Acta Optica Sinica
Effects of ground-state depletion of atoms in stimulated Raman scattering of metal vapors
Yunsheng Huo, Qihong Lou, Zian Ding, Renwen Wang
Abstract
The effects of ground state depletion of atoms on the characteristics of stimulated Raman scattering in metal vapors are studied by simultaniously solving the rate-equation of the atom energy levels related in the Raman scattering, and the equations describing the energy-conversion from the focused pump laser pulses to the Raman down-converted pulses. The ground state of metal atoms are depleted most strongly in the regions near the focal spots of the pump beams because of the higher intensities of light and smaller available medium volume in thosa regions. This will result in the unsymmetrical shapes of the Raman-shifted pulses for the front and rear edges, and will reduce the energy-conversion efficiency.