1
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Galán MF, Serrano J, Jarque EC, Borrego-Varillas R, Lucchini M, Reduzzi M, Nisoli M, Brahms C, Travers JC, Hernández-García C, San Roman J. Robust Isolated Attosecond Pulse Generation with Self-Compressed Subcycle Drivers from Hollow Capillary Fibers. ACS PHOTONICS 2024; 11:1673-1683. [PMID: 38645995 PMCID: PMC11027177 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.3c01897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
High-order harmonic generation (HHG) arising from the nonperturbative interaction of intense light fields with matter constitutes a well-established tabletop source of coherent extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray radiation, which is typically emitted as attosecond pulse trains. However, ultrafast applications increasingly demand isolated attosecond pulses (IAPs), which offer great promise for advancing precision control of electron dynamics. Yet, the direct generation of IAPs typically requires the synthesis of near-single-cycle intense driving fields, which is technologically challenging. In this work, we theoretically demonstrate a novel scheme for the straightforward and compact generation of IAPs from multicycle infrared drivers using hollow capillary fibers (HCFs). Starting from a standard, intense multicycle infrared pulse, a light transient is generated by extreme soliton self-compression in a HCF with decreasing pressure and is subsequently used to drive HHG in a gas target. Owing to the subcycle confinement of the HHG process, high-contrast IAPs are continuously emitted almost independently of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the optimally self-compressed drivers. This results in a CEP-robust scheme which is also stable under macroscopic propagation of the high harmonics in a gas target. Our results open the way to a new generation of integrated all-fiber IAP sources, overcoming the efficiency limitations of usual gating techniques for multicycle drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Fernández Galán
- Grupo
de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica,
Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
- Unidad
de Excelencia en Luz y Materia Estructuradas (LUMES), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
| | - Javier Serrano
- Grupo
de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica,
Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
- Unidad
de Excelencia en Luz y Materia Estructuradas (LUMES), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
| | - Enrique Conejero Jarque
- Grupo
de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica,
Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
- Unidad
de Excelencia en Luz y Materia Estructuradas (LUMES), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
| | - Rocío Borrego-Varillas
- Institute
for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Matteo Lucchini
- Institute
for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
- Department
of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Maurizio Reduzzi
- Institute
for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
- Department
of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Mauro Nisoli
- Institute
for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
- Department
of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, Milano, 20133, Italy
| | - Christian Brahms
- School
of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt
University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United
Kingdom
| | - John C. Travers
- School
of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt
University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, United
Kingdom
| | - Carlos Hernández-García
- Grupo
de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica,
Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
- Unidad
de Excelencia en Luz y Materia Estructuradas (LUMES), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
| | - Julio San Roman
- Grupo
de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica,
Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
- Unidad
de Excelencia en Luz y Materia Estructuradas (LUMES), Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, 37008, Spain
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2
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Ritzkowsky F, Bebeti E, Rossi GM, Mainz RE, Suchowski H, Cankaya H, Kärtner FX. Passively CEP stable sub-2-cycle source in the mid-infrared by adiabatic difference frequency generation. OPTICS LETTERS 2023; 48:1870-1873. [PMID: 37221787 DOI: 10.1364/ol.485610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
We report on the generation of a passive carrier-envelope phase (CEP) stable 1.7-cycle pulse in the mid-infrared by adiabatic difference frequency generation. With sole material-based compression, we achieve a sub-2-cycle 16-fs pulse at a center wavelength of 2.7 µm and measured a CEP stability of <190 mrad root mean square. The CEP stabilization performance of an adiabatic downconversion process is characterized for the first time, to the best of our knowledge.
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3
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Skruszewicz S, Przystawik A, Schwickert D, Sumfleth M, Namboodiri M, Hilbert V, Klas R, Gierschke P, Schuster V, Vorobiov A, Haunhorst C, Kip D, Limpert J, Rothhardt J, Laarmann T. Table-top interferometry on extreme time and wavelength scales. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:40333-40344. [PMID: 34809377 DOI: 10.1364/oe.446563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Short-pulse metrology and dynamic studies in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectral range greatly benefit from interferometric measurements. In this contribution a Michelson-type all-reflective split-and-delay autocorrelator operating in a quasi amplitude splitting mode is presented. The autocorrelator works under a grazing incidence angle in a broad spectral range (10 nm - 1 μm) providing collinear propagation of both pulse replicas and thus a constant phase difference across the beam profile. The compact instrument allows for XUV pulse autocorrelation measurements in the time domain with a single-digit attosecond precision and a useful scan length of about 1 ps enabling a decent resolution of E/ΔE = 2000 at 26.6 eV. Its performance for selected spectroscopic applications requiring moderate resolution at short wavelengths is demonstrated by characterizing a sharp electronic transition at 26.6 eV in Ar gas. The absorption of the 11th harmonic of a frequency-doubled Yb-fiber laser leads to the well-known 3s3p64p1P1 Fano resonance of Ar atoms. We benchmark our time-domain interferometry results with a high-resolution XUV grating spectrometer and find an excellent agreement. The common-path interferometer opens up new opportunities for short-wavelength femtosecond and attosecond pulse metrology and dynamic studies on extreme time scales in various research fields.
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4
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Yang Y, Mainz RE, Rossi GM, Scheiba F, Silva-Toledo MA, Keathley PD, Cirmi G, Kärtner FX. Strong-field coherent control of isolated attosecond pulse generation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6641. [PMID: 34789715 PMCID: PMC8599423 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26772-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Attosecond science promises to reveal the most fundamental electronic dynamics occurring in matter and it can develop further by meeting two linked technological goals related to high-order harmonic sources: improved spectral tunability (allowing selectivity in addressing electronic transitions) and higher photon flux (permitting to measure low cross-section processes). New developments come through parametric waveform synthesis, which provides control over the shape of field transients, enabling the creation of highly-tunable isolated attosecond pulses via high-harmonic generation. Here we demonstrate that the first goal is fulfilled since central energy, spectral bandwidth/shape and temporal duration of isolated attosecond pulses can be controlled by shaping the laser waveform via two key parameters: the relative-phase between two halves of the multi-octave spanning spectrum, and the overall carrier-envelope phase. These results not only promise to expand the experimental possibilities in attosecond science, but also demonstrate coherent strong-field control of free-electron trajectories using tailored optical waveforms. Attosecond pulse generation needs improvements both in terms of tunability and photon flux for next level attosecond experiments. Here the authors show how to control the HHG emission and its spectral-temporal characteristics by driving the IAP generation with synthesized sub-cycle optical pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudong Yang
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roland E Mainz
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Giulio Maria Rossi
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Scheiba
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Miguel A Silva-Toledo
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Phillip D Keathley
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Giovanni Cirmi
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franz X Kärtner
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany. .,Physics Department and The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761, Hamburg, Germany.
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5
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Dorney KM, Fan T, Nguyen QLD, Ellis JL, Hickstein DD, Brooks N, Zusin D, Gentry C, Hernández-García C, Kapteyn HC, Murnane MM. Bright, single helicity, high harmonics driven by mid-infrared bicircular laser fields. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:38119-38128. [PMID: 34808871 DOI: 10.1364/oe.440813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
High-harmonic generation (HHG) is a unique tabletop light source with femtosecond-to-attosecond pulse duration and tailorable polarization and beam shape. Here, we use counter-rotating femtosecond laser pulses of 0.8 µm and 2.0 μm to extend the photon energy range of circularly polarized high-harmonics and also generate single-helicity HHG spectra. By driving HHG in helium, we produce circularly polarized soft x-ray harmonics beyond 170 eV-the highest photon energy of circularly polarized HHG achieved to date. In an Ar medium, dense spectra at photon energies well beyond the Cooper minimum are generated, with regions composed of a single helicity-consistent with the generation of a train of circularly polarized attosecond pulses. Finally, we show theoretically that circularly polarized HHG photon energies can extend beyond the carbon K edge, extending the range of molecular and materials systems that can be accessed using dynamic HHG chiral spectro-microscopies.
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6
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Zhou Y, Qin Z, Yuan P, Ma J, Xie G. 2-MW peak-power pulses from a dispersion-managed fluoride fiber amplifier at 2.8 µm. OPTICS LETTERS 2021; 46:5104-5107. [PMID: 34653126 DOI: 10.1364/ol.440029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We report on a scheme of pulse amplification and simultaneous self-compression in fluoride fiber for generating a high-peak-power pulse at 2.8-µm wavelength. We find dispersion management plays a key role for the amplification and self-compression process. Through dispersion management with a Ge rod, pulse amplification and simultaneous pulse self-compression were realized in the small anomalous dispersion region. A 2-MW peak-power pulse was achieved through amplification and self-compression in Er:ZBLAN fiber, with pulse energy of 101 nJ and pulse duration of 49 fs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest peak power obtained from fluoride fiber at 2.8 µm, and will benefit a series of applications.
