Measurement of Far-Infrared Laser Frequencies
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Room 140
Start Date
15-5-2014
End Date
15-5-2014
Keywords
Frequency, Laser, Beat
Abstract
Optically pumped molecular lasers have been used to generate thousands of laser emissions in the far-infrared region. These laser emissions can be used in a variety of applications, from terahertz imaging to conducting diagnostics on tokamak plasmas. To date, their primary use has been as frequency standards in high-resolution spectroscopic investigations into stable molecules and free radicals. For these laser emissions to be useful as reference standards in the far-infrared region, their wavelengths and frequencies need to be accurately determined. Most measurements of far-infrared wavelengths can be readily conducted to a fractional uncertainty on the order of a few parts in one thousand, about a factor of 1000 less than necessary for high-resolution investigations. The alternative is to measure the frequencies of these laser emissions which can be conducted with a fractional uncertainty on the order of a few parts in ten million. In this presentation, an overview of the three-laser heterodyne frequency measurement system will be presented along with some of the frequencies that have recently been measured with this system.
Recommended Citation
Mehl, Patrick, "Measurement of Far-Infrared Laser Frequencies" (2014). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 69.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2014/oralpresentations/69
Additional Mentoring Department
Physics
Measurement of Far-Infrared Laser Frequencies
SURC Room 140
Optically pumped molecular lasers have been used to generate thousands of laser emissions in the far-infrared region. These laser emissions can be used in a variety of applications, from terahertz imaging to conducting diagnostics on tokamak plasmas. To date, their primary use has been as frequency standards in high-resolution spectroscopic investigations into stable molecules and free radicals. For these laser emissions to be useful as reference standards in the far-infrared region, their wavelengths and frequencies need to be accurately determined. Most measurements of far-infrared wavelengths can be readily conducted to a fractional uncertainty on the order of a few parts in one thousand, about a factor of 1000 less than necessary for high-resolution investigations. The alternative is to measure the frequencies of these laser emissions which can be conducted with a fractional uncertainty on the order of a few parts in ten million. In this presentation, an overview of the three-laser heterodyne frequency measurement system will be presented along with some of the frequencies that have recently been measured with this system.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Jackson, Mike