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Wang L, Zhang Z, Chen S, Chen Y, Hu X, Zhu M, Yan W, Xu H, Sun L, Chen M, Liu F, Chen L, Zhang J, Sheng Z. Millijoule Terahertz Radiation from Laser Wakefields in Nonuniform Plasmas. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2024; 132:165002. [PMID: 38701476 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.132.165002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
We report the experimental measurement of millijoule terahertz (THz) radiation emitted in the backward direction from laser wakefields driven by a femtosecond laser pulse of few joules interacting with a gas target. By utilizing frequency-resolved energy measurement, it is found that the THz spectrum exhibits two peaks located at about 4.5 and 9.0 THz, respectively. In particular, the high frequency component emerges when the drive laser energy exceeds 1.26 J, at which electron acceleration in the forward direction is detected simultaneously. Theoretical analysis and particle-in-cell simulations indicate that the THz radiation is generated via mode conversion from the laser wakefields excited in plasma with an up-ramp profile, where radiations both at the local electron plasma frequency and its harmonics are produced. Such intense THz sources may find many applications in ultrafast science, e.g., manipulating the transient states of matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linzheng Wang
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhelin Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yanping Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xichen Hu
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Mingyang Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Wenchao Yan
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Lili Sun
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Min Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Liming Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhengming Sheng
- Key Laboratory for Laser and Plasma (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201210, China
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González-Férez R, Omiste JJ. Full control of the orientation of non-symmetric molecules using weak and moderate electric fields. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:4533-4540. [PMID: 38241023 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05592b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
We investigate the full control over the orientation of a planar non-symmetric molecule by using moderate and weak electric fields. Quantum optimal control techniques allow us to orient any axis of 6-chloropyridazine-3-carbonitrile, which is taken as prototype example here, along the electric field direction. We perform a detailed analysis by exploring the impact on the molecular orientation of the time scale and strength of the control field. The underlying physical phenomena allowing for the control of the orientation are interpreted in terms of the frequencies contributing to the field-dressed dynamics and to the driving field by a spectral analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario González-Férez
- Instituto Carlos I de Física Teórica y Computacional and Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Juan J Omiste
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Hong QQ, Lian ZZ, Shu CC, Henriksen NE. Quantum control of field-free molecular orientation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023. [PMID: 37724061 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp03115b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Generating field-free (non-stationary) orientation of molecules in space has been a longstanding goal in the field of quantum control of molecular rotation, which has significant applications in physical chemistry, chemical physics, strong-field physics, and quantum information science. In this Perspective, we review and examine several representative control schemes developed in recent years and implemented in theoretical and experimental areas for generating field-free orientation of molecules. By conducting numerical simulations of different control schemes on the same molecular system, we demonstrate that quantum coherent control, specifically targeting a limited number of the lowest-lying rotational levels to achieve an optimal superposition, can result in a high degree of orientation. To this end, we provide an overview of our latest developed analytical method, which enables the precise design of terahertz field parameters through resonant excitation. This design approach facilitates the attainment of desired field-free orientations by optimizing the amplitudes and phases of rotational wave functions for the selected rotational levels. Finally, we outlook the significance of such progress in multiple frontier research fields, highlighting its potential applications in ultracold physics, quantum computation, quantum simulation, and quantum metrology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian-Qian Hong
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nanophotonics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Zhen-Zhong Lian
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nanophotonics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Chuan-Cun Shu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Nanophotonics and Devices, School of Physics and Electronics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
| | - Niels E Henriksen
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Building 207, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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Damari R, Beer A, Flaxer E, Fleischer S. Enhanced molecular orientation via NIR-delay-THz scheme: Experimental results at room temperature. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:014201. [PMID: 36610970 DOI: 10.1063/5.0132656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Light-induced orientation of gas phase molecules is a long-pursued goal in physics and chemistry. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a six-fold increase in the terahertz-induced orientation of iodomethane (CH3I) molecules at room temperature, provided by rotational pre-excitation with a moderately intense near-IR pulse. The paper highlights the underlying interference of multiple coherent transition pathways within the rotational coherence manifold and is analyzed accordingly. Our experimental and theoretical results provide desirable and practical means for all-optical experiments on oriented molecular ensembles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Damari
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Amit Beer
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Eli Flaxer
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Sharly Fleischer
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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