This article reports the construction of a portable, low-cost LIBS (Light Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) system for use in the Bolivian mining industry for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the composition of mineral samples. The device consists of a portable laser, a medium-resolution spectrometer and an optomechanical light collection system. The laser developed for the device is a YAG:Nd+++ with an estimated power output of 10 MW/cm2. Weighing approximately 3 kg and powered by lithium ion batteries, it is easily carried and can be used in remote locations. The spectrometer has a resolution of 0.3 nm allowing the detection fine spectral features, while its range of 80 nm is broad enough to simultaneously show many of the principal spectral lines of the element of interest. A monochromatic CCD camera was used as the detector of the spectrometer and was fitted with an external trigger to coordinate the camera frames with the firing of the laser. The light emitted by the plasma is collected with a photographic objective and is transmitted to the spectrometer via a fiber optics cable. A mechanical system was incorporated to make, both the laser beam and the receptor positionable. In the preliminary tests of the prototype, a LIBS spectrum of a Bolivian copper coin was obtained. Analysis showed that the spectral lines obtained coincide with those of a copper reference spectrum and demonstrate the capacity of the device to perform qualitative analysis of materials.
We report on the design and installation of a spectrometer system for monitoring solar radiation in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Both the light intensity and the spectral distribution affect the power produced by a photovoltaic device. Local variations in the solar spectrum (especially compared to the AM1.5 standard) may have important implications for device optimization and energy yield estimation. The spectrometer system, based on an Ocean Optics USB4000 (300-900nm) spectrometer, was designed to increase functionality. Typically systems only record the global horizontal radiation. Our system moves a fiber-optic cable 0-90 degrees and takes measurements in 9 degree increments. Additionally, a shadow band allows measurement of the diffuse component of the radiation at each position. The electronic controls utilize an Arduino UNO microcontroller to synchronizes the movement of two PAP bipolar (stepper) motors with the activation of the spectrometer via an external trigger. The spectrometer was factory calibrated for wavelength and calibrated for absolute irradiance using a Sellarnet SL1-Cal light source. We present preliminary results from data taken March-June, 2013, and comment on implications for PV devices in Cochabamba.
Nowadays, all optical devices based on nonlinear effects acquire a great importance in optical communications systems
and photonic processing. Particularly relevant are the devices that use low-level power pumping in the generation of
those effects. These optical devices can be implemented by means of different structures and materials. One of the most
significant structure, here described and presented, is the semiconductor semimagnetic microcavity, composed by a
Fabry-Perot microcavity with a semiconductor semimagnetic material and a quantum well in the middle. Inside these
media nonlinear effects such as four wave mixing and magneto-optical polarisation rotations can be observed and
utilised for developing optical amplifiers, wavelength converters and nonlinear magneto-optical based devices. In order
to reduce the pumping power needed for obtaining nonlinear effects new structures with different materials can be built.
For instance, Fabry-Perot vertical microcavities, whispering gallery based microcavities or hybrid system of photonic
crystal microcavities can improve their performance and so make possible a real implementation. A key point in the
design of such micro-resonators is the election of the appropriate material inside. A study of the influence of several
materials, with a high dispersion and able to provoke electromagnetically induced transparency is, also, presented. The
changes of the quality factor of these nonlinear micro-resonators are analysed. Potential applications for optical
computing are shown.
This work presents experimental studies into the energy efficiency of multiwave mixing in complex molecular media exhibiting higher order nonlinearities in two cases: volume holograms in the standard geometry of degenerate four-wave mixing and self-diffraction of the recording waves from thin dynamic gratings. The use of different
combinations of mutually aligning polarizations for interacting waves enables one to determine the contribution into the interaction efficiency of various dynamic gratings and nonlinearity mechanisms. The role of polarization gratings resultant from spatial modulation of the light-field polarization state on orthogonal polarization of the hologram recording waves is established. Comparisons between the contributions of the polarization and "normal" gratings recorded by identically polarized light beams into the process of multiwave mixing demonstrate that the ratio of these contributions is dependent on the intensity of interacting waves. By variations in the propagation direction of a reading wave a change from four- to six-, eight- and ten-wave mixing may be realized.
The schemes of degenerate and nondegenerate multiwave mixing in saturable absorbers (Rhodamine 6G and polymethine 3274 U dyes) exhibiting higher-order nonlinearities have been analyzed experimentally. The role of polarization gratings resultant from spatial modulation of the light field polarization state at the orthogonal polarization of the hologram recording waves has been established. Also, it has been found that polarization of the diffracted wave is dependent on the diffraction order. The frequency conversion of coherent images from infrared to the visible and
between different wavelengths of the visible region has been realized experimentally.
