Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “LASER CAVITIES”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 721 records · Page 40

Efficient 1.6 Micron Laser Source for Methane DIAL

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and on a per molecule basis has a warming influence 72 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20 year horizon. Therefore, it is important to look at near term radiative effects due to methane to develop mitigation strategies to counteract global warming trends via ground and airborne based measurements systems. These systems require the development of a time-resolved DIAL capability using a narrow-line laser source allowing observation of atmospheric methane on local, regional and global scales. In this work, a demonstrated and efficient nonlinear conversion scheme meeting the performance requirements of a deployable methane DIAL system is presented. By combining a single frequency 1064 nm pump source and a seeded KTP OPO more than 5 mJ of 1.6 μm pulse energy is generated with conversion efficiencies in excess of 20%. Even without active cavity control instrument limited linewidths (50 pm) were achieved with an estimated spectral purity of ~95%. Tunable operation over 400 pm (limited by the tuning range of the seed laser) was also demonstrated. This source demonstrated the critical needs for a methane DIAL system motivating additional development of the technology.

Shuman, Timothy↗

ORBITAL ANGULAR MOMENTUM BEAMS RESEARCH USING A FREE-ELECTRON LASER OSCILLATOR

Strong Hadron Cooling (SHC), utilizing the coherent electron cooling scheme, has been extensively investigated for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC). Throughout our cooling optimization studies, we realized that a Super-Gaussian electron bunch offers enhanced performance in comparison to a Gaussian bunch. Our approach involves initiating the electron beam distribution in a double peak form, transitioning them into a Super-Gaussian distribution due to the longitudinal space charge. Subsequently, a chicane within the linac section compresses the bunch to meet the required bunch length. We tuned a third harmonic cavity amplitude to reduce the nonlinear term of the chicane. Moreover, given the low initial current leading to a small but non-uniform slice energy spread, we evaluated utilizing laser heating techniques to achieve a uniformly distributed slice energy spread. In this report, we discuss the concepts and simulation results

Wang, E.↗

Semiconductor diode laser material and devices with emission in visible region of the spectrum

Two alloy systems, (AlGa)As and (InGa)P, were studied for their properties relevant to obtaining laser diode operation in the visible region of the spectrum. (AlGa)As was prepared by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) and (InGa)P was prepared both by vapor-phase epitaxy and by liquid-phase epitaxy. Various schemes for LPE growth were applied to (InGa)P, one of which was found to be capable of producing device material. All the InGaP device work was done using vapor-phase epitaxy. The most successful devices were fabricated in (AlGa)As using heterojunction structures. At room temperature, the large optical cavity design yielded devices lasing in the red (7000 A). Because of the relatively high threshold due to the basic band structure limitation in this alloy, practical laser diode operation is presently limited to about 7300 A. At liquid-nitrogen temperature, practical continuous-wave operation was obtained at a wavelength of 6500 to 6600 A, with power emission in excess of 50 mW. The lowest pulsed lasing wavelength is 6280 A. At 223 K, lasing was obtained at 6770 A, but with high threshold currents. The work dealing with CW operation at room temperature was successful with practical operation having been achieved to about 7800 A.

Ladany, I.↗

LCLS-II helium cryoplant and cryo distribution system installation

The helium cryoplant and cryo distribution system (CDS) are key elements of the new superconducting Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS-II) and will provide superfluid helium to the accelerator. The cryoplant consists of two helium refrigerators with an equivalent 4.5 K refrigeration capacity of 18 kW each. The 37 cryomodules of the LINAC will be operated at a temperature of 2.0 K to accelerate a 4 GeV electron beam that will generate extremely bright X-ray laser light. Two five-stage cold compressor cold boxes will be utilized to provide superfluid helium II for the superconducting cavity structures with a total cooling capacity of 8 kW at 2.0 K. This paper describes the installation of the LCLS-II cryoplant and CDS. The LCLS-II cryoplant was designed and contributed by Jefferson Lab. To expedite the project completion the reuse of proven design and technology from the Jefferson Lab CHL-2 cryoplant was the preferred strategy. The CDS consists of ~260 m thermally shielded and vacuum super insulated transfer lines, two distribution boxes and eight feed and end caps, and was designed and contributed by Fermilab. SLAC installed the cryoplant components into a newly erected building and the CDS components into the existing accelerator tunnel and klystron gallery with strong engineering support from both partner labs.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Active Q-Switched X-Ray Regenerative Amplifier Free-Electron Laser

