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Optics Letters

Generation of coherent mid-IR light by parametric four-wave mixing in alkali vapor

Yoel Sebbag, Yefim Barash, Uriel Levy

Published Feb 11, 2019• 44 citations
Publisher

Abstract

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.

DOI
10.1364/ol.44.000971

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Generation of coherent mid-IR light by parametric four-wave mixing in alkali vapor

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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.

Laser Physics Letters•Apr 23, 2021•0 citations
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.
Frequency up- and down-conversion in warm alkali vapours over a range of applied cw laser intensities has received much attention in recent years due to promising applications in the fields of remote detection, quantum information and computing, specifically in the implementation of correlated photon pairs, photon storage and quantum memory interface to name a few. The generation of directional laser-like blue and infrared light in alkali vapours has been extensively studied. However, important details of the interplay of parametric and nonparametric nonlinear processes, such as the four-wave mixing (FWM) and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) responsible for the new field generation, are not entirely clear.
The exceptional nonlinearity of alkali-metal vapors enables highly efficient nonlinear optical processes even at relatively low optical intensities. However, such processes have traditionally relied on centimeter-scale vapor cells. Here, we utilize a versatile chip-scale Rb vapor platform to generate coherent blue and mid-IR light in continuous-wave mode by means of resonant four-wave mixing. Optimized optical overlap with the atomic medium enables blue light generation of $\sim$20 μμμW over a very short interaction length, while maintaining a directly measured linewidth of $\sim$1 MHz, which is presently limited by the measurement apparatus. Comparison with a conventional glassblown vapor cell further shows that the micromachined platform can achieve higher coherent blue-light generation efficiency despite its substantially shorter interaction length. Moreover, an anodically bonded Si window enables to detect coherent mid-IR emission with collected powers of $\sim$50 nW. We further characterize the temperature dependence and input-power scaling of the blue emission, confirming efficient nonlinear conversion within these compact vapor cells. This chip-scale platform provides a versatile foundation for a range of nonlinear optical functions, from precise wavelength references and quantum light sources to next-generation quantum sensors.
Directional infrared emission at 1.37 and 5.23 μm is generated in Rb vapors that are stepwise excited by low-power cw resonant light. The radiation at 5.23 μm originating from amplified spontaneous emission on the 5D(5/2)→6P(3/2) transition and wave mixing consists of forward- and backward-directed components with distinctive spectral and spatial properties. Diffraction-limited light at 1.37 μm generated in the copropagating direction only is a product of parametric wave mixing around the 5P(3/2)→5D(5/2)→6P(3/2)→6S(1/2)→5P(3/2) transition loop. This highly nondegenerate mixing process involves one externally applied and two internally generated optical fields. Similarities between wave mixing generated blue and 1.37 μm light are demonstrated.
Population inversion on the 5D5/2−6P3/2 transition in rubidium atoms produced by cw laser excitation at different wavelengths has been analyzed by comparing the generated mid-infrared radiation at 5.23 μm originating from amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and isotropic blue fluorescence at 420 nm. Using a novel method for detection of two-photon excitation via ASE, we have observed directional co- and counter-propagating emission at 5.23 μm. Evidence of a threshold-like characteristic is found in the ASE dependences on laser detuning and Rb number density. The power dependences of the backward- and forward-directed emission can be very similar; however, their spectral dependences are not identical. A new type of temporally and spatially coherent radiation is suggested.
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.