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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Laser-pumped atomic vapor optical filters

T. M. Shay, Yun Chur Chung

Published Jan 1, 1986• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Narrow-bandwidth optical sources are readily available. However, tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters are not available. The laser-pumped atomic vapor optical filters presented here are in principle tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters. These filters can simultaneously provide high resolution (0.001 nm), wide field-of-view (±90°), high quantum efficiency, and electrically tunable optical filtering. These devices are ideally suited for extracting weak narrow-bandwidth signals buried in strong nonresonant optical background radiation. Potential applications of these fitters include laser communications, laser radar, detection of Raman radiation, and atomic spectroscopy.

DOI
10.1364/cleo.1986.thk23

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Final Report•Apr 13, 1994•0 citations
Narrow-bandwidth optical sources are readily available. However, tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters are not available. The laser-pumped atomic vapor optical filters presented here are in principle tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters. These filters can simultaneously provide high resolution (0.001 nm), wide field-of-view (±90°), high quantum efficiency, and electrically tunable optical filtering. These devices are ideally suited for extracting weak narrow-bandwidth signals buried in strong nonresonant optical background radiation. Potential applications of these fitters include laser communications, laser radar, detection of Raman radiation, and atomic spectroscopy.
Narrow bandwidth optical sources are readily available; however, tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters are not available. Laser-excited optical filters (LEOFs) are in principle, tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters. LEOFs can simultaneously provide high resolution (0.001 nm), wide field of-view (2π), and high quantum efficiency. These devices are ideally suited for extracting weak narrow bandwidth signals buried in strong nonresonant optical background radiation. Potential applications of these filters include remote sensing, laser communications, laser radar, detection of Raman radiation, atomic spectroscopy, etc.
Narrow bandwidth optical sources are readily available. However, tunable narrow bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters are not available. The laser-excited optical filters (LEOF) presented here are in principle tunable narrow bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters. These filters can simultaneously provide high resolution (0.001 nm), wide field-of-view (2π), high quantum efficiency, and electrically tunable optical filtering. Narrow bandwidth operation of laser-pumped atomic vapor filters were first demonstrated by Gelbwachs et al1., by Marling et al.2, and recently by Chung et al.3 The first electrical tuning of these devices was demonstrated by Gelbwachs et. al.4 In addition, alkali vapor based LEOFs can operate on 130 transitions between 921 and 474 nm. LEOFs are ideally suited for extracting weak narrow bandwidth signals buried in strong nonresonant optical background radiation. Potential applications of these filters include laser radar, laser communications, detection of Raman radiation, atomic spectroscopy, etc.
Narrow-bandwidth optical sources are readily available. However, tunable narrow-bandwidth wide field-of-view optical filters are not available. The laser-excited optical filters (LEOFs) presented here are in principle tunable narrow-bandwidth wide field-of-view optical filters. These filters can simultaneously provide high-resolution (0.001-nm), wide field-of-view (±90°), high-quantum-efficiency, and electrically tunable optical filtering. These devices are ideally suited for extracting weak narrow-bandwidth signals buried in strong nonresonant optical background radiation. Potential applications of these filters include laser communications, laser radar, detection of Raman radiation, and atomic spectroscopy.
A new resonance principle in optical filters has been utilized to simultaneously permit realization of wide field-of-view (∼2π sr) and very narrow acceptance bandwidths, approaching 0.01 Å. A light signal is transmitted through an outer bandpass filter into a resonantly absorbing atomic vapor, resulting in a fluorescence signal at a different wavelength which is transmitted through an inner bandpass filter. The outer and inner bandpass filters have no common transmission band, resulting in complete blockage of all optical signals (background noise) that are not resonantly shifted in wavelength by the intervening atomic vapor. This ’’resonance filter’’ principle is experimentally verified, and system parameters are discussed for filters utilizing potassium, rubidium, or cesium vapor at nine wavelengths between 420 and 532 nm.
When optical signals are embedded in background noise, narrowband optical filters are needed for receivers to achieve quantum limited performance. Such is typically the case with daytime optical communications and lidar. Narrowband filtered detectors. with acceptance bands of just a few picometers (pm) and high out of band rejection are well suited for these applications. The main thrust of this program has been the development of two means for narrowband detection: the Fast Atomic Line Filter/ Field Ion Detector (FALF/FID) and the Faraday magneto-optic filter. The FALF/FIDs transduce optical radiation within a narrow band directly into electrical signals. They are laser pumped filters based on the spectroscopy of atomic vapors. We designed, built and tested an infrared FALF/FID with an rise time of under 10 ns and a quantum efficiency of >25%. Faraday filters are imaging magneto-optic filters with passbands of a few pm. Faraday filters with passbands in the visable and the near infra-red were constructed and tested. Transmission spectra were measured, and found to agree closely with theoretical predictions. Both of these narrowband detection schemes must be used in conjunction with a tuned narrowband laser source. We developed a frequency locked alexandrite laser designed to match the acceptance band of a rubidium based filter. Finally, a preliminary demonstration of a laser interrogator using a tuned infrared diode laser in conjunction with a filtered receiver was demonstrated. Atomic line filter, Alkali metal vapor, Faraday filter, Active optical filter, Laser pumped filter, Magneto-optic filter, Laser communications.