Generation of High-Power, High-Order Orbital Angular Momentum Laser Beams and Application in Atom Trapping

高功率、高阶轨道角动量激光束的产生及其在原子捕获中的应用

• 批准号: 1904025
• 负责人: Mahmoud Fallahi
• 金额: $ 42.99万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-06-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1904025&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Generation; Power; Order; Orbital; Angular

Nontechnical Description: Laser beams carrying orbital angular momentum are of great interest in both classical and quantum optics. Among these beams, Laguerre-Gaussian modes are very unique for their intensity profiles making them of particular interest in particle manipulation, optical communications, detection, atom trapping and quantum applications. The current generation methods of these beams have many limitations. This collaborative research aims at the design, development and application of a novel high power, tunable, orbital angular momentum laser source at hard-to-reach wavelengths. It combines a novel vertical external cavity surface emitting laser design and intra-cavity generation of high order orbital angular momentum beams. The proposed laser source will be very efficient, compact and low cost, opening doors to new applications. The lasers will then be used to conduct novel experiments in the generation and study of ultra-cold atoms, atom trapping and quantum turbulence. The broader impact of the research focuses on the education and training of graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of lasers, photonics and quantum physics. The research will seek to broaden participation of women and underrepresented minorities through internship and summer REU programs. Technical Description: Lasers generating orbital angular momentum beams including Laguerre-Gaussian beams are of great interest in various fields of science and engineering. These beams have numerous applications including particle manipulation, underwater and free-space optical communications, imaging and detection. Watt-level, high-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams in the visible band are particularly desirable in quantum optics and atom trapping. Experiments using Watt-level high-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams are proposed as traps for ultra-cold and Bose-condensed atoms and for experiments in quantum turbulence. The current orbital angular momentum sources have limitations in power, tunability, compactness or wavelength of operation, thereby constraining their broad deployment. The goal of the research is to develop a novel high-power, tunable laser source with targeted Laguerre-Gaussian modes at hard-to-reach wavelengths. The approach is based on intracavity mode conversion of Hermite-Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian modes in a two-color Vertical External Cavity Surface Emitting Laser and efficient nonlinear frequency conversion for the generation of higher-order Laguerre-Gaussian modes in the visible and mid-IR wavelengths. The research merges concepts of semiconductor laser engineering, nonlinear mode conversion, atomic molecular and optical physics. The intellectual merits of this high-risk high-reward research includes significant technical advancement in areas of semiconductor quantum well design and growth, intracavity laser mode mixing and manipulation, nonlinear optical materials, laser cavity design and applications in atom trapping, cooling and quantum turbulence research and applications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

携带轨道角动量的激光束在经典光学和量子光学中都有很大的意义。在这些光束中，拉盖尔-高斯模的强度分布非常独特，使其在粒子操纵，光通信，检测，原子捕获和量子应用中特别感兴趣。这些光束的当前生成方法具有许多局限性。 这项合作研究的目的是设计，开发和应用一种新型的高功率，可调谐，轨道角动量激光源在难以达到的波长。它结合了一种新型的垂直外腔面发射激光器设计和腔内产生高阶轨道角动量光束。拟议的激光源将非常高效，紧凑和低成本，为新的应用打开大门。这些激光器将用于超冷原子、原子俘获和量子湍流的产生和研究。该研究的更广泛影响集中在激光，光子学和量子物理领域的研究生和本科生的教育和培训。该研究将寻求通过实习和夏季REU计划扩大妇女和代表性不足的少数民族的参与。技术说明：产生包括拉盖尔-高斯光束在内的轨道角动量光束的激光器在科学和工程的各个领域都有很大的兴趣。这些光束有许多应用，包括粒子操纵，水下和自由空间光通信，成像和检测。 可见光波段的瓦级高阶拉盖尔-高斯光束在量子光学和原子俘获中特别有用。提出了利用瓦级高阶拉盖尔-高斯光束作为超冷原子和玻色凝聚原子的陷阱以及量子湍流实验。目前的轨道角动量源在功率、可调谐性、紧凑性或操作波长方面都有局限性，从而限制了其广泛部署。该研究的目标是开发一种新型的高功率可调谐激光源，其目标是在难以到达的波长处具有拉盖尔-高斯模式。该方法基于双色垂直外腔面发射激光器中厄米-高斯模和拉盖尔-高斯模的腔内模式转换以及用于产生可见光和中红外波长的高阶拉盖尔-高斯模的有效非线性频率转换。 研究融合了半导体激光工程、非线性模式转换、原子分子和光学物理的概念。这项高风险高回报的研究的智力价值包括在半导体量子阱设计和生长、腔内激光模式混合和操纵、非线性光学材料、激光腔设计和原子捕获应用等领域的重大技术进步，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的学术价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

项目成果

Intra-Cavity Astigmatic Mode Converting VECSEL

腔内像散模式转换VECSEL

• DOI: 10.1109/jphot.2022.3186684
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: IEEE Photonics Journal
• 影响因子: 2.4
• 作者: Gottesman, Nathan S.;Lukowski, Michal L.;Meyer, Jason T.;Hessenius, Chris;Wright, Ewan M.;Fallahi, Mahmoud
• 通讯作者: Fallahi, Mahmoud