Iodine Absorption Cells Purity Testing.

This article deals with the evaluation of the chemical purity of iodine-filled absorption cells and the optical frequency references used for the frequency locking of laser standards. We summarize the recent trends and progress in absorption cell technology and we focus on methods for iodine cell purity testing. We compare two independent experimental systems based on the laser-induced fluorescence method, showing an improvement of measurement uncertainty by introducing a compensation system reducing unwanted influences. We show the advantages of this technique, which is relatively simple and does not require extensive hardware equipment. As an alternative to the traditionally used methods we propose an approach of hyperfine transitions' spectral linewidth measurement. The key characteristic of this method is demonstrated on a set of testing iodine cells. The relationship between laser-induced fluorescence and transition linewidth methods will be presented as well as a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed technique (in comparison with traditional measurement approaches).

Spectral properties of molecular iodine in absorption cells filled to specified saturation pressure.

We present the results of measurement and evaluation of spectral properties of iodine absorption cells filled at certain saturation pressure. A set of cells made of borosilicate glass instead of common fused silica was tested for their spectral properties in greater detail with special care for the long-term development of the absorption media purity. The results were compared with standard fused silica cells and the high quality of iodine was verified. A measurement method based on an approach relying on measurement of linewidth of the hyperfine transitions is proposed as a novel technique for iodine cell absorption media purity evaluation. A potential application in laser metrology of length is also discussed.

Lasers for coherent optical satellite links with large dynamics.

We present the experimental realization of a laser system for ground-to-satellite optical Doppler ranging at the atmospheric turbulence limit. Such a system needs to display good frequency stability (a few parts in 10-14) while allowing large and well-controlled frequency sweeps of ±12 GHz at rates exceeding 100 MHz/s. Furthermore it needs to be sufficiently compact and robust for transportation to different astronomical observation sites, where it is to be interfaced with satellite ranging telescopes. We demonstrate that our system fulfills those requirements and should therefore allow operation of ground to low Earth orbit satellite coherent optical links limited only by atmospheric turbulence.

Coherent optical link through the turbulent atmosphere.

We describe the realization of a 5 km free-space coherent optical link through the turbulent atmosphere between a telescope and a ground target. We present the phase noise of the link, limited mainly by atmospheric turbulence and mechanical vibrations of the telescope and the target. We discuss the implications of our results for applications, with particular emphasis on optical Doppler ranging to satellites and long-distance frequency transfer.

Frequency doubling of CO2 laser radiation at 10.6 microm in the highly nonlinear chalcopyrite LiGaTe2.

Type-I phase matching for second-harmonic generation at 10.6 microm in LiGaTe(2) is demonstrated by using a tunable single-frequency continuous-wave CO(2) laser, and the nonlinear coefficient of LiGaTe(2) is determined from comparison with AgGaSe(2). The effective nonlinearity of LiGaTe(2) for this process amounts to 34.5 pm/V.