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7
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Belmiro Chu CT, Sheu YL, Chu SI. Bayesian optimal control of the ultrashort circularly polarized attosecond pulse generation by two-color polarization gating. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:32900-32909. [PMID: 34809112 DOI: 10.1364/oe.438212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We present ab initio simulations of optimal control of high-order-harmonic generation spectra that enable the synthesis of a circularly polarized 53-attosecond pulse in a single Helium atom response. The Bayesian optimization is used to achieve control of a two-color polarization gating laser waveform such that a series of harmonics in the plateau region are phase-matched, which can be used for attosecond pulse synthesis. To find the underlying mechanisms for generating these harmonics, we perform a wavelet analysis for the induced dipole moment in acceleration form, and compare the time-energy representation with the quantum paths extracted from the semiclassical calculation. We found that these coherent harmonics are excited along the short trajectories. The proposed method has the potential to migrate to laboratories for generation of isolated circularly polarized ultrashort attosecond pulses.
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8
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Chevreuil PA, Brunner F, Hrisafov S, Pupeikis J, Phillips CR, Keller U, Gallmann L. Water-window high harmonic generation with 0.8-µm and 2.2-µm OPCPAs at 100 kHz. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:32996-33008. [PMID: 34809120 DOI: 10.1364/oe.440273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We compare the generation of high-order harmonics in the water window (283-543 eV) with 0.8-µm and 2.2-µm few-cycle lasers at a pulse repetition rate of 100 kHz. Using conventional phase matching with the 2.2-µm driver and what we attribute to nonadiabatic self-phase-matching with the 0.8-µm driver, photons up to 0.6 keV (2 nm) are generated in both cases. Special attention is paid to the understanding of the generation mechanism with the 0.8-µm laser amplifier system. We use the same beamline and pump laser for both drivers, which allows for a direct flux comparison at the two driving wavelengths. For photon energies around 280 eV, a 10-100 times higher flux is obtained from the 2.2-µm versus the 0.8-µm laser system in helium and neon. The crossover at which the 2.2-µm yields a higher flux compared to the 0.8-µm driver is found to be as high as 0.2 keV. Our study supports the common approach of using long-wavelength lasers in a phase-matched regime for efficient generation of water-window harmonics, but also shows that the more widespread 0.8-µm wavelength can be used to generate water-window harmonics with an efficiency close to the one of a less common 2.2-µm source.
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9
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Boyero-García R, Zurrón-Cifuentes O, Plaja L, Hernández-García C. Transverse phase matching of high-order harmonic generation in single-layer graphene. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:2488-2500. [PMID: 33726443 DOI: 10.1364/oe.412639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The efficiency of high-harmonic generation (HHG) from a macroscopic sample is strongly linked to the proper phase matching of the contributions from the microscopic emitters. We develop a combined micro+macroscopic theoretical model that allows us to distinguish the relevance of high-order harmonic phase matching in single-layer graphene. For a Gaussian driving beam, our simulations show that the relevant HHG emission is spatially constrained to a phase-matched ring around the beam axis. This remarkable finding is a direct consequence of the non-perturbative behavior of HHG in graphene-whose harmonic efficiency scaling is similar to that already observed in gases- and bridges the gap between the microscopic and macroscopic HHG in single-layer graphene.
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10
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Venzke J, Becker A, Jaron-Becker A. Asymmetries in ionization of atomic superposition states by ultrashort laser pulses. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16164. [PMID: 32999393 PMCID: PMC7527981 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73196-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in ultrafast science allows for probing quantum superposition states with ultrashort laser pulses in the new regime where several linear and nonlinear ionization pathways compete. Interferences of pathways can be observed in the photoelectron angular distribution and in the past they have been analyzed for atoms and molecules in a single quantum state via anisotropy and asymmetry parameters. Those conventional parameters, however, do not provide comprehensive tools for probing superposition states in the emerging research area of bright and ultrashort light sources, such as free-electron lasers and high-order harmonic generation. We propose a new set of generalized asymmetry parameters which are sensitive to interference effects in the photoionization and the interplay of competing pathways as the laser pulse duration is shortened and the laser intensity is increased. The relevance of the parameters is demonstrated using results of state-of-the-art numerical solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for ionization of helium atom and neon atom.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Venzke
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0440, USA.
