Complex light fields in polarisation state tomography and atomic spectroscopy

Al Khafaji, Mustafa A. (2024) Complex light fields in polarisation state tomography and atomic spectroscopy. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

While the output beams from laser systems are usually homogeneously polarised, the increasing interest in recent years to shape light with a spatially varying polarisation profile, the like of vector and Poincaré beams, has prompted developments of amplitude and phase modulators, the likes of digital micromirror devices (DMDs), spatial light modulators (SLMs), and vector vortex plates (VVP), offering unprecedented control and flexibility in shaping complex light fields. In this work, we provide a detailed description of beam shaping techniques, with an emphasis on generation methods for experimental applications, as a means to evaluate the performance of our single-shot polarimeter utilising a set of unbiased generalised measurements for full polarisation state reconstruction of the light field.

Our research extends to interactions of light fields with rubidium vapours, utilising coherent laser diodes with several megahertz of frequency tunability, housed within external cavities, for use in applications of atomic spectroscopy and with particular interest in polarisation spectroscopy (polspec). This spectroscopic technique, consisting of an optically pumped and magnetically shielded atomic medium, provides a high-resolution Doppler-free signal for use in laser frequency stabilisation. In this work, we combine this technique with our understanding of vector beam generation and detection to introduce a Doppler-free spectroscopic technique utilising a spatially varying probing signal to measure the magneto-optical effects in the region near resonance. This novel spatially resolved approach could allow for a new kind of modulation-free, perhaps one-shot measurement of laser frequency with applications in laser stabilisation for quantum technology.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Supported by funding from Fraunhofer CAP.
• Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy; Q Science > QC Physics
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Funder's Name: Fraunhofer CAP
• Supervisor's Name: Franke-Arnold, Professor Sonja and Croke, Professor Sarah
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84780
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 06 Jan 2025 14:09
• Last Modified: 06 Jan 2025 16:07
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84780
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84780

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