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Applied Physics Letters

Tunable coherent ir source based upon four-wave parametric conversion in alkali metal vapors

P. P. Sorokin, James J. Wynne, J. R. Lankard

Published Apr 1, 1973• 124 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A new type of near-ir source producing a coherent output with a spectrally narrow (∼ 0.1 cm−1) and continuously tunable frequency is described. It utilizes a four-wave mixing process in alkali metal vapor with input beams provided by two nitrogen-laser-pumped dye lasers. Tunable output has so far been observed in the range 2–5.4 μ.

DOI
10.1063/1.1654664

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A new type of near-ir source producing a coherent output with a spectrally narrow (∼ 0.1 cm−1) and continuously tunable frequency is described. It utilizes a four-wave mixing process in alkali metal vapor with input beams provided by two nitrogen-laser-pumped dye lasers. Tunable output has so far been observed in the range 2–5.4 μ.
The parametric four-wave mixing (4WM) process responsible for the generation of coherent blue light in alkali vapors is a self-seeded process which starts by population inversion and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). Lately, attention has been turned toward frequency up- and down-conversion in alkali vapors, using relatively low pump powers with CW diode lasers. In this Letter, we investigate the interplay between ASE and 4WM in rubidium (Rb) vapors by studying the mid-infrared (mid-IR) radiation emitted in the forward direction at 5.23 μm. We show that the ASE can be suppressed by 4WM in the CW regime. Thus, we demonstrate the generation of coherent mid-IR light at 5.23 μm in hot Rb vapors via parametric 4WM.
Abstract We demonstrate 1.37 µ m coherent near-infrared light generation via self-seeded parametric four-wave mixing (FWM) process in Rb atomic vapor. Two lasers (780 nm and 776 nm) in the co-propagating configuration, drive the Rb atoms from the 5S 1/2 ground state to the 5D 5/2 excited state. The parametric FWM around the 5P 3/2 –5D 5/2 –6P 3/2 –6S 1/2 –5P 3/2 transition loop is effectively established under phase matching conditions. The generated coherent light wavelength is confirmed using an optical spectrum analyzer, and the output power is investigated with the input laser frequency, power and atomic density. Consequently, a 1.37 µ m coherent light with the power of 27 µ W and the beam quality of M x 2 = 1.22 and M y 2 = 1.25 is obtained. An additional 795 nm laser is introduced to enhance the output power by 1.5 times through velocity-selective optical hyperfine repumping.
We demonstrate the generation of the coherent 420 nm laser via parametric four-wave mixing process in Rb vapor. A single 778 nm laser with circular polarization is directly injected into a high-density atomic vapor, which drives the atoms from the 5S1/2 state to the 5D5/2 state with monochromatic two-photon transition. The frequency up-conversion laser is generated by the parametric four-wave mixing process under the phase matching condition. This coherent laser is firstly certified by the knife-edge method and a narrow range grating spectrometer. Then the generated laser power is investigated in terms of the power and frequency of the incoming beam as well as the density of the atoms. Finally, a 420 nm coherent laser with power of 19 μW and beam quality of M x 2 = 1.32 , M y 2 = 1.37 is obtained with optimal experimental parameters. This novel laser shows potential prospects in the measurement of material properties, information storage, and underwater optical communication.
The conversion of a visible dye laser output into tunable infrared (IR) laser radiation via stimulated Raman scattering in Cs vapor was investigated. Small-signal gain, threshold intensity, and conversion efficiency measurements were obtained versus pump laser detuning. Fixed-frequency IR outputs at other wavelengths were also observed. One of these, the7P_{3/2}-5D_{5/2}transition, had a strong lasing component polarized perpendicular to the pump laser polarization. Lasing near the 8523-Å resonance line was attributed to a four-wave parametric interaction as a plausible generation mechanism.