Despite tremendous progress in x-ray free-electron laser (FEL) science over the last decade, future applications still demand fully coherent, stable x-rays that have not been demonstrated in existing X-ray FEL facilities. Here in this Letter, we describe an active Q-switched x-ray regenerative amplifier FEL scheme to produce fully coherent, high-brightness, hard x rays at a high-repetition rate. By using simple electron-beam phase space manipulation, we show this scheme is flexible in controlling the x-ray cavity quality factor Q and hence the output radiation. We report both theoretical and numerical studies on this scheme with a wide range of accelerator, x-ray cavity, and undulator parameters.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Optical fields in porous polylactide matrices

Optical fields induced by laser light inside porous polymer matrices (scaffolds) under stimulating effect on cells are investigated. The spectra of light scattering coefficients and anisotropy factors of porous polylactide scaffolds in the visible and near-IR ranges are determined by numerical simulation based on experimental data obtained using a double integrating sphere. Studies are conducted for dry and wet scaffolds fabricated by supercritical fluid foaming and surface-selective laser sintering. The Monte Carlo method is used to calculate the fluence rate distribution under the assumptions of the Henyey – Greenstein phase scattering function and the model phase function of scattering on spherical cavities. It is shown that th e fluence rate distribution mainly depends on the scattering coefficient and the mean cosine of the deflection angle (g-factor). The results obtained are of great practical importance for tissue engineering based on the use of polymeric porous scaffolds with cells to replace tissue defects; they can be used to determine the dose range for laser stimulation of cells. (paper)

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Semi-empirical quantum optics for mid-infrared molecular nanophotonics

Nanoscale infrared (IR) resonators with sub-diffraction limited mode volumes and open geometries have emerged as new platforms for implementing cavity quantum electrodynamics at room temperature. The use of IR nanoantennas and tip nanoprobes to study strong light–matter coupling of molecular vibrations with the vacuum field can be exploited for IR quantum control with nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal resolution. In order to advance the development of molecule-based quantum nanophotonics in the mid-IR, we propose a generally applicable semi-empirical methodology based on quantum optics to describe light–matter interaction in systems driven by mid-IR femtosecond laser pulses. The theory is shown to reproduce recent experiments on the acceleration of the vibrational relaxation rate in infrared nanostructures. It also provides physical insights on the implementation of coherent phase rotations of the near-field using broadband nanotips. We then apply the quantum framework to develop general tip-design rules for the experimental manipulation of vibrational strong coupling and Fano interference effects in open infrared resonators. We finally propose the possibility of transferring the natural anharmonicity of molecular vibrational levels to the resonator near-field in the weak coupling regime to implement intensity-dependent phase shifts of the coupled system response with strong pulses and develop a vibrational chirping model to understand the effect. The semi-empirical quantum theory is equivalent to first-principles techniques based on Maxwell’s equations, but its lower computational cost suggests its use as a rapid design tool for the development of strongly coupled infrared nanophotonic hardware for applications ranging from quantum control of materials to quantum information processing.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Criticality Accident Alarm System Shielding Benchmark: Integral Experiment Request 498, Critical Engineering Decision 2 Report

