Intracavity sensors and spectroscopy with mode-locked lasers

Jean-Claude Diels新墨西哥大学0601612摘要智力优点：本项目的目的是使用激光腔作为传感器。 虽然激光已被广泛用作光源，但其精确测量的独特环境尚未得到承认。 激光腔内的相位-频率转换使相位变化的测量小于1千万分之一。 这些测量可以应用于惯性传感、磁场测量和非线性指数（精度为10- 21 cm 2/W）。 该项目的另一个基本科学贡献是使用锁模激光器的新型光谱学，重点是重复率依赖性，从而提高了传感器的稳定性和准确性。 待研究的材料包括原子、生物膜（激发它们的共振）和分子。 预计传感器将有两个脉冲在一个光学参量振荡器腔中循环，由一个外腔半导体激光器泵浦，该激光器与信号腔共享参量晶体。更广泛的影响：该研究小组的大多数激光系统都是在内部设计和建造的，确保每个毕业生都是飞秒激光器的专家。 在过去30年中积累的飞秒现象的经验已被记录在研究生教科书中，并最终在一种新型的传感器，将提供环境检测和材料研究的工具。 该项目的结果将被纳入光学科学与工程博士的两个研究生课程（现代主题和光学实验室）。UNM的计划。 教师研究教育的NSF资源将用于在该计划的夏季月份招收来自阿尔伯克基学院和桑迪亚预备学校（两所选择性高中）的教师参与。这个小组将继续欢迎少数民族（在以前的NSF赠款期间，7名研究生中有4名是女性）和美国社会主流的新来者。 UNM是一个西班牙裔服务机构。

Jean-Claude DielsUniversity of New Mexico0601612AbstractIntellectual Merit: The aim of this project is to use the laser cavity as a sensor. Although lasers had been used widely as sources, their unique environment for precision measurement had not been recognized. Phase to frequency conversion inside laser cavities enable measurements of phase changes smaller than 1 part in 10 million. These measurements can be applied to inertial sensing, magnetic field measurements, and nonlinear index (with an accuracy of 10-21cm2/W). Another basic scientific contribution of this project is a novel spectroscopy with mode-locked lasers, with emphasis on repetition rate dependence, leading to improved stability and accuracy of sensors. Materials to be investigated include atoms, biological membranes (exciting their resonances) and molecules. The projected sensors will have two pulses circulating in an optical parametric oscillator cavity, pumped by an external cavity semiconductor laser sharing the parametric crystal with the signal cavity.Broader Impacts: Most laser systems of this research group are being designed and constructed in house, guaranteeing that each graduate is an expert in femtosecond lasers. The experience in femtosecond phenomena accumulated over the last 30 years has been documented in a graduate textbook, and is culminating in a new type of sensor that will provide a tool for environmental detection and material studies. Results of this project will be incorporated in two graduate courses (Modern topics and Optics Labs) of the Optical Science and Engineering Ph.D. program of UNM. The NSF resources of the Research Education for Teachers will be used to enroll the participation of teachers from Albuquerque Academy and Sandia Prep (two selective High Schools) in the summer months of the program. This group will continue to welcome minorities (4 out of 7 graduate students were women during the previous NSF grant period) and newcomers to the mainstream of American society. UNM is a Hispanic serving institution.