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Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy using Quantum Cascade Laser and Fabry-Perot Interferometer
Title
Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy using Quantum Cascade Laser and Fabry-Perot Interferometer.
Creator
Medhi, Gautam, Peale, Robert, Ishigami, Marsahir, Chernyak, Leonid, Delfyett, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (ICLAS) at IR wavelengths offers an opportunity for spectral sensing of low vapor pressure compounds. We report here an ICLAS system design based on a quantum cascade laser (QCL) at THz (69.9 ?m) and IR wavelengths (9.38 and 8.1 ?m) with an open external cavity. The sensitivity of such a system is potentially very high due to extraordinarily long effective optical paths that can be achieved in an active cavity. Sensitivity estimation by numerical...
Show moreIntracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (ICLAS) at IR wavelengths offers an opportunity for spectral sensing of low vapor pressure compounds. We report here an ICLAS system design based on a quantum cascade laser (QCL) at THz (69.9 ?m) and IR wavelengths (9.38 and 8.1 ?m) with an open external cavity. The sensitivity of such a system is potentially very high due to extraordinarily long effective optical paths that can be achieved in an active cavity. Sensitivity estimation by numerical solution of the laser rate equations for the THz QCL ICLAS system is determined. Experimental development of the external cavity QCL is demonstrated for the two IR wavelengths, as supported by appearance of fine mode structure in the laser spectrum. The 8.1 ?m wavelength exhibits a dramatic change in the output spectrum caused by the weak intracavity absorption of acetone. Numerical solution of the laser rate equations yields a sensitivity estimation of acetone partial pressure of 165 mTorr corresponding to ~ 200 ppm. The system is also found sensitive to the humidity in the laboratory air with an absorption coefficient of just 3 x 10-7 cm-1 indicating a sensitivity of 111 ppm. Reported also is the design of a compact integrated data acquisition and control system. Potential applications include military and commercial sensing for threat compounds such as explosives, chemical gases, biological aerosols, drugs, banned or invasive organisms, bio-medical breath analysis, and terrestrial or planetary atmospheric science.
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Date Issued
2011
Identifier
CFE0004137, ucf:49040
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004137
LOW NOISE AND LOW REPETITION RATE SEMICONDUCTOR-BASED MODE-LOCKED LASERS
Title
LOW NOISE AND LOW REPETITION RATE SEMICONDUCTOR-BASED MODE-LOCKED LASERS.
Creator
Mnaridis, Dimitrios, Delfyett, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The topic of this dissertation is the development of low repetition rate and low noise semiconductor-based laser sources with a focus on linearly chirped pulse laser sources. In the past decade chirped optical pulses have found a plethora of applications such as photonic analog-to-digital conversion, optical coherence tomography, laser ranging, etc. This dissertation analyzes the aforementioned applications of linearly chirped pulses and their technical requirements, as well as the...
