Coherent Cooperative Radiation in Solids

Abstract

Avalanche upconversion dynamics and associated nonlinear optical response was also reported for the first time in Tm:YALO crystals at room temperature. The avalanche mechanism involves a cooperative down conversion (cross relaxation) step and is a promising method of pumping rare earth lasers at entirely new (diode compatible) wavelengths, corresponding to excited state absorptions rather than ground state absorptions. Quantum theory describing the threshold for photo-darkening and the role of energy migration in avalanches was developed, and semi quantitative agreement obtained with preliminary measurements of nonlinear susceptibilities. Cooperative dynamics in general, and avalanche dynamics in particular, were shown to furnish a promising new mechanism not only for solid state lasers but for nonlinear optical interactions as well, opening the door to practical signal processing and switching applications exploiting the low intensity thresholds of avalanche processes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 30, 1991
Accession Number
ADA244056

Entities

People

  • Stephen C. Rand

Organizations

  • University of Michigan

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electro-Optics
  • Energy Transfer
  • Frequency Combs
  • Laser Applications
  • Laser Beams
  • Laser Mediums
  • Laser Science
  • Lasers
  • Light (Electromagnetic Radiation)
  • Nonlinear Optics
  • Optical Phenomena
  • Optics
  • Quantum Electronics
  • Solid State Lasers
  • Wave Mixing

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Electronics Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers
  • Quantum Computing