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

IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics

Quantum counter for far-infrared radiation

H. Lengfellner, Karl Friedrich Renk

Published Jun 1, 1977• 10 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Two types of three-level quantum counters, based on the Bloembergen and the inverted scheme, are discussed with respect to their application for up-conversion of far-infrared (FIR) radiation to visible light. It is reported on a tunable quantum counter of the inverted type: in optically pumped ruby, photons at 29 cm-1are absorbed by the transition\bar{E}(2E) →2\bar{A}(2E) and lead to an increased R2- fluorescence radiation. By Zeeman splitting of the2Elevels, tuning of the detected frequency from 29 cm-1to higher and lower frequencies is possible (with 1 cm-1/Tesla). Using the 891-GHz radiation of an HCN laser we determine for the quantum counter a power conversion efficiency of the order of 10-6and a frequency bandwidth of 360 MHz. We find the interesting result that phonon bottleneck due to resonant trapping of 29 cm-1phonons can lead to an increase of the quantum efficiency by orders of magnitude.

DOI
10.1109/jqe.1977.1069353

Related papers

Tunable quantum counter for far-infrared radiation

H. Lengfellner, G. Pauli, W. Heisel +1 more

We report on a quantum counter which converts far-infrared radiation to visible light. The 891-Ghz radiation of an HCN laser, absorbed in optically pumped ruby by the transition Ē (2E) →2Ā (2E), was detected by an increased R2 fluorescence. By Zeeman splitting of the 2E levels the narrow-band detector was tuned to the laser line.

Applied Physics Letters•Nov 1, 1976•13 citations

Atomic vapor quantum counter: Narrow-band infrared upconverter

Jerry A. Gelbwachs, John E. Wessel

A novel device for the upconversion of narrow-band infra-red (IR) radiation in the 1.5-20-µm spectral region is described. The atomic-vapor quantum counter (AVQC) takes advantage of the efficient incoherent upconversion of narrow-band IR radiation in an optically excited atomic vapor. In a 300 K background and a 2π-sr field of view, a D*is projected that is two orders of magnitude greater than that of conventional semiconductor devices. The device offers the extremely high Q's (>105) associated with heterodyne detection while simultaneously offering a broad tuning range and an unlimited collection aperture. The anticipated performance characteristics of the AVQC are discussed, Experimental results in sodium and potassium have demonstrated the high Q and the tunability of the device. Electric field tuning of the wavelength response to CO2laser wavelengths spanning 23 cm-1has been accomplished. Applications of the AVQC involving the detection of low level laser radiation and molecular emission are discussed.

IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices•Jan 1, 1980•7 citations

Laser optical double resonance and efficient infrared quantum counter upconversion in LaCl3 : Pr3+ and LaF3 : Pr3+

John Curtis Wright, Denis J. Zalucha, Howard V. Lauer +2 more

In this paper, we report the first laser-excited optical double-resonance experiments in rare-earth-doped crystals. Infrared upconversion in LaCl3 : Pr3+ and LaF3 : Pr3+ has been achieved by means of a tunable cw dye laser pump. The quantum efficiency of the upconversion process at 2.03 μ in LaCl3 : Pr3+ is 1.2×10−3, which is an improvement of 4×105 over the highest efficiency found previously with incoherent sources. It is shown that an efficiency of 1 can be easily obtained with higher fluxes and improved crystal quality. Direct excitation of the output fluorescence from the 3P0 level is observed in both LaCl3 : Pr3+ and LaF3 : Pr3+ when the dye laser frequency is resonant with the states of the lower-lying 1D2 manifold in the absence of the infrared input. Detailed assignments of the observed double-resonance transitions have been made from wavelength and polarization measurements.

Journal of Applied Physics•Feb 1, 1973•35 citations

Characteristics of resonant parametric conversion of infrared radiation in sodium vapor

Andrey V Aleksandrov, S. A. Pleshanov, Vladimir S Solomatin

A study was made of the dependences of the efficiency of resonant parametric frequency conversion in sodium vapor on the infrared radiation wavelength, vapor density, and detuning from two-photon pump resonance. It was found in this conversion system that for each infrared wave the conversion efficiency had three maxima on tuning the frequency of two-photon pumping over the region of a forbidden transition. The principal maximum was realized for accurate two-photon resonance, and the two other maxima resulted from a rise in the cubic susceptibility close to single-photon sum-frequency resonances. A quantum efficiency of 35% was achieved for a 9.26 μ infrared wave.

Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics•Mar 31, 1982•1 citation

Detection of far-infrared radiation using Rydberg atoms

Theodore W. Ducas, William P. Spencer, A. Ganesh Vaidyanathan +2 more

A new method for detecting far-infrared radiation is demonstrated. The far-infrared radiation induces transitions between highly excited (Rydberg) levels of Na. These transitions can be detected by selective field ionization. The method is capable of providing narrow-band detection with essentially continuous tuning throughout the infrared and far-infrared range. We have detected radiation from a laser source at 496 and 118 μ with a 1-MHz bandwidth. A noise equivalent power of 5×10−15 W/Hz1/2 was measured at 496 μ.