A workable design to perform a CAAS benchmark experiment is detailed herein. Key dimensions, materials, source intensity levels, and detectors are listed in this report. Sensitivity to 21 perturbations was determined to be acceptable. The next step will be for NCSP management to determine whether procurement should occur and if the experiment should proceed. The perturbation study suggests that the room return shield cavity radius and runout should be maintained to within a millimeter, the room return shield should be positioned carefully (perhaps with a laser range finder), and that the detectors should be mounted in a lightweight fixture such as aluminum, so their positioning is assured. Using a 3D scanner or photogrammetry to record part shapes may be beneficial. Further work is also needed to verify source reproducibility.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Infrared tunable laser

A tunable laser apparatus is reported with a first wavelength selective reflector and a second wavelength selective reflector forming one end of an optical cavity, and a third wavelength selective reflector forming the other end of an optical cavity. A first lasable dye solution develops radiation of a wavelength selected by the first reflector and a second lasable dye solution develops radiation of a wavelength selected by the second reflector and a non-linear mixing crystal disposed within the optical cavity. The selected radiation is passed through the nonlinear mixing crystal causing it to develop radiation of a third wavelength which is transmitted out of the optical cavity through the third reflector.

Billman, K. W.↗

Millimeter wave surface resistance of RBa2Cu3O(7-delta) (R=Y,Eu,Dy,Sm,Er) superconductors

The measurements are reported of the millimeter wave surface resistance R(sub s) at 58.6 GHz of bulk samples of RBa2Cu3O(7-delta) (R = Y,Eu,Dy,Sm,Er) and of YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) superconducting films, in the temperature range from 20 to 300 K. The bulk samples were prepared by cold pressing the powders of RBa2Cu3O(7-delta) into one in. disks. The powders were prepared by several sinterings in one atmosphere of oxygen at 925 C, with grindings between sinterings, to obtain the superconducting phase. The thin films were deposited on SrTiO3 and LaGaO3 substrates by pulsed laser ablation. Each sample was measured by replacing the end wall of a gold-plated Te sub 013 circular mode copper cavity with the sample and determining the cavity quality factor . From the difference in the Q-factor of the cavity, with and without the sample, the R(sub s) of the sample was determined.

Miranda, F. A.↗

Electrons and Their Multiple Kinetic Fates in an Ionic Liquid

Ionic liquids (ILs) for electrochemical, nuclear, and solar energy applications operate under harsh conditions, where electrons and transient radical species can form. This communication discusses why anions such as bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (Tf 2 N − ) are reduced at the electron-rich electrode whereas in laser photoionization or pulse radiolysis studies, where electrons are ejected from species in the bulk, we often detect long-lived electrons in cavities that interact with IL cations instead. This work argues that bulk excess electrons generated photolytically or radiolytically follow kinetically favored pathways. As such, cavity electrons may not be the most energetically favorable states, but when they form, and they do form, they are kinetically stable. Reduction reactions of anions or electron localization in cavities and subsequent reactions are all expected outcomes. Here we focus on a pyrrolidinium-based IL of the dicyanamide (N(CN) 2 − ) anion because of its large electrochemical window and very low viscosity, which are ideal for energy applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Novel Concepts for High Gradient Acceleration (Final Technical Report)