| | - A Becker
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0440, USA
| | - A Jaron-Becker
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0440, USA
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11
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Gorlach A, Neufeld O, Rivera N, Cohen O, Kaminer I. The quantum-optical nature of high harmonic generation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4598. [PMID: 32929065 PMCID: PMC7490274 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18218-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
High harmonic generation (HHG) is an extremely nonlinear effect generating coherent broadband radiation and pulse durations reaching attosecond timescales. Conventional models of HHG that treat the driving and emitted fields classically are usually very successful but inherently cannot capture the quantum-optical nature of the process. Although prior work considered quantum HHG, it remains unknown in what conditions the spectral and statistical properties of the radiation depart considerably from the known phenomenology of HHG. The discovery of such conditions could lead to novel sources of attosecond light having squeezing and entanglement. Here, we present a fully-quantum theory of extreme nonlinear optics, predicting quantum effects that alter both the spectrum and photon statistics of HHG, thus departing from all previous approaches. We predict the emission of shifted frequency combs and identify spectral features arising from the breakdown of the dipole approximation for the emission. Our results show that each frequency component of HHG can be bunched and squeezed and that each emitted photon is a superposition of all frequencies in the spectrum, i.e., each photon is a comb. Our general approach is applicable to a wide range of nonlinear optical processes, paving the way towards novel quantum phenomena in extreme nonlinear optics. Conventional models of high harmonic generation typically do not provide a full quantum description of all phenomena. Here, the authors develop a fully quantum theory for high harmonic generation and use it to study the emission from a quantum system in a strong field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Gorlach
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ofer Neufeld
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nicholas Rivera
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Oren Cohen
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ido Kaminer
- Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel.
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12
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Mashiko H, Chen MC, Asaga K, Oshima A, Katayama I, Takeda J, Nishikawa T, Oguri K. Spatially resolved spectral phase interferometry with an isolated attosecond pulse. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:21025-21034. [PMID: 32680150 DOI: 10.1364/oe.393922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate spatially resolved supercontinuum spectral phase interferometry with an isolated attosecond pulse (IAP). The measured spatial-spectral interferogram over the broadband region indicates a high degree of IAP coherence in both spatial and spectral domains. In addition, the spectral-delay interferogram shows periodic temporal oscillations over the full IAP continuous spectrum, which indicates high temporal coherence. The supercontinuum spectral phase interferometry with broadband IAP will contribute to exploring spatiotemporal dispersive electronic dynamics through phase-based spectroscopy in the future.
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13
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Joyce T, Jaron-Becker A. Macroscopic properties of high-order harmonic generation from molecular ions. OPTICS LETTERS 2020; 45:1954-1957. [PMID: 32236040 DOI: 10.1364/ol.388758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
High harmonic spectroscopy utilizes the extremely nonlinear optical process of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) to measure complex attosecond-scale dynamics within the emitting atom or molecule subject to a strong laser field. However, it can be difficult to compare theory and experiment, since the dynamics under investigation are often very sensitive to the laser intensity, which inevitably varies over the Gaussian profile of a typical laser beam. This discrepancy would usually be resolved by so-called macroscopic HHG simulations, but such methods almost always use a simplified model of the internal dynamics of the molecule, which is not necessarily applicable for high harmonic spectroscopy. In this Letter, we extend the existing framework of macroscopic HHG so that high-accuracy ab initio calculations can be used as the microscopic input. This new (to the best of our knowledge) approach is applied to a recent theoretical prediction involving the HHG spectra of open-shell molecules undergoing nonadiabatic dynamics. We demonstrate that the predicted features in the HHG spectrum unambiguously survive macroscopic response calculations, and furthermore they exhibit a nontrivial angular pattern in the far field.
