Nonlinear-optical device characteristics of gaseous saturable absorbers

Author

Christensen, C. Paul ; Schwarz, S.E.

Author_Institution

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

10

Issue

3

fYear

1974

fDate

3/1/1974 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

338

Lastpage

346

Abstract

Measurements have been made of the third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibilities of gaseous infrared saturable absorbers. These coefficients are relevant to mode locking of infrared lasers such as CO2. The measurements are in good agreement with a theory based on a four-level model of the absorber. Earlier mode-locking observations are interpreted in light of the new data. The value of the transition moment and some other parameters of SF6are deduced from the measurements. For SF6at $p = 1$ torr, the third-order nonlinear coefficient is in the range $1-10 \\times 10^{-23}$ C.m/V³, when interacting waves differ in frequency by less than the molecular collision frequency. We find that the average dipole transition moment for SF6near the $P(16)$ or $P(20)$ lines of CO2is approximately 0.1-0.2 Debye. The nonlinear coefficient of CH3F is typically three orders of magnitude smaller than that of SF6.

Keywords

Frequency; Gas lasers; Laser mode locking; Laser theory; Laser transitions; Nonlinear optics; Optical devices; Optical polarization; Optical pulse generation; Optical saturation;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JQE.1974.1068135

Filename

1068135