Dynamics of laser buildup from quantum noise

Year: 1989

Authors: Arecchi F.T., Gadomski W., Meucci R., Roversi J.A.

Autors Affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy

Abstract: We measure the statistical distribution of buildup times for the field of a single-mode C02 laser when cavity losses have rapidly changed from a large to a small value. The ratio between the average buildup time and its statistical spread is shown to be a sensitive test of the quantum fluctuations in the off state. This method operates as a “statistical microscope,” permitting the accurate determination of a small mean photon number in the infrared region by optical amplification, and a discrimination of the initial mean photon number from noise contributions along the amplification process. Following the buildup, the laser pulse decays on two time scales. The faster one, due to the radiation coupling, can be fitted by a Toda oscillator model; the slower one, due to the collisional dynamics of the excited population, provides a quantitative evaluation of two distinct population decay rates, one within the rotational manifold and the other one out of the vibrational band.

Journal/Review: PHYSICAL REVIEW A

Volume: 39 (8)      Pages from: 4004  to: 4015

KeyWords: Quantum noise; CO2 laser
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.39.4004

Citations: 46
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