The schemes for nonlinear recording of dynamic holograms in multilevel resonant media, in conditions when the fifth- and
higher-order nonlinearities are exhibited, have been studied both theoretically and experimentally. The optical methods to control the diffraction efficiency of nonlinear dynamic holograms with the use of an additional light beam tuned out into the absorption band from the ground or excited state of the molecules have been considered.
The results of theoretical and experimental investigations into degenerate and non-degenerate four-wave mixing in Fabry-Perot microresonator with dye solution as a nonlinear medium are presented. It is shown that the efficiency of holographic methods for wave-front and frequency conversion may be considerably increased due to the use of recording of dynamic holograms in nonlinear interferometers. Spatial-temporal transformation of light beams for different configurations of interaction has been performed and the methods for control of energy efficiency of intracavity dynamics gratings are discussed.
One of the main advances of dynamical holography is the possibility to operate with coherent images in real-time experimental situation. Non-degenerate four-wave mixing has some advantages among different holographic methods because it gives the possibility to perform visualization of infra-red images or to convert visible radiation into ultra-violet region. In the work we study different schemes of frequency conversion of coherent images by thin and volume dynamic
holograms nonlinearly formed in multilevel resonance media in conditions of non-degenerate four-wave mixing. The theoretical model of dynamic gratings formation in dye solutions based on coupled-wave equations has been developed. Experimental realization of frequency conversion of coherent images from infra-red to the visible and between different wavelengths of visible region has been performed. It has been shown that the criterion of hologram thickness is dependent on the optical density of medium and intensity of input radiation. The diffraction efficiency of dynamic gratings has been measured in conditions of optical bleaching and in the mode of strong absorption, enabling recording of thin gratings.
Advances in the development of nonlinear interference and holographic systems based on four-wave mixing point to great potentialities of these systems for real-time processing and correction of the light fields, formation of the desired space-time structures of laser radiation, image transfer, realization of logic and mathematical operations, creation of bistable devices and adaptive optics elements. This work presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies into the processes of light field transformations upon frequency-nondegenerate four-wave mixing in nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometer. The principal aim is to develop a theory of intracavity four-wave mixing in complex molecular media in conditions of exhibited internal (scattering from dynamic gratings) and external (resonator) feedback, to determine a mechanism of light field transformations at the dynamic holograms and by nonlinear interferometers, to work out and introduce into practice novel nonlinear-optical methods for the control over characteristics of light beams. For theoretical description of typical experimental situations we used the round-trip model of interferometer adapted for the geometry of four-wave mixing, which can be realized in the scheme of symmetrical oblique incidence of reference and signal beams to the front and back mirrors of cavity. The conditions of magnification of dynamic gratings efficiency due to contribution from multiple interference of reading light beams have been studied experimentally and by means of theoretical modeling.
In this work the different schemes of propagation and interaction of the light beams in nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometer have been studied theoretically and experimentally. Degenerate and non-degenerate four-wave mixing have been realized in the cavity of Fabry-Perot type using Rhodamine-6G dye and polymethine dye 3274U solution as saturable absorber. The diffraction efficiency of intracavity dynamic grating has been studied in dependence on intensity of interacting beams and parameters of resonator. The theoretical model of the processes of intracavity degenerate and non-degenerate four-wave mixing has been developed and applied to the analysis of the efficiency of light beams conversion by mean of Bragg diffraction from intracavity dynamic gratings. For theoretical description of typical experimental situations we used the round-trip model of nonlinear interferometer adapted for the geometry of degenerate
four-wave mixing, which can be realized in the scheme of symmetrical oblique incidence of pump, signal and probe beams to the front and back mirrors of cavity.
