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Zukerstein M, Levy Y. Enhancement of the spectral broadening efficiency for circular polarization states in the high absorption regime for Gaussian and doughnut-shaped beams in fused silica. OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 31:16295-16302. [PMID: 37157711 DOI: 10.1364/oe.485881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
We experimentally investigate the spectral broadening in fused silica in the multiphoton absorption regime. Under standard conditions of laser irradiation, linear polarization of laser pulses is more advantageous for supercontinuum generation. However, with high non-linear absorption, we observe more efficient spectral broadening for circular polarizations for both Gaussian and doughnut-shaped beams. The multiphoton absorption in fused silica is studied by measuring the total transmission of laser pulses and by the intensity dependence of the self-trapped exciton luminescence observation. The strong polarization dependence of multiphoton transitions fundamentally affects the broadening of the spectrum in solids.
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2
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Peña J, Reyes D, Richardson M. Filamentation in low pressure conditions. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21365. [PMID: 36494395 PMCID: PMC9734164 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19765-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Filamentation is favorable for many long-range outdoor laser applications, some of which require propagation to or at high altitudes. Understanding how the filamentation process and filament properties are impacted by the low pressure conditions present at high altitudes is essential in designing effective applications. The scaling of filament preconditions with pressure is considered. An increase in critical power and decrease in transition numerical aperture (NA) is predicted to occur with a drop in pressure, indicating that nonlinear pulse propagation and filamentation at high altitudes requires higher energy and a longer assisted focal length than sea level filamentation. A summary of pressure-scaled filament properties is also presented. New simulations demonstrate filamentation at pressures as low as 0.0035 atm (38.5 km altitude) is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Peña
- grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, Center for Directed Energy, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816 USA
| | - Danielle Reyes
- grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, Center for Directed Energy, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816 USA ,grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Physics Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816 USA
| | - Martin Richardson
- grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, Center for Directed Energy, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816 USA ,grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Physics Department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816 USA
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Qi P, Qian W, Guo L, Xue J, Zhang N, Wang Y, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Lin L, Sun C, Zhu L, Liu W. Sensing with Femtosecond Laser Filamentation. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22187076. [PMID: 36146424 PMCID: PMC9504994 DOI: 10.3390/s22187076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Femtosecond laser filamentation is a unique nonlinear optical phenomenon when high-power ultrafast laser propagation in all transparent optical media. During filamentation in the atmosphere, the ultrastrong field of 1013-1014 W/cm2 with a large distance ranging from meter to kilometers can effectively ionize, break, and excite the molecules and fragments, resulting in characteristic fingerprint emissions, which provide a great opportunity for investigating strong-field molecules interaction in complicated environments, especially remote sensing. Additionally, the ultrastrong intensity inside the filament can damage almost all the detectors and ignite various intricate higher order nonlinear optical effects. These extreme physical conditions and complicated phenomena make the sensing and controlling of filamentation challenging. This paper mainly focuses on recent research advances in sensing with femtosecond laser filamentation, including fundamental physics, sensing and manipulating methods, typical filament-based sensing techniques and application scenarios, opportunities, and challenges toward the filament-based remote sensing under different complicated conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Qi
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Wenqi Qian
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Lanjun Guo
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Jiayun Xue
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yuezheng Wang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Sensor and Sensing Network Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Zeliang Zhang
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Lie Lin
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Sensor and Sensing Network Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Changlin Sun
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-Scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
- National Key Laboratory of Shock Wave and Detonation Physics, Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Liguo Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Shock Wave and Detonation Physics, Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, China
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Institute of Modern Optics, Eye Institute, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Sensor and Sensing Network Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
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Li D, Chang J, Li D, Ji L, Liang W, Xu L, Zhang L, Xi T, Hao Z. Intense vector supercontinuum radiation from femtosecond filamentation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 30:17567-17576. [PMID: 36221576 DOI: 10.1364/oe.457333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Intense vector supercontinuum (SC) radiation with spatial polarization is obtained by using 800nm femtosecond vector laser beams in the air. The SC generated by azimuthally, radially, cylindrically polarized beams, and higher-order vector beams are investigated, respectively. The results show that the SC generated by vector beams is greatly enhanced compared to that by a Gaussian beam. The energy density of SC radiation reaches the order of 1µJ/nm in a bandwidth of 258 nm from 559 nm to 817 nm and 0.1 µJ/nm from 500 nm to 559 nm. Furthermore, by checking the polarization distribution of SC in different wavelengths from visible to near-infrared bands, we find that the SC maintains nearly the same polarization distribution as pump pulses. This work provides an effective and convenient way to generate powerful SC vector beams which may facilitate potential applications including optical communication, micro/nano-fabrication, and super-resolution microscopy.
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Chen N, Wang TJ, Zhu Z, Guo H, Liu Y, Yin F, Sun H, Leng Y, Li R. Laser ellipticity-dependent supercontinuum generation by femtosecond laser filamentation in air. OPTICS LETTERS 2020; 45:4444-4447. [PMID: 32796979 DOI: 10.1364/ol.399206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We experimentally investigate the laser polarization effect on the supercontinuum (SC) generation through femtosecond laser filamentation in air. By tuning filamenting laser ellipticity from linear polarization to circular polarization, the spectral intensity of the SC after filamentation gradually increases, while the spectral bandwidth of the SC continuously decreases. The laser ellipticity-dependent spectral intensity modulation of the SC is stronger at higher filamenting pulse energy. Laser energy deposits more in linearly polarized laser filaments than in circularly polarized laser filaments. The experimental results are supported by numerical simulations. A physical picture based on the laser ellipticity-dependent clamped intensity inside the filament, together with the Kerr nonlinearity and plasma related self-phase modulations, is proposed to explain the observation.
