Development of a Tunable Frequency Shift Filter Using a Praseodymium Doped Y2SiO5-Crystal

Abstract: In this thesis, a tunable frequency shift filter (FSF) with a 1 ~ 2 MHz passband created in a praseodymium doped Y2SiO5-crystal using a special hole burning technique is developed and tested. The FSF is able to shift the frequency of its passband and the light passing through the passband by applying an external electric field, where the frequency shift is proportional to the applied field. Since most of the current frequency shift techniques require the light to be sent in at certain angles (a specific special mode) to the shifter, the $2\pi$ acceptance angle for light of this FSF makes it unique and work more efficiently and less restrictively. The FSF can also slow down the group velocity of the light pulse passing through its passband at the order of 10^4 to 10^5. The result of the experimental test of the FSF is quite good. For the FSF with a 1 ~ 2 MHz passband, the light is slowed down to c/10^4 ~ c/10^5. For a 1 MHz FSF, the frequency shift of -4 ~ 4 MHz for both the passband and the light pulse is achieved. The switch-on time for the FSF is around 200 ns limited by the rise time of the electric field.