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A physical explanation of excess quantum noise due to non-orthogonal modes AMv an der Lee, MPv anExter ,NJv anDruten† and

J. P. Woerdman

Published Jan 1, 2001• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We introduce a physical model of excess quantum noise in a laser with non-orthogonal polarization modes. We discuss the cause of the polarization excess quantum noise in terms of an injected wave excitation factor. Within this context the excess noise is due to the fact that the lasing mode is not the polarization state that experiences the highest gain.

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Physical Review A•Nov 18, 2002•4 citations
We introduce a physical model of excess quantum noise in a laser with non-orthogonal polarization modes. We discuss the cause of the polarization excess quantum noise in terms of an injected wave excitation factor. Within this context the excess noise is due to the fact that the lasing mode is not the polarization state that experiences the highest gain.
We describe the quantum-noise behavior of a laser that has nonorthogonal polarization modes. The nonorthogonality of the modes leads to excess quantum noise. Theoretically, we derive the excess noise dynamics of the laser, including the saturation of the gain medium. Experimentally, we have measured the noise dynamics in the polarization, intensity and phase degrees of freedom of a 3.51-$\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}\mathrm{}$ HeXe laser and we obtain good agreement with theory. When the modes are made nonorthogonal we observe: (i) excess intensity and phase noise, (ii) spectral coloring of the excess intensity noise and (iii) correlations between the polarization-angle noise and the intensity noise. The excess phase noise is found to be partly suppressed by the polarization-anisotropic part of the saturation of the gain medium.
To meet recent experimental advances, we generalize the intuitively appealing nonorthogonal-mode theory of excess quantum noise by introducing a Maxwell-Bloch description of the gain medium. The resulting equations extend the nonorthogonal-mode approach beyond the class A linear-gain regime providing a general starting point for theoretical descriptions of excess quantum noise. As an illustration of our theory, we derive rate equations describing excess quantum noise in class B lasers and obtain the non-Lorentzian spectrum due to the coloring of excess noise in class A lasers accounting for gain saturation.
Fra nce W e ill ustr ate the ph ysics of t wo-frequency lasers by two examples .T he Ùrst example illustrates the fun damental consequences of the existence of tw o eigenstates on the laser line w idth.W e indeed show exp erimentall y that the non-orthogonal ity of these tw o eigenstates results in an increase in the laser quantum noise.We also give a physical explanation of this vectorial excess noise factor.T he second example illu strates the capabili ti es of tw o-frequency lasers in terms of appli catio ns.I n the domain of R F frequency generation by optical means, w e show how a pulsed two-frequency source can be built for lidar-radar applic atio ns and pulsed RF frequency generation.
We theoretically investigate the quantum dynamics of an unstable resonator laser. Compared to a stable cavity laser of equal gain and loss it exhibits a K-fold enhanced linewidth. This excess noise factor K is a measure of the nonorthogonality of the resonator eigenmodes and amounts to an enlargement of the quantum vacuum fluctuations. Using a quantum treatment starting from first principles based on the nonorthogonal eigenmodes, we put previous theoretical predictions onto a more firm ground. While we find a position-dependent enhancement of the spontaneous emission rate into an empty mode of only K,\sqrt{K},K​, the constructive quantum interference of the spontaneous emission with a single oscillating mode lets the Petermann excess noise factor K reappear in the phase diffusion (laser linewidth). Hence locally enhanced spontaneous emission as well as noise enhanced by interference (amplified spontaneous emission) play an equal role in the origin of excess noise.