Show moreThe topic of this dissertation is the development of low repetition rate and low noise semiconductor-based laser sources with a focus on linearly chirped pulse laser sources. In the past decade chirped optical pulses have found a plethora of applications such as photonic analog-to-digital conversion, optical coherence tomography, laser ranging, etc. This dissertation analyzes the aforementioned applications of linearly chirped pulses and their technical requirements, as well as the performance of previously demonstrated chirped pulse laser sources. Moreover, the focus is shifted to a specific application of the linearly chirped pulses, time-stretched photonic analog-to-digital conversion (TS ADC). The challenges of surpassing the speeds of current electronic converters are discussed, while the need for low noise linearly chirped pulse lasers becomes apparent for the realization of TS ADC. The experimental research addresses the topic of low noise chirped pulse generation in three distinct ways. First, a chirped pulse (Theta) laser with an intra-cavity Fabry-Perot etalon and a long-term referencing mechanism is developed that results in the reduction of the pulse-to-pulse energy noise. Noise suppression of >15 times is demonstrated. Moreover, an optical frequency comb with spacing equal to the repetition rate (H100 MHz) is generated using the etalon, resulting in the first reported demonstration of a system operating in the sub-GHz regime based on semiconductor gain. The path for the development of the Theta laser was laid by the precise characterization of the etalon used in this laser cavity design. A narrow linewidth laser is used in conjunction with an acousto-optic modulator externally swept for measuring the etalon's free spectral range with a sub-Hz precision, or 10 parts per billion. Furthermore, the measurement of the etalon long-term drift and birefringence lead to the development of a modified intra-cavity Hansch-Couillaud locking mechanism for the Theta laser. Moreover, an external feed-forward system was demonstrated that aimed at increasing the temporal/spectral uniformity of the optical pulses. A complete characterization of the system is demonstrated. On a different series of experiments, the pulses emitted by an ultra-low noise but high repetition rate mode-locked laser were demultiplexed resulting in a low repetition rate pulse train. Experimental investigation of the noise properties of the laser proved that they are preserved during the demultiplexing process. The noise of the electrical gate used in this experiment is also investigated which led into the development of a more profound understanding of the electrical noise of periodical pulses and a mechanism of measuring their noise. The appendices in this dissertation provide additional material used for the realization of the main research focus of the dissertation. Measurements of the group delay of the etalon used in the Theta laser are presented in order to demonstrate the limiting factors for the development of this cavity design. The description of a balancing routine is presented, that was used for expanding the dynamic range of intra-cavity active variable delay. At last, the appendix presents the calculations regarding the contribution of various parameters in the limitations of analog-to-digital conversion.
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Date Issued
2011
Identifier
CFE0003874, ucf:48741
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003874
HIGH-SPEED MODELOCKED SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS AND APPLICATIONS IN COHERENT PHOTONIC SYSTEMS
Title
HIGH-SPEED MODELOCKED SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS AND APPLICATIONS IN COHERENT PHOTONIC SYSTEMS.
Creator
Lee, Wangkuen, Delfyett, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
1.55-µm high-speed modelocked semiconductor lasers are theoretically and experimentally studied for various coherent photonic system applications. The modelocked semiconductor lasers (MSLs) are designed with high-speed (>5 GHz) external cavity configurations utilizing monolithic two-section curved semiconductor optical amplifiers. By exploiting the saturable absorber section of the monolithic device, passive or hybrid mode-locking techniques are used to generate short optical pulses with...
Show more1.55-µm high-speed modelocked semiconductor lasers are theoretically and experimentally studied for various coherent photonic system applications. The modelocked semiconductor lasers (MSLs) are designed with high-speed (>5 GHz) external cavity configurations utilizing monolithic two-section curved semiconductor optical amplifiers. By exploiting the saturable absorber section of the monolithic device, passive or hybrid mode-locking techniques are used to generate short optical pulses with broadband optical frequency combs. Laser frequency stability is improved by applying the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) frequency stabilization technique to the MSLs. The improved laser performance after the frequency stabilization (a frequency drifting of less than 350 MHz), is extensively studied with respect to the laser linewidth (~ 3 MHz), the relative intensity noise (RIN) (< -150 dB/Hz), as well as the modal RIN (~ 3 dB reduction). MSL to MSL, and tunable laser to MSL synchronization is demonstrated by using a dual-mode injection technique and a modulation sideband injection technique, respectively. Dynamic locking behavior and locking bandwidth are experimentally and theoretically studied. Stable laser synchronization between two MSLs is demonstrated with an injection seed power on the order of a few microwatt. Several coherent heterodyne detections based on the synchronized MSL systems are demonstrated for applications in microwave photonic links and ultra-dense wavelength division multiplexing (UD-WDM) system. In addition, efficient coherent homodyne balanced receivers based on synchronized MSLs are developed and demonstrated for a spectrally phase-encoded optical CDMA (SPE-OCDMA) system.
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Date Issued
2007
Identifier
CFE0001703, ucf:47326
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001703