Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nicholas H Rivera

Marin Soljacic

John Dimitris Joannopoulos

Ido Kaminer

Karl Kimon Berggren

Bo Zhen

Yi Yang

Charles Roques-Carmes

Phillip Donald Keathley

Jamison Sloan

Tena Dubcek

Steven E Kooi

Aviram Massuda

Yujia Yang

A time varying laser which can operate by taking advantage of transitions between time varying quasi-energy levels which are present in the driven system is disclosed. This can allow for laser operation at frequencies which are new, compared to the operation of the laser in absence of time-modulation. It can also allow for a novel mode of operation in which the system provides gain at multiple frequencies simultaneously, in a coherent fashion which is fundamentally different from multi-mode behavior in conventional lasers. Additionally, in systems with sufficiently strong modulation, these principles can lead to lasers which produce gain even in the thermodynamic ground state of the system, leading to a new form of lasing without inversion (LWI). In addition, these techniques have the potential to be used to create lasers at high frequencies (UV-Xray) which have been difficult to achieve via conventional laser mechanisms.

Methods and apparatus for generating coherent light at new frequencies via time varying lasing

An apparatus for generating Smith-Purcell radiation having at least one spectral component at a wavelength &#x3bb; includes a periodic structure including a dielectric material and an electron source, in electromagnetic communication with the periodic structure, to emit an electron beam propagating within about 5&#x3bb; from a surface of the periodic structure to induce emission of the Smith-Purcell radiation. The electron beam has an electron energy tunable between about 0.5 keV and about 40 keV so as to change a wavelength of the Smith-Purcell radiation.

Apparatus and methods for generating and enhancing Smith-Purcell radiation

Ultra-thin conductors are employed to generate plasmon fields near the surface of the conductors. Emitters, such as atoms, molecules, quantum dots, or quantum wells, in the plasmon fields can emit and absorb light via transitions that are otherwise forbidden in the absence of the plasmon fields. Applications using these forbidden transitions include spectroscopy, organic light sources, and broadband light generation. For example, in a spectroscopic platform, an emitter is disposed in the plasmon fields to excite electronic transitions that are otherwise unexcitable. In organic light sources, plasmon fields quench excited triplet states, allowing fast singlet decay with the emission of light. In broadband light generation, strong two-plasmon spontaneous emission of emitters near ultrathin conductors is employed to produce a broad spectrum of light.

Apparatus and methods for spectroscopy and broadband light emission using two-dimensional plasmon fields

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Nicholas H Rivera