This work presents theoretical and experimental studies of the energy efficiency of multiwave mixing in complex molecular media (dye solutions) exhibiting higher order nonlinearities. There is a great variety of such media, including the resonance ones revealing nonlinearities of higher orders due to the absorption saturation effect and transitions between different excited states of the molecules. However, the majority of previous studies of multiwave mixing have been performed in the resonant medium approximation disregarding the induced anisotropy effect. A new method for enhancement of multiwave mixing in solutions of laser dyes has been proposed and substantiated with the use of lasing as an additional light beam, whose absorption by the molecules in the excited states leads to the formation of thermal dynamic gratings resultant in the improved efficiency of the energy exchange. The theoretical models for the formation of nonlinear dynamic holograms adequately describing the control process over multiwave mixing by an independent light beam, the frequency of which is tuned into the induced absorption band from the molecules in the excited state, have been developed. Polarization multiwave mixing has been realized in Rhodamine-6G dye solution using nonlinearities up to the ninth order inclusive. It has been demonstrated that on orthogonal polarization of the hologram recording waves the diffraction efficiency is lowered by one-two orders, the diffracted wave polarization being dependent on the diffraction order (the polarization plane alignment is identical within the orders of the same evenness).
The importance of nonlinear optical devices is increasing due to their hopeful characteristics such as small size, high speed or even low power consumption. These devices integrated in all-optical systems achieve the best results because of the elimination of optoelectronic or electro optic conversions that imply great reductions in these advantages. Therefore the main effort should be directed to make as many functions as possible by optical means. Among these functions, wavelength conversion or amplification seem to be likely to implement with a nonlinear device. In this work a structure called Semiconductor Semimagnetic Microcavity (SSM), for optical amplification and wavelength conversion, is introduced and studied. This study requires a suitable method for nonlinear series devices. It must take into account each wave and its relationship with the others. An Extended Yeh matrix is appropriate for the characterization of this structure. The method reveals that if the microcavity is exposed to an input signal and a pumping input signal and also matches the conditions of degenerate four-wave mixing, another wave at a different wavelength appears. What is more, the original input signal becomes greatly amplified depending on the pumping input signal. The process of obtaining these results with the Extended Yeh matrix applied to a SSM is shown. Optical wavelength conversion and optical amplification in a microcavity is demonstrated by means of this matricial method.
The potentialities of diffraction methods for wavefront transformations may be considerably widened due to the use of nonlinear recording of dynamic holograms enabling multiwave mixing in media with the fifth and higher order nonlinearities. There is a great variety of such media including the resonant ones for which the presence of higher order nonlinearities is conditioned by the absorption saturation effect and transitions between different excited states of the molecules. However, in the majority of previous studies of multiwave mixing the resonant medium approximation has been used disregarding the induced anisotropy effect. This work presents a theoretical model and experimental studies of the energy efficiency of multiwave mixing in complex molecular media exhibiting higher order nonlinearities, in two cases: when the nonlinear cavity is introduced in the Fabry-Perot interferometer (IFP), and without it. Owing to the use of different combinations of mutually aligning polarizations for interacting waves, one is enabled to determine the contribution into the interaction efficiency by various dynamic gratings and nonlinearity mechanisms. The role of polarization gratings resultant from spatial modulation of the light field polarization state at the orthogonal polarization of the hologram recording waves has been established. Comparisons between the contributions of the above gratings and “normal” gratings recorded by identically polarized light beams into the process of multiwave mixing have demonstrated that the relation of these contributions is dependent on the intensity of interacting waves, and also it has been found that polarization of the diffracted wave is dependent on the diffraction order.
In this work a theoretical study of the interaction between a light beam and an anisotropic nonlinear interferometer has been considered and methods to control the transmission of the microcavity using optical and magnetic fields have been developed. It has been demonstrated that anisotrophy of intracavity media determines the differences in transmission functions for various polarization modes and produces polarization instability. Varying spectroscopic parameters of the resonant medium and parameters of the anisotropic element, different types of intensity self-oscillations for different polarization modes can be obtained. To control the characteristics of nonlinear interferometer, it is proposed to use an additional light beam whose frequency is tuned into the absorption band from the excited level. The propagation characteristics of periodic magento-optical and dielectric multilayer films made of alternating layers of these materials having a symmetric periodicity with the center of the structure under a magnetic field is analyzed. The magnetic induction on this type of materials is temperature dependent and modifies the transmission and reflection characteristics of these structures. This kinds of structures, gives us the possibilities for an additional controlling of the characteristics of nonlinear interferometer.
In the present work consideration is given to theoretical and experimental analysis of the possibilities for improving the efficiency of multiwave mixing in the process of dynamic hologram recording in solutions of complex organic compounds with additional irradiation of resonant medium at a frequency falling within the absorption band from the excited level. Three- and seven-fold increase in the diffraction efficiency has been realized in Rhodamine 6G dye for four- and six-wave missing, respectively.
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