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14
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Xue B, Tamaru Y, Fu Y, Yuan H, Lan P, Mücke OD, Suda A, Midorikawa K, Takahashi EJ. Fully stabilized multi-TW optical waveform synthesizer: Toward gigawatt isolated attosecond pulses. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay2802. [PMID: 32494595 PMCID: PMC7164932 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay2802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A stable 50-mJ three-channel optical waveform synthesizer is demonstrated and used to reproducibly generate a high-order harmonic supercontinuum in the soft x-ray region. This synthesizer is composed of pump pulses from a 10-Hz repetition-rate Ti:sapphire pump laser and signal and idler pulses from an infrared two-stage optical parametric amplifier driven by this pump laser. With full active stabilization of all relative time delays, relative phases, and the carrier-envelope phase, a shot-to-shot stable intense continuum harmonic spectrum is obtained around 60 eV with pulse energy above 0.24 μJ. The peak power of the soft x-ray continuum is evaluated to be beyond 1 GW with a 170-as transform limit duration. We found a characteristic delay dependence of the multicycle waveform synthesizer and established its control scheme. Compared with the one-color case, we experimentally observe an enhancement of the cutoff spectrum intensity by one to two orders of magnitude using three-color waveform synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Xue
- Attosecond Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 3510198, Japan
| | - Yuuki Tamaru
- Attosecond Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 3510198, Japan
- Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
| | - Yuxi Fu
- Attosecond Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 3510198, Japan
| | - Hua Yuan
- School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory of Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Pengfei Lan
- School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory of Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Oliver D. Mücke
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Akira Suda
- Department of Physics, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan
| | - Katsumi Midorikawa
- Attosecond Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 3510198, Japan
| | - Eiji J. Takahashi
- Attosecond Science Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 3510198, Japan
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15
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Geneaux R, Marroux HJB, Guggenmos A, Neumark DM, Leone SR. Transient absorption spectroscopy using high harmonic generation: a review of ultrafast X-ray dynamics in molecules and solids. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2019; 377:20170463. [PMID: 30929624 PMCID: PMC6452051 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2017.0463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Attosecond science opened the door to observing nuclear and electronic dynamics in real time and has begun to expand beyond its traditional grounds. Among several spectroscopic techniques, X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy has become key in understanding matter on ultrafast time scales. In this review, we illustrate the capabilities of this unique tool through a number of iconic experiments. We outline how coherent broadband X-ray radiation, emitted in high-harmonic generation, can be used to follow dynamics in increasingly complex systems. Experiments performed in both molecules and solids are discussed at length, on time scales ranging from attoseconds to picoseconds, and in perturbative or strong-field excitation regimes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measurement of ultrafast electronic and structural dynamics with X-rays'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Geneaux
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
| | - Hugo J. B. Marroux
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
| | - Alexander Guggenmos
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
| | - Daniel M. Neumark
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
| | - Stephen R. Leone
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley 94720, CA, USA
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16
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Schoenlein R, Elsaesser T, Holldack K, Huang Z, Kapteyn H, Murnane M, Woerner M. Recent advances in ultrafast X-ray sources. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2019; 377:20180384. [PMID: 30929633 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2018.0384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Over more than a century, X-rays have transformed our understanding of the fundamental structure of matter and have been an indispensable tool for chemistry, physics, biology, materials science and related fields. Recent advances in ultrafast X-ray sources operating in the femtosecond to attosecond regimes have opened an important new frontier in X-ray science. These advances now enable: (i) sensitive probing of structural dynamics in matter on the fundamental timescales of atomic motion, (ii) element-specific probing of electronic structure and charge dynamics on fundamental timescales of electronic motion, and (iii) powerful new approaches for unravelling the coupling between electronic and atomic structural dynamics that underpin the properties and function of matter. Most notable is the recent realization of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) with numerous new XFEL facilities in operation or under development worldwide. Advances in XFELs are complemented by advances in synchrotron-based and table-top laser-plasma X-ray sources now operating in the femtosecond regime, and laser-based high-order harmonic XUV sources operating in the attosecond regime. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measurement of ultrafast electronic and structural dynamics with X-rays'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Schoenlein
- 1 SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 , USA
| | - Thomas Elsaesser
- 2 Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie , 12489 Berlin , Germany
| | - Karsten Holldack
- 3 Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH , Albert-Einstein-Strasse 15, 12489 Berlin , Germany
| | - Zhirong Huang
- 1 SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory , 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 , USA
| | - Henry Kapteyn
- 4 Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado , Boulder, CO 80309-0440 , USA
