Quantum Limited Anti-Stokes Conversion in a High Finesse Cavity

Montana State University, Bozeman MT

Investigators

Abstract

Recently developed optical mirrors with very high reflectivities of 99.995% and special "chirps" in the coatings will be used to study the enhancement of multi-wave mixing in an optical cavity filled with hydrogen in an optical process called Raman scattering. The specific multi-wave mixing to be studied in this cavity is called anti-Stokes emission and will occur in conjunction with Stokes emission. Using a green pump YAG laser interacting with hydrogen in the cavity, the anti-Stokes process will produce blue emission and the Stokes process will produce red emission. These studies will be used to verify recent theoretical predictions of quantum limited cw anti-Stokes conversion in the high finesse cavity. Specifically, the theory predicts that for low loss cavity mirrors, the photon conversion efficiency will approach 50% into the blue anti-Stokes emission and 50% into the red Stokes emission. Theory also predicts that scanning the pressure of the hydrogen gas in the high finesse cavity will allow numerous spatial modes of the anti-Stokes emission to be observed. The broader impact of this program will involve the training of two female graduate students, the participation of Native American high school students from Montana in summer research, three different outreach programs to students from Montana schools and continued impact on the development of the local optical industry in Bozeman. In addition, this research will result in the development of a tricolor laser that could simultaneously provide the three primary colors - red, blue and green - needed for full color displays, with applications in large projection systems including large, full color parallax holograms.