TY - JOUR A1 - Ostermeyer, Martin A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Menzel, Ralf T1 - 27 Watt average output power with 1.2*DL beam quality from a single rod Nd:YAG-Laser with phase conjugating SBS- mirror BT - Siebenundzwanzig Watt average output power with 1.2*DL beam quality from a single rod Nd:YAG-Laser with phase conjugating SBS-mirror Y1 - 1998 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Menzel, Ralf A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Puhlmann, Dirk A1 - Dechoum, K. A1 - Hillery, M. A1 - Spaehn, M. J. A. A1 - Schleich, W. P. T1 - A two-photon double-slit experiment JF - Journal of modern optics N2 - We employ a photon pair created by spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) where the pump laser is in the TEM01 mode to perform a Young's double-slit experiment. The signal photon illuminates the two slits and displays interference fringes in the far-field while the idler photon measured in the near-field in coincidence with the signal photon provides us with which-slit' information. We explain the results of these experiments with the help of an analytical expression for the second-order correlation function derived from an elementary model of SPDC. Our experiment emphasizes the crucial role of the mode function in the quantum theory of radiation. KW - complementarity KW - wave-particle dualism KW - Young's double-slit experiment KW - spontaneous parametric down conversion KW - TEM01 mode Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/09500340.2012.746400 SN - 0950-0340 VL - 60 IS - 1 SP - 86 EP - 94 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zink, Christof A1 - Niebuhr, Mario A1 - Jechow, Andreas A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Menzel, Ralf T1 - Broad area diode laser with on-chip transverse Bragg grating stabilized in an off-axis external cavity JF - Optics express : the international electronic journal of optics N2 - The emission characteristics of a novel, specially designed broad area diode laser (BAL) with on-chip transversal Bragg resonance (TBR) grating in lateral direction were investigated in an off-axis external cavity setup. The internal TBR grating defines a low loss transversal mode at a specific angle of incidence and a certain wavelength. By providing feedback at this specific angle with an external mirror, it is possible to select this low loss transverse mode and stabilize the BAL. Near diffraction limited emission with an almost single lobed far field pattern could be realized, in contrast to the double lobed far field pattern of similar setups using standard BALs or phase-locked diode laser arrays. Furthermore, we could achieve a narrow bandwidth emission with a simplified setup without external frequency selective elements. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.22.014108 SN - 1094-4087 VL - 22 IS - 12 SP - 14108 EP - 14113 PB - Optical Society of America CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Puhlmann, Dirk A1 - Henkel, Carsten A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Pieplow, Gregor A1 - Menzel, Ralf T1 - Characterization of a remote optical element with bi-photons JF - Physica scripta : an international journal for experimental and theoretical physics N2 - We present a simple setup that exploits the interference of entangled photon pairs. 'Signal' photons are sent through a Mach–Zehnder-like interferometer, while 'idlers' are detected in a variable polarization state. Two-photon interference (in coincidence detection) is observed with very high contrast and for significant time delays between signal and idler detection events. This is explained by quantum erasure of the polarization tag and a delayed choice protocol involving a non-local virtual polarizer. The phase of the two-photon fringes is scanned by varying the path length in the signal beam or by rotating a birefringent crystal in the idler beam. We exploit this to characterize one beam splitter of the signal photon interferometer (reflection and transmission amplitudes including losses), using only information about coincidences and control parameters in the idler path. This is possible because our bi-photon state saturates the Greenberger–Yelin–Englert inequality between contrast and predictability. KW - quantum optics KW - quantum eraser KW - entanglement KW - bi-photons Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-8949/91/2/023006 SN - 0031-8949 SN - 1402-4896 VL - 91 SP - 113 EP - 114 PB - IOP Publ. Ltd. CY - Bristol ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Seefeldt, Michael A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Menzel, Ralf T1 - Compact white-light source with an average output power of 2.4 W and 900 nm spectral bandwidth Y1 - 2003 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Menzel, Ralf A1 - Milonni, P. W. T1 - Complementarity in biphoton generation with stimulated or induced coherence JF - Physical review : A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics N2 - Coherence can be induced or stimulated in parametric down-conversion using two or three crystals when, for example, the idler modes of the crystals are aligned. Previous experiments with induced coherence [Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 053601 (2015)] focused on which-path information and the role of vacuum fields in realizing complementarity via reduced visibility in single-photon interference. Here we describe experiments comparing induced and stimulated coherence. Different single-photon interference experiments were performed by blocking one of the pump beams in a three-crystal setup. Each counted photon is emitted from one of two crystals and which-way information may or not be available, depending on the setup. Distinctly different results are obtained in the induced and stimulated cases, especially when a variable transmission filter is inserted between the crystals. A simplified theoretical model accounts for all the experimental results and is also used to address the question of whether the phases of the signal and idler fields in parametric down-conversion are correlated. Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.92.033834 SN - 1050-2947 SN - 1094-1622 VL - 92 IS - 3 PB - American Physical Society CY - College Park ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Menzel, Ralf A1 - Puhlmann, Dirk A1 - Heuer, Axel T1 - Complementarity in single photon interference – the role of the mode function and vacuum fields JF - Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid N2 - Background In earlier experiments the role of the vacuum fields could be demonstrated as the source of complementarity with respect to the temporal properties (Heuer et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114:053601, 2015). Methods Single photon first order interferences of spatially separated regions from the cone structure of spontaneous parametric down conversion allow for analyzing the role of the mode function in quantum optics regarding the complementarity principle. Results Here the spatial coherence properties of these vacuum fields are demonstrated as the physical reason for complementarity in these single photon quantum optical experiments. These results are directly connected to the mode picture in classical optics. Conclusion The properties of the involved vacuum fields selected via the measurement process are the physical background of the complementarity principle in quantum optics. KW - Quantum optics KW - Complementarity KW - Mode function KW - Vacuum fields Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s41476-017-0036-x SN - 1990-2573 VL - 13 PB - Springer ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Menzel, Ralf A1 - Raab, Volker A1 - Lorenz, Dieter A1 - Heuer, Axel T1 - Efficient phase conjugating mirror with a low threshold in a tapered optical fiber Y1 - 2000 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Hodgson, N. A1 - Menzel, Ralf T1 - Efficient, low-threshold phase conjugation in a tapered optical fiber Y1 - 1998 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jechow, Andreas A1 - Seefeldt, Michael A1 - Kurzke, Henning A1 - Heuer, Axel A1 - Menzel, Ralf T1 - Enhanced two-photon excited fluorescence from imaging agents using true thermal light JF - Nature photonics N2 - Two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) is a standard technique in modern microscopy(1), but is still affected by photodamage to the probe. It has been proposed that TPEF can be enhanced using entangled photons(2,3), but this has proven challenging. Recently, it was shown that some features of entangled photons can be mimicked with thermal light, which finds application in ghost imaging(4), subwavelength lithography(5) and metrology(6). Here, we use true thermal light from a superluminescent diode to demonstrate TPEF that is enhanced compared to coherent light, using two common fluorophores and luminescent quantum dots, which suit applications in imaging and microscopy. We find that the TPEF rate is directly proportional to the measured(7) degree of second-order coherence, as predicted by theory. Our results show that photon bunching in thermal light can be exploited in two-photon microscopy, with the photon statistic providing a new degree of freedom. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/NPHOTON.2013.271 SN - 1749-4885 SN - 1749-4893 VL - 7 IS - 12 SP - 973 EP - 976 PB - Nature Publ. Group CY - London ER -