sol2.

nb 1

EE231 Problem Set 2 Solutions

Problem 1
„P
(a) For dL << L, we have S= dP/dL= ÅÅÅÅ
„L
ÅÅÅÅÅ . For a lossless F-P cavity, the transmitted power is Pt = P0
1
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ ,
1 + F Sin2 Hk LL
4R
where F = ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
H1-RL2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅ . Taking the derivative with respect to L, we find that the sensitivity is:
k SinH2 k LL
S = -P0 F ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ2ÅÅ .
H1 + F Sin Hk LLL
(b) From the expression above, it's obvious that S = 0 when 2kL = p p for some integer p. This means that S = 0 when n = n p
c
= ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ p.In the frequency range @nm , Óm+1 D the three values that make S = 0 are nm = ÅÅÅÅc c
ÅÅÅÅ m (p = 2m), nm+1ê2 = ÅÅÅÅ
ÅÅÅÅ (m +
4L 2L 2L
c
1/2) (p = 2m + 1), and nm+1 = ÅÅÅÅ2L
ÅÅÅÅ (m + 1) (p = 2m + 2). Physically, there is zero sensitivity at these frequencies because
they correspond to either a maximum (nm and nm+1 ) or a minimum (nm+1ê2 )of the FP transmission spectrum, which is plotted
below for F = 20 between nm and nm+1 .

Transmission

The FPI has zero sensitivity to changes in length at exactly the same frequencies that it has zero sensitivity to changes in
frequency. This is because the transmission of a FPI does not depend on L and Ó independently, but the phase accumulated
across the resonator kL which goes like nL.

(c) Recalling that nm = m

c
ÅÅÅÅ , and that Dncav= ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅcè!!!!
ÅÅÅÅ
2L
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ!Å , we find that when the frequency is n3000 + H1 ê 2L Dncav , the
pL F
wavelength is l = 666.666311 nm. Since the finesse for this device is large, n3000 + H1 ê 2L Dncav is very close to n3000 (n3000
corresponds to a wavelength of 666.666...nm). Now ,we want to find the minimum detectable length change dLmin . From
part (a), we can see that dLmin = dPmin /S. In oder to have good dynamic range, the laser is tuned to a frequency where half
the power is transmitted when dL = 0. To find the sensitivity S we can use the exact expression from part (a), or the approxi-
-1 è!!!!!
mate formula S = ÅÅÅÅ2
ÅÅÅÅ F P0 k, which is valid when F is large and n = nm + ÅÅÅÅ12 Dncav . Either way, we get that the sensitivity
is S º -9.38 µ 10 w/m. Then the minimum detectable length change is dLmin = 10-9 watts/S = −1.066 × 10−15 meters =
5

−1.066 × 10−6 nm. Recall that the Bohr radius of a Hydrogen atom is 5.29 × 10−2 nm, so dLmin is pretty small!
sol2.nb 2

Problem 2
(a) This problem is a straightforward application of the formulas on lecture 3, slide 21. The characteristic waist radius is
L
wc = L l ê p, and the g parameters are: g1 = 1 - L ê ¶ = 1 for the flat mirror and g2 = 1 - ÅÅÅÅ .4
Å for the curved mirror. The
2 2 "######################
g2 #
formula for w1 is w1 = wc ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ and the formula for w2 is the same with the 2 and 1 subscripts switched. Below are
g1 H1 - g1 g2 L
plots of w1 HLL (solid line) and w2 (L) (dashed line). Note that w2 diverges as L approaches 40cm.

w
0.0008

0.0006

0.0004

0.0002

L
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

(b) Setting w2 = 1mm we can find L from the above equation for w2 HLL, which gives L = 39.74cm. At this value of L, w1 (the
spot size on the flat mirror) is ~80 mm.
(c) Setting w2 = 1cm, we obtain L = 39.999974 cm, and w1 is about 8 mm.
(d) If the cavity length changes by +100mm, then L > 40cm and g2 < 0. Then g1 g2 < 0, and the cavity becomes unstable. If
the cavity length changes by -100mm, the cavity is sitll stable, and nothing interesting happens.

