Laser-Excited Optical Filter: Experiments In Rb Vapor

Abstract

Narrow bandwidth optical sources are readily available; however, tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters are not available. Laser-excited optical filters (LEOFs) are in principle, tunable narrow-bandwidth, wide field-of-view optical filters. LEOFs can simultaneously provide high resolution (0.001 nm), wide field of-view (2π), and high quantum efficiency. These devices are ideally suited for extracting weak narrow bandwidth signals buried in strong nonresonant optical background radiation. Potential applications of these filters include remote sensing, laser communications, laser radar, detection of Raman radiation, atomic spectroscopy, etc.