| | - Margaret Murnane
- 4 Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado , Boulder, CO 80309-0440 , USA
| | - Michael Woerner
- 2 Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie , 12489 Berlin , Germany
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17
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Collimated ultrabright gamma rays from electron wiggling along a petawatt laser-irradiated wire in the QED regime. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:9911-9916. [PMID: 30224456 PMCID: PMC6176611 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1809649115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though bright X-rays below mega-electron volt photon energy can be obtained from X-ray free electron lasers and synchrotron radiation facilities, it remains a great challenge to generate collimated bright gamma-ray beams over 10 mega-electron volts. We propose a scheme to efficiently generate such beams from submicron wires irradiated by petawatt lasers, where electron accelerating and wiggling are achieved simultaneously. With significant quantum electrodynamics effects existing even with petawatt lasers, our full 3D simulations show that directional gamma rays can be generated with thousand-fold higher brilliance and thousand-fold higher photon energy than those from synchrotron radiation facilities. In addition, the photon yield efficiency approaches 10%, 100,000-fold higher than those typical from betatron radiation and Compton scattering based on laser-wakefield accelerators. Even though high-quality X- and gamma rays with photon energy below mega-electron volt (MeV) are available from large-scale X-ray free electron lasers and synchrotron radiation facilities, it remains a great challenge to generate bright gamma rays over 10 MeV. Recently, gamma rays with energies up to the MeV level were observed in Compton scattering experiments based on laser wakefield accelerators, but the yield efficiency was as low as 10−6, owing to low charge of the electron beam. Here, we propose a scheme to efficiently generate gamma rays of hundreds of MeV from submicrometer wires irradiated by petawatt lasers, where electron accelerating and wiggling are achieved simultaneously. The wiggling is caused by the quasistatic electric and magnetic fields induced around the wire surface, and these are so high that even quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects become significant for gamma-ray generation, although the driving lasers are only at the petawatt level. Our full 3D simulations show that directional, ultrabright gamma rays are generated, containing 1012 photons between 5 and 500 MeV within a 10-fs duration. The brilliance, up to 1027 photons s−1 mrad−2 mm−2 per 0.1% bandwidth at an average photon energy of 20 MeV, is second only to X-ray free electron lasers, while the photon energy is 3 orders of magnitude higher than the latter. In addition, the gamma ray yield efficiency approaches 10%—that is, 5 orders of magnitude higher than the Compton scattering based on laser wakefield accelerators. Such high-energy, ultrabright, femtosecond-duration gamma rays may find applications in nuclear photonics, radiotherapy, and laboratory astrophysics.
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18
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Monfared M, Irani E, Sadighi-Bonabi R. Controlling the multi-electron dynamics in the high harmonic spectrum from N 2O molecule using TDDFT. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:234303. [PMID: 29935508 DOI: 10.1063/1.5025155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, high harmonic generation from a multi-atomic nitrous oxide molecule was investigated. A comprehensive three-dimensional calculation of the molecular dynamics and electron trajectories through an accurate time-dependent density functional theory was conducted to efficiently explore a broad harmonic plateau. The effects of multi-electron and inner orbitals on the harmonic spectrum and generated coherent attosecond pulses were analyzed. The role of the valence electrons in controlling the process and extending the harmonic plateau was investigated. The main issue of producing a super-continuum harmonic spectrum via a frequency shift was considered. The time-frequency representation by means of a wavelet transform of the induced dipole acceleration provided a good insight into the distorted effects from the nonlinear processes in high harmonic emission. The effect of the chirped laser pulse on the production of broadband amplitude was justified in this model. By adjusting the optimal laser parameters to an input intensity of 2.5 × 1014 W cm-2, an isolated 68 as pulse was generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Monfared
- Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-9567, Tehran, Iran
| | - E Irani
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-175, Tehran, Iran
| | - R Sadighi-Bonabi
- Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11365-9567, Tehran, Iran
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19
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Johnson AS, Austin DR, Wood DA, Brahms C, Gregory A, Holzner KB, Jarosch S, Larsen EW, Parker S, Strüber CS, Ye P, Tisch JWG, Marangos JP. High-flux soft x-ray harmonic generation from ionization-shaped few-cycle laser pulses. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaar3761. [PMID: 29756033 PMCID: PMC5947981 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar3761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Laser-driven high-harmonic generation provides the only demonstrated route to generating stable, tabletop attosecond x-ray pulses but has low flux compared to other x-ray technologies. We show that high-harmonic generation can produce higher photon energies and flux by using higher laser intensities than are typical, strongly ionizing the medium and creating plasma that reshapes the driving laser field. We obtain high harmonics capable of supporting attosecond pulses up to photon energies of 600 eV and a photon flux inside the water window (284 to 540 eV) 10 times higher than previous attosecond sources. We demonstrate that operating in this regime is key for attosecond pulse generation in the x-ray range and will become increasingly important as harmonic generation moves to fields that drive even longer wavelengths.
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20
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Popmintchev D, Galloway BR, Chen MC, Dollar F, Mancuso CA, Hankla A, Miaja-Avila L, O'Neil G, Shaw JM, Fan G, Ališauskas S, Andriukaitis G, Balčiunas T, Mücke OD, Pugzlys A, Baltuška A, Kapteyn HC, Popmintchev T, Murnane MