremath{\pi}/4 the spectrum of the response is much broader than the input one, whereas it is much narrower for ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$=\ensuremath{\pi}/2. The experimental results are interpreted using the calculation of the TP-induced second-order response worked out in the preceding paper [Boscaino and Mantegna, Phys. Rev. A 40, 5 (1989)].

Physical Review A•Jul 1, 1989•11 citations

Noise in strong laser-atom interactions: Frequency fluctuations and nonexponential correlations

K. Wódkiewicz, Bruce W. Shore, Joseph H. Eberly

We extend our study of the effects of jump-type noise on laser-atom interactions to frequency-telegraph noise. Such noise can be used as a model of collisional effects, in which the atomic transition frequency randomly jumps, or as a model of finite laser bandwidth effects, in which the laser frequency exhibits random jumps. We show that these two types of frequency noise can be distinguished in light-scattering spectra. We also discuss examples which demonstrate both temporal and spectral motional narrowing, nonexponential correlations, and non-Lorentzian spectra. Its exact solubility in finite terms makes the frequency-telegraph noise model an attractive alternative to the white-noise Ornstein-Uhlenbeck frequency noise model which has been previously applied to laser-atom interactions.

Physical Review A•Nov 1, 1984•104 citations

Two-photon absorption from a field with random telegraph frequency

Gordon N. Sinclair, M. W. Hamilton

We have measured the absorption spectrum of a two-photon transition (3S to 5S in Na) for the case where the exciting laser has random telegraph frequency fluctuations. Good agreement was found between the experimental data and predictions for some features based on a theory due to Mollow [Phys. Rev. 175, 1555 (1968)]. Comparison is made with two-photon absorption spectra measured with a laser having Gaussian frequency fluctuations.

Physical Review A•Mar 1, 1994•2 citations
Three methods are given for imposing random telegraph phase or frequency noise on a stabilized cw laser thus giving explicit control of the coherence of the laser field. In the case of phase noise, the resulting laser spectrum consists of a carrier part with nearly Lorentzian shaped noise sidebands which have full-width at half maximum up to 14 MHz. Complete suppression of the carrier is possible if the phase is made to jump by π radians. Frequency telegraph noise results in a laser power spectrum that can be single or double peaked, depending on the relative sizes of the average dwell time and the frequency jump. The laser field has been produced for studies of noise in nonlinear spectroscopic interactions. Measurements of the resulting laser spectra are presented. As an example of the application of such a noisy laser, some results from studies of the dependence of two photon absorption on higher-order optical coherences are given.
Measurements of two-photon absorption spectra have been made for the case where the exciting laser has a random-telegraph phase. The resulting spectral shapes are compared to theoretical predictions and to previous data taken with a phase-diffusing laser field [Elliott et al., Phys. Rev. A 32, 887 (1985)]. A striking dependence of the absorption spectrum on the second-order coherence of the field was observed. Using the theory for the propagation of second-order spatial coherence, we draw an analogy between diffraction and two-photon absorption which we use to interpret the two-photon absorption spectra.
We discuss strong laser-atom interactions that are subjected to jump-type (random telegraph) random-phase noise. Physically, the jumps may arise from laser fluctuations, from collisions of various kinds, or from other external forces. Our discussion is carried out in two stages. First, direct and partially heuristic calculations determine the laser spectrum and also give a third-order differential equation for the average inversion of a two-level atom on resonance. At this stage a number of general features of the interaction are able to be studied easily. The optical analog of motional narrowing, for example, is clearly predicted. Second, we show that the theory of generalized Poisson processes allows laser-atom interactions in the presence of random telegraph noise of all kinds (not only phase noise) to be treated systematically, by means of a master equation first used in the context of quantum optics by Burshtein. We use the Burshtein equation to obtain an exact expression for the two-level atom's steady-state resonance fluorescence spectrum, when the exciting laser exhibits phase telegraph noise. Some comparisons are made with results obtained from other noise models. Detailed treatments of the effects of other than phase noise are given in other papers.
The power spectrum of a well-stabilized single-mode laser is deliberately broadened by introducing Gaussian frequency fluctuations in order to synthesize laser power spectra statistically well characterized to all orders. The objective is to carryout fully quantitative investigations of certain nonlinear atomic absorption processes. The results of a calculation of the power spectrum of a carrier frequency modulated by Gaussian noise will be outlined, and the approach to Lorentzian and Gaussian power spectra demonstrated as limiting cases. Experimental methodology for controlling the power spectrum to ~1 GHz from line center is discussed briefly.
Stochastic fields with non-Gaussian Markovian phase or frequency jumplike noise are produced at microwave frequency and used to induce two-photon (TP) processes in a S=(1/2 spin system. The influence of the field statistics on the TP-induced second-order response is experimentally investigated in a system with very short relaxation times, in its stationary state and in the weak-field limit. In the case of frequency-telegraph noise the experimental spectra of the nonlinear response are found to reproduce roughly the spectral profiles of the corresponding driving fields but with a larger width. When the telegraph noise modulates the phase of the field, the relationship between input and output spectra depends on the phase-jump amplitude ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$. For ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$=\ensuremath{\pi}/4 the spectrum of the response is much broader than the input one, whereas it is much narrower for ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}_{0}$=\ensuremath{\pi}/2. The experimental results are interpreted using the calculation of the TP-induced second-order response worked out in the preceding paper [Boscaino and Mantegna, Phys. Rev. A 40, 5 (1989)].
We extend our study of the effects of jump-type noise on laser-atom interactions to frequency-telegraph noise. Such noise can be used as a model of collisional effects, in which the atomic transition frequency randomly jumps, or as a model of finite laser bandwidth effects, in which the laser frequency exhibits random jumps. We show that these two types of frequency noise can be distinguished in light-scattering spectra. We also discuss examples which demonstrate both temporal and spectral motional narrowing, nonexponential correlations, and non-Lorentzian spectra. Its exact solubility in finite terms makes the frequency-telegraph noise model an attractive alternative to the white-noise Ornstein-Uhlenbeck frequency noise model which has been previously applied to laser-atom interactions.