Applied Physics Letters•Sep 1, 1979•45 citations

Particle detection through the quantum counter concept in YAG:Er3+

A. F. Borghesani, C. Braggio, G. Carugno +5 more

We report on a scheme for particle detection based on the infrared quantum counter concept. Its operation consists of a two-step excitation process of a four level system, which can be realized in rare earth-doped crystals when a cw pump laser is tuned to the transition from the second to the fourth level. The incident particle raises the atoms of the active material into a low lying, metastable energy state, triggering the absorption of the pump laser to a higher level. Following a rapid non-radiative decay to a fluorescent level, an optical signal is observed with a conventional detector. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of such a scheme, we have investigated the emission from the fluorescent level 4S3∕2 (540 nm band) in an Er3+-doped YAG crystal pumped by a tunable titanium sapphire laser when it is irradiated with 60 keV electrons delivered by an electron gun. We have obtained a clear signature that this excitation increases the 4I13∕2 metastable level population that can efficiently be exploited to generate a detectable optical signal.

arXiv:1506.07987•Applied Physics Letters•Nov 9, 2015•14 citations
Two types of three-level quantum counters, based on the Bloembergen and the inverted scheme, are discussed with respect to their application for up-conversion of far-infrared (FIR) radiation to visible light. It is reported on a tunable quantum counter of the inverted type: in optically pumped ruby, photons at 29 cm-1are absorbed by the transition\bar{E}(2E) →2\bar{A}(2E) and lead to an increased R2- fluorescence radiation. By Zeeman splitting of the2Elevels, tuning of the detected frequency from 29 cm-1to higher and lower frequencies is possible (with 1 cm-1/Tesla). Using the 891-GHz radiation of an HCN laser we determine for the quantum counter a power conversion efficiency of the order of 10-6and a frequency bandwidth of 360 MHz. We find the interesting result that phonon bottleneck due to resonant trapping of 29 cm-1phonons can lead to an increase of the quantum efficiency by orders of magnitude.
A novel device for the upconversion of narrow-band infra-red (IR) radiation in the 1.5-20-µm spectral region is described. The atomic-vapor quantum counter (AVQC) takes advantage of the efficient incoherent upconversion of narrow-band IR radiation in an optically excited atomic vapor. In a 300 K background and a 2π-sr field of view, a D*is projected that is two orders of magnitude greater than that of conventional semiconductor devices. The device offers the extremely high Q's (>105) associated with heterodyne detection while simultaneously offering a broad tuning range and an unlimited collection aperture. The anticipated performance characteristics of the AVQC are discussed, Experimental results in sodium and potassium have demonstrated the high Q and the tunability of the device. Electric field tuning of the wavelength response to CO2laser wavelengths spanning 23 cm-1has been accomplished. Applications of the AVQC involving the detection of low level laser radiation and molecular emission are discussed.
In this paper, we report the first laser-excited optical double-resonance experiments in rare-earth-doped crystals. Infrared upconversion in LaCl3 : Pr3+ and LaF3 : Pr3+ has been achieved by means of a tunable cw dye laser pump. The quantum efficiency of the upconversion process at 2.03 μ in LaCl3 : Pr3+ is 1.2×10−3, which is an improvement of 4×105 over the highest efficiency found previously with incoherent sources. It is shown that an efficiency of 1 can be easily obtained with higher fluxes and improved crystal quality. Direct excitation of the output fluorescence from the 3P0 level is observed in both LaCl3 : Pr3+ and LaF3 : Pr3+ when the dye laser frequency is resonant with the states of the lower-lying 1D2 manifold in the absence of the infrared input. Detailed assignments of the observed double-resonance transitions have been made from wavelength and polarization measurements.
A study was made of the dependences of the efficiency of resonant parametric frequency conversion in sodium vapor on the infrared radiation wavelength, vapor density, and detuning from two-photon pump resonance. It was found in this conversion system that for each infrared wave the conversion efficiency had three maxima on tuning the frequency of two-photon pumping over the region of a forbidden transition. The principal maximum was realized for accurate two-photon resonance, and the two other maxima resulted from a rise in the cubic susceptibility close to single-photon sum-frequency resonances. A quantum efficiency of 35% was achieved for a 9.26 μ infrared wave.
A new method for detecting far-infrared radiation is demonstrated. The far-infrared radiation induces transitions between highly excited (Rydberg) levels of Na. These transitions can be detected by selective field ionization. The method is capable of providing narrow-band detection with essentially continuous tuning throughout the infrared and far-infrared range. We have detected radiation from a laser source at 496 and 118 μ with a 1-MHz bandwidth. A noise equivalent power of 5×10−15 W/Hz1/2 was measured at 496 μ.
We report on a scheme for particle detection based on the infrared quantum counter concept. Its operation consists of a two-step excitation process of a four level system, which can be realized in rare earth-doped crystals when a cw pump laser is tuned to the transition from the second to the fourth level. The incident particle raises the atoms of the active material into a low lying, metastable energy state, triggering the absorption of the pump laser to a higher level. Following a rapid non-radiative decay to a fluorescent level, an optical signal is observed with a conventional detector. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of such a scheme, we have investigated the emission from the fluorescent level 4S3∕2 (540 nm band) in an Er3+-doped YAG crystal pumped by a tunable titanium sapphire laser when it is irradiated with 60 keV electrons delivered by an electron gun. We have obtained a clear signature that this excitation increases the 4I13∕2 metastable level population that can efficiently be exploited to generate a detectable optical signal.