Problem 3
To find out if our cavity is stable, first we need to calculate the total ABCD matrix for the cavity. There are two ABCD
i 1 L ê 2 zy
matrices that we need: M1 = jj z is the ABCD matrix for propagation (in either direction) between the center of the
k0 1 {
i 1 0y
cavity and one of the mirrors, and M2 = jj zz is the matrix for the lens. Note that the ABCD matrix for either mirror
k -1 ê f 1 {
is the identity matrix, since the mirrors are flat. Let us put our reference plane at one of the mirrors. Then the total round-
L H-4 f +LL
ij 1 + ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ L H8 f 2 -6 f L+L2 L y
jj 2 f2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ4ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
f2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ zz
trip ABCD matrix is HM1 M2 M1 L = jj 2 zz . For stability, we must have H ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
A+D 2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅ L < 1, which in
jj -2 f +L L H-4 f +LL z zz 2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
k f Å ÅÅÅ
2 Å ÅÅÅ
Å Å 1 + ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
2f 2ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ {
L H−4 f+LL 2 A+ D 2 f
1
this case implies 
4 H2 + 

f2
  L < 1. We can solve this expression with some algebra, or just plot H ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ 2
ÅÅÅÅÅÅ L vs. ÅÅÅÅLÅ , as
shown below:
sol2.nb 3

A + D
H  L2
2
6

1
f

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 L

From our graph, we can see that f e @L ê 4, ¶L for stability, with marginal stability when f = L ê 2. We could have pre-
dicted this result from ray optics - when f = L/4, all the rays are focused to a point at the mirrors.

Problem 4
One must be careful when setting up the self-consistent field equations and the equations for Et and Er in this problem. It is
important to note that the self-consistent fields E1 and E2 are defined as the field at a particular point, moving in a particular
direction. If we want to find the field at another point, or going in another direction, we must keep track of how the fields
inside the cavity change. We must also take care to get the phase shifts correct as the fields reflect off the mirrors from
different directions.

è!!!!! è!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(a) With r = - R , t = 1 - R , and f = k L, the self-consistent field equations are:

E1 = −−2  φ E1 r2 + Ei t + −3  φ E2 r2 t
E2 = −2  φ E2 r2 + − φ E1 t

The equations for Er and Et in terms of E1 , E2 and Ei are:

Et = − φ E2 t
Er = −Ei r − −2  φ E1 r t + −3  φ E2 r t2

One may wonder why Et depends only on E2 while Er depends on E1 , E2 and Ei . To find Et , we need only propagate E2 to
the right edge of the second cavity, and then transmit it through the final mirror, since E2 is the forward-moving field at the
left side of the second cavity.

Finding Er is more complicated. First, we find the fraction of the incident field that is reflected, which is -Ei r. This is
where the first term in the equation for Er above comes from. Next, we need to find the backward-moving field in the first
cavity. This has two components. One is the fraction of the forward-moving field E1 that reflects off of the second mirror.
The other is the fraction of the backward moving field in the second cavity that is transmitted by the second mirror. This is
where the second and third terms in the equation for Er above come from.

 −2  φ
Ei H1−RL 3ê2 Ei H1− 4φ
+ 2φ
HR − 1LL R è!!!!
(b) Solving the equations above gives Et = 
1−R−4  φ3
 and Er = 
R−4  φ  .
H1 - RL
(c) Simplifying Ttot = » Et ê Ei »2 gives Ttot = ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ
1 + R2 - 2 R CosH4 fL
ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅÅ . The plots of Ttot look like:
sol2.nb 4

Ttot
1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

L
2πν 
1 2 3 4 5 6 c

The dotted line is for R = .1, the dashed line for R = .5, and the solid line for R = .9.
From the expression for Ttot above, it's easy to see that the maximum value of Ttot is 1 - R, and this maximum occurs when f
= m ÅÅÅÅp2 , which means n = m ÅÅÅÅ
c
4L
ÅÅÅÅ for some integer m.

Ei H1− + 4φ 2φ

HR − 1LL R è!!!!
(d) The total power reflection coefficient is Rtot = » Er ê Ei »2 . Using Er = 
R−4  φ  from part (b), it can
be shown that Rtot = 1 - Ttot , which is what we expect physically, since there is no loss in the system, so all the power must
either be transmitted or reflected.

Rtot + Ttot
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
L
2πν 
1 2 3 4 5 6 c