Statistical and dynamical intensity fluctuations from a saturated source of amplified spontaneous emission
Intensity fluctuations of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from a high gain mirrorless laser have been studied for statistics of the fluctuations, higher order correlation functions and correlation times, intensity probability distribution functions (IPDF's), power spectra and evidence of dynamical behavior in the fluctuations. Measurements were made under both inhomogeneously broadened and relatively homogeneously broadened conditions on a linearly polarized component of the emission on the 3.51 {mu}m transition of a heavily saturated, bidirectional, cw, dc-excited discharge in xenon from a multianode tube where the number of gain lengths was varied up to 51, longer than any value previously studied. Intensity fluctuations are reduced because of heavy gain saturation, though significant fluctuations, intermediate between those of a thermal source and a laser well above threshold, remain in the output. Theoretical expressions for single mode IPDF's resulting from the interaction of multiple modes under heavy saturation were derived to predict cumulants depending on the number of modes. The normalized cumulants of the experimentally measured IPDF's decreased more rapidly with gain length in the relatively homogeneously broadened case than in the inhomogeneously broadened case. Correlation functions show only single peaks at zero time delay. Some of the higher order correlation functions show a little ringing and memory in the largest ASE pulsations indicating superflourescent-type behavior. Higher order correlation functions reveal information about shapes and temporal asymmetries in the rise and fall of the ASE pulses. Clear experimental contrasts between the inhomogeneously broadened and the relatively homogeneously broadened cases are found in the correlation functions and power spectra. A search for evidence of an underlying chaotic attractor was made by calculating the correlation dimension.
- Research Organization:
- Bryn Mawr Coll., PA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7188263
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
LASERS
DATA ANALYSIS
STIMULATED EMISSION
CALCULATION METHODS
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
THEORETICAL DATA
DATA
EMISSION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FUNCTIONS
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
645100* - High Energy Physics- Particle Interactions & Properties-Experimental
640300 - Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics