Abstract

An optically pumped active Ca atomic resonance filter is demonstrated, applicable to background-limited optical Communications through scatter channels. In pump saturation, the filter should detect 50% of the incident 423-nm signal power with an internal photon gain of 6 and a response time of 10 μs, 2 orders of magnitude faster than a passive Ca filter. Response time of 100 μs has been demonstrated, limited by available pump power. The filter maintains the wide field of view and reduced solar background associated with atomic absorption at the Ca Fraunhofer line while permitting higher data rate Communications.

© 1992 Optical Society of America

Proposed Fraunhofer-wavelength atomic filter at 534.9 nm

Jerry A. Gelbwachs
Opt. Lett. 15(20) 1165-1167 (1990)

422.7-nm atomic filter with superior solar background rejection

Jerry A. Gelbwachs
Opt. Lett. 15(4) 236-238 (1990)

Passive Fraunhofer-wavelength atomic filter at 422.7 nm

Jerry A. Gelbwachs and Yat C. Chan
Opt. Lett. 16(5) 336-338 (1991)

Experimental demonstration of internal wavelength conversion in the magnesium atomic filter

Y. C. Chan, M. D. Tabat, and J. A. Gelbwachs
Opt. Lett. 14(14) 722-724 (1989)

Detection of 532-nm frequency-doubled Nd:YAG radiation in an active rubidium atomic resonance filter

Monica Minden and Hans Bruesselbach
Opt. Lett. 15(7) 384-386 (1990)