We have conducted an intensive, pioneering program to demonstrate novel concepts for achieving high gradient acceleration at frequencies from the conventional microwave bands up to the millimeter wave /THz bands. High gradient accelerators hold the promise of smaller and less costly accelerators for applications ranging from the largest scale accelerators used for discovery science down to the smallest accelerators used for industrial, homeland security and medical applications. The research consisted of two major research thrusts: 1.) Structure-based wakefield accelerator (SWFA) research in collaboration with the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator research group and 2.) Millimeter Wave / THz high gradient acceleration in collaboration with SLAC. The specific goals of the research program were: Design novel metallic metamaterial structures that increase the beam-wave coupling for the accelerator mode and reduce the effect of high order modes; test novel metamaterial structures to achieve higher output power, > 1 GW at X-Band (11.7 GHz), in test at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA); determine the experimental breakdown threshold for nanosecond-scale pulses at X-Band in testing at the AWA; test a 110 GHz accelerator structure with a field emission electron gun, built at SLAC, using pulses from a 1 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron; design, build and test a 110 GHz quasi-optical, resonant-ring pulse compressor to compress microsecond pulses from the 1 MW gyrotron into > 20 MW, 5 ns output pulses for accelerator structure testing. The proposed research program built on our successes in our research program including: Generation of 510 MW, 2.1 ns (FWHM) pulses at 11.7 GHz from a metallic metamaterial structure in test at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator using a train of eight 65 MeV electron bunches spaced at 1.3 GHz with a total charge of 280 nC. The metamaterial structure consisted of 100 copper unit cells each consisting of a “wagon-wheel” plate and a spacer plate with a total structure length of 0.2 m. The 510 MW pulse generated an on-axis wakefield of 130 MV/m that could be used to accelerate a trailing witness bunch. Demonstration of coupling of an unprecedented rf power level of 575kW into a 110 GHz accelerator structure using a quasi-optical setup. The standing structure consisted of a central copper cavity located between two matching cavities fed by a TM01 mode. The 6 ns input pulses were sliced from 3 microsecond pulses from the gyrotron using a laser-driven silicon switch. We obtained an unprecedented high gradient up to 230MV/m corresponding to a peak surface electric field of more than 520 MV/m.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Study of LPE methods for growth of InGaAsP/InP CW lasers

Two methods for liquid phase growth of InGaAsP/InP lasers were studied. Single phase growth, based on saturated melts and 5 C supercooling, was compared to two phase growth excess InP and 20 C nominal supercooling. Substrates cut on the (100) plane were used, and morphology in both cases was excellent and comparable to that obtainable in AlGaAs materials. A high degree of reproducibility was obtained in the materials grown by the two phased method, which is therefore presently preferred for the preparation of laser material. A refractive index step of 0.28 and an index n = 3.46 were obtained for In.81Ga.19As,5P5 lasing at 1.3 microns. Oxide-stripe lasers with typical room temperature cw threshold currents of 180 mA were obtained and some of them showed single mode behavior without lateral cavity modifications. COntinuous operation of 800 h at room temperature was obtained without noticeable degradation.

Ladany, I.↗

Quantum cascade laser with bound-to-quasi-continuum optical transitions at a temperature of up to 371 K

Based on a matched Ga{sub 0.47}In{sub 0.53}As/Al{sub 0.48}In{sub 0.52}As heteropair, we have developed a quantum cascade laser emitting at a wavelength of 7.4 μm. The chosen heterostructure with a relatively large number of quantum wells and barriers represents two mini-bands separated by a mini-gap with a localised doublet level near the upper mini-band, which provides a wide emission band (∼100 cm{sup −1}). In a pulse regime, the maximal laser operation temperature is 371 K. Such a high temperature is explained by two factors: a large energy of the transfer from the doublet to the upper mini-band and a large volt defect. The characteristic temperatures T{sub 0} are found, which are equal to 170 K for low (less than 300 K) temperatures and 270 K for the range of 300 − 370 K. In addition, optical cavity losses are determined to be 2.5 and 7.7 cm{sup −1} at temperatures of 80 and 254 K, respectively. The pulse power is 0.3 W at 80 K and 0.05 W at 293 K. (lasers, active media)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Synthetic Jets in Quiescent Air

An oscillatory jet with zero net mass flow is generated by a cavity-pumping actuator. Among the three test cases selected for the Langley CFD validation workshop to assess the current CFD capabilities to predict unsteady flow fields, this basic oscillating jet flow field is the least complex and is selected as the first test case. Increasing in complexity, two more cases studied include jet in cross flow boundary layer and unsteady flow induced by suction and oscillatory blowing with separation control geometries. In this experiment, velocity measurements from three different techniques, hot-wire anemometry, Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), documented the synthetic jet flow field. To provide boundary conditions for computations, the experiment also monitored the actuator operating parameters including diaphragm displacement, internal cavity pressure, and internal cavity temperature.

Yao, C. S.↗

Coupling to rotational manifolds to improve gas-phase pump–probe spectroscopic models

The physical picture of gas-phase optical transitions is normally presented as an isolated two-level system balanced by upward and downward processes. Isolated models assume a phenomenological treatment of collisional dephasing but do not strictly account for collisional population exchange with the rotational baths. While this assumption is valid under low-intensity conditions, where excitation is rate-limiting, isolated models can deviate from Beer’s Law at sufficient pressures and monochromatic intensities when both collisional broadening and power broadening are comparable to (or greater than) lifetime broadening, which are not uncommon conditions for cavity enhanced spectroscopies in the mid-IR spectral range. Although this problem has been addressed by rate-equation models for linear absorption measurements, a general treatment for multi-level quantum mechanical models suitable for non-linear absorption measurements (two-photon/two-color/pump–probe) is lacking. Isolated models require physical parameter inputs that disagree with expected values by at least an order of magnitude. These non-physical models undermine the ability to predict non-linear signal strengths under untested conditions and thereby limit the potential to optimize the sensitivity of non-linear spectroscopies and to expand their analytical applications (e.g., new analytes and/or buffer gases, changes in cavity free-spectral-range, changes in intracavity powers or wavelengths, and accurate investigation of physical phenomena). In this study, we derive bath-coupled models for gaseous pump–probe spectroscopy by application of the quantum Lindblad equation and detailed balance. Bath-coupled models are shown to fit data consistently across variations in intensity and agree with all physically expected values.

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy↗

Ultranarrow bandwidth pulses from a regeneratively mode-locked fiber laser

We report on the generation of transform-limited nanosecond pulse with an ultranarrow bandwidth from a regeneratively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser. A narrow bandwidth fiber Bragg grating is combined with a bulk amplitude electro-optic modulator to shape pulse evolution inside a ring cavity, and regenerative mode locking is applied to produce a stationary shape of pulses in the nanosecond regime (2.05 ns in duration). Spectral characterization via high bandwidth optoelectronic devices shows that optical pulses have an ultranarrow bandwidth of 220 MHz. Numerical simulation reveals that the shape of the narrow spectral filter has a strong effect on the duration and bandwidth of output pulses.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

A laser-cooled cesium fountain frequency standard and a measurement of the frequency shift due to ultra-cold collisions

A frequency standard based on an atomic fountain of cesium atoms may have an accuracy of 10(exp -16) due to longer interaction times and smaller anticipated systematic errors. All of the known systematic effects that now limit the accuracy of the Cs frequency standard increase either linearly or as some higher power of the atom's velocity. The one systematic frequency shift which is dramatically different is the frequency shift due to the collisions between the laser cooled atoms. At a temperature of a few micro-K, the de Broglie wavelength (lambda(sub deB) = h/p, where h is Planck's constant and p is the momentum of the atom) is much larger than the scale of the interatomic potential. Under these conditions the collision cross sections can be as large as (lambda(sub deB)(sup 2))/Pi and the frequency shift due to these collisions was recently calculated. In our Cs atomic fountain, we laser cooled and trapped 10(exp 10) Cs atoms in 0.4 s. By shifting the frequencies of the laser beams, the atoms were launched upwards at 2.5 m/s and a fraction of the atoms were optically pumped into the F=3 ground state. The unwanted atoms in the F=4 ground state were removed from the fountain with radiation pressure from a laser beam tuned to excite only those atoms. The Cs atoms in the F=3 state traveled ballistically upwards, were excited by the microwave cavity, and then returned back through the same cavity in the atomic fountain configuration. By varying the cold atom density, a density dependent shift of -12.9 +/- 0.7 mHz or -1.4 x 10-12 for an average fountain density of (2.7 +/- 1.5) 10(exp 9) atoms/cm(sup 3) was measured.

Gibble, Kurt↗