Hollow waveguide photomixing for quantum cascade laser heterodyne spectro-radiometry.

An integrated optic approach, using hollow waveguides, has been evaluated for a compact, rugged, high efficiency heterodyne optical mixing circuit in the middle infrared. The approach has involved the creation of hollow waveguides and alignment features for a beam combiner component in a glass-ceramic substrate. The performance of the integrated beam combiner was tested as part of a full laser heterodyne spectro-radiometer in which a quantum cascade laser local oscillator emitting at 9.

Assessment of diffusion-bonded KTP crystals for efficient, low pulse energy conversion from 1 to 2 microm.

Diffusion bonded (DB) walk-off compensated KTP crystals offer an alternative nonlinear medium for efficient 1 to 2 microm conversion within optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) at low pulse energies. Spatial variations in optical absorption and transmission values measured at 2 mum are reported for two DB-KTP crystals. Finally, a comparison is made between the conversion efficiency obtained from a degenerate 1 microm pumped OPO using a single 20 mm KTP crystal and an equivalent length DB-KTP crystal consisting of two bonded 10 mm crystals.

Remote photoacoustic detection of liquid contamination of a surface.

A method for the remote detection and identification of liquid chemicals at ranges of tens of meters is presented. The technique uses pulsed indirect photoacoustic spectroscopy in the 10-microm wavelength region. Enhanced sensitivity is brought about by three main system developments: (1) increased laser-pulse energy (150 microJ/pulse), leading to increased strength of the generated photoacoustic signal; (2) increased microphone sensitivity and improved directionality by the use of a 60-cm-diameter parabolic dish; and (3) signal processing that allows improved discrimination of the signal from noise levels through prior knowledge of the pulse shape and pulse-repetition frequency.