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Thul D, Richardson M, Rostami Fairchild S. Spatially resolved filament wavefront dynamics. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8920. [PMID: 32488107 PMCID: PMC7265553 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65431-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatially resolved wavefront measurements are presented during nonlinear self-collapse and provide the first detailed characterization of wavefront evolution during filament formation. The wavefront dynamics of key nonlinear processes including Kerr self-focusing, ionization and plasma defocusing, and dynamic spatial replenishment are identified and resolved in both the filament core and reservoir regions. These results are analyzed and interpreted with respect to numerical simulations and provide insight into fundamental aspects of filamentation. They also inform applications based on phase manipulation, such as external beam guiding, and present a new method for measuring the nonlinear index of refraction, n2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Thul
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Martin Richardson
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA.,Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 3012 Engineering St, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Shermineh Rostami Fairchild
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA. .,Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 3012 Engineering St, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA.
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Thul D, Fairchild SR, Richardson M. Direct wavefront measurements of filaments in the assisted-collapse regime. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:21253-21263. [PMID: 31510205 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.021253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Wavefront measurements are used to characterize the process of filament formation in air under assisted-collapse conditions. Direct wavefront evolution within the filament, measured for the first time, is used to characterize the role of energy reservoir in filament formation. This information provides new insights into the filament process and phase sensitive applications such as engineered plasma waveguides.
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Britton M, Laferrière P, Ko DH, Li Z, Kong F, Brown G, Naumov A, Zhang C, Arissian L, Corkum PB. Testing the Role of Recollision in N_{2}^{+} Air Lasing. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 120:133208. [PMID: 29694197 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.133208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
It has been known for many years that during filamentation of femtosecond light pulses in air, gain is observed on the B to X transition in N_{2}^{+}. While the gain mechanism remains unclear, it has been proposed that recollision, a process that is fundamental to much of strong field science, is critical for establishing gain. We probe this hypothesis by directly comparing the influence of the ellipticity of the pump light on gain in air filaments. Then, we decouple filamentation from gain by measuring the gain in a thin gas jet that we also use for high harmonic generation. The latter allows us to compare the dependence of the gain on the ellipticity of the pump with the dependence of the high harmonic signal on the ellipticity of the fundamental. We find that gain and harmonic generation have very different behavior in both filaments and in the jet. In fact, in a jet we even measure gain with circular polarization. Thus, we establish that recollision does not play a significant role in creating the inversion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dong Hyuk Ko
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zhengyan Li
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fanqi Kong
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Graham Brown
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrei Naumov
- National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa K1A 0R6, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chunmei Zhang
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ladan Arissian
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
- National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa K1A 0R6, Ontario, Canada
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131, New Mexico, USA
| | - P B Corkum
- University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
- National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa K1A 0R6, Ontario, Canada
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Robinson TS, Patankar S, Floyd E, Stuart NH, Hopps N, Smith RA. Spectral characterization of a supercontinuum source based on nonlinear broadening in an aqueous K 2ZnCl 4 salt solution. APPLIED OPTICS 2017; 56:9837-9845. [PMID: 29240134 DOI: 10.1364/ao.56.009837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We report on investigations concerning the shot-to-shot spectral stability properties of a supercontinuum source based on nonlinear processes such as self-phase modulation and optical wave-breaking in a highly concentrated K2ZnCl4 double salt solution. The use of a liquid medium offers both damage resistance and high third-order optical nonlinearity. Approximately 40 μJ pulses spanning a spectral range between 390 and 960 nm were produced with 3.8% RMS energy stability, using infrared input pulses of 500±50 fs FWHM durations and 2.42±0.04 mJ energies with an RMS stability of 2%. The spectral stability was quantified via acquiring single-shot spectra and studying shot-to-shot variation across a spectral range of 200-1100 nm, as well as by considering spectral correlations. The regional spectral correlation variations were indicative of nonlinear processes leading to sideband generation. Spectral stability and efficiency of energy transfer into the supercontinuum were found to weakly improve with increasing driver pulse energy, suggesting that the nonlinear broadening processes are more stable when driven more strongly, or that self-guiding effects in a filament help to stabilize the supercontinuum generation.
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Rostami Fairchild S, Walasik W, Kepler D, Baudelet M, Litchinitser NM, Richardson M. Free-Space Nonlinear Beam Combining for High Intensity Projection. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10147. [PMID: 28860660 PMCID: PMC5579033 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10565-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The controlled interaction of two high intensity beams opens new degrees of freedom for manipulating electromagnetic waves in air. The growing number of applications for laser filaments requires fine control of their formation and propagation. We demonstrate, experimentally and theoretically, that the attraction and fusion of two parallel ultrashort beams with initial powers below the critical value (70% Pcritical), in the regime where the non-linear optical characteristics of the medium become dominant, enable the eventual formation of a filament downstream. Filament formation is delayed to a predetermined distance in space, defined by the initial separation between the centroids, while still enabling filaments with controllable properties as if formed from a single above-critical power beam. This is confirmed by experimental and theoretical evidence of filament formation such as the individual beam profiles and the supercontinuum emission spectra associated with this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shermineh Rostami Fairchild
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Wiktor Walasik
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Daniel Kepler
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Matthieu Baudelet
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.,National Center for Forensic Science, Chemistry department, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA
| | - Natalia M Litchinitser
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Martin Richardson
- Laser Plasma Laboratory, Townes Laser Institute, College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, USA.
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