Fabry-Perot wavemeter for shot-by-shot analysis of pulsed lasers

A novel laser wavelength meter based on the measurement of synthetic wavelength

The accuracy of the current wavelength meter using optical interferometry is limited by the numbers of fringe counted. To solve this problem, a novel laser wavelength meter based on the measurement of synthetic wavelength is proposed. The unknown wavelength is obtained by measuring the value of synthetic wavelength produced by the unknown and reference wavelengths, and half of this value corresponds to 2π variation of the phase difference between the interference signals of the unknown and reference wavelengths. The optical configuration of the wavelength meter is designed and the measurement principle is analyzed theoretically. To verify its feasibility, three helium-neon lasers' wavelengths were determined experimentally, and a relative uncertainty on the unknown wavelength of the order of 10(-8) was realized. Accuracy analysis shows that this wavelength meter has the advantage of high accuracy when the unknown wavelength is around the standard laser wavelength recommended by CIPM.

Broadband D2 coherent anti-stokes Raman spectroscopy for single-shot pressure and temperature determination with a Fabry-Perot etalon

A method is demonstrated that employs a Fabry-Perot etalon to modulate a broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy signal beam spatially to obtain enhanced resolution and spectral information for single-shot measurements of pressure and temperature. Resulting images are analyzed by; first, fits to Fabry-Perot patterns for single rovibrational lines; second, a line-shape analysis for a single rovibrational line; and third, a mapping of the Fabry-Perot channel spectra to a linear spectrum. Measurements of the D(2) Raman Q-branch lines were made for a D(2) in Ar mixture to take advantage of the large pressure shift and rovibrational line spacing. Peaks are located to better than 0.5% of the free spectral range of the etalon (approximately 0.01 cm(-1)) and a quantitative analysis of the pressure shifting and broadening is determined for the 1-10-MPa range. Finally, temperature and pressure determination using a band-fitting analysis is demonstrated.

Observation of a 100-MHz frequency variation across the output of a frequency-doubled injection-seeded unstable-resonator Q-switched Nd:YAG laser

We report high-resolution measurements of the spatial variation of the optical frequency of an injection-seeded unstable-resonator Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Images of the second harmonic taken through a molecular-iodine notch filter show frequency variations of as much as 100 MHz (second harmonic) between the center and the edge of the beam.

High-finesse interferometers

A detailed plan for the construction and use of a nonconfocal cavity used as a high-finesse interferometer is presented. The interferometer has a free spectral range of l5 GHz, with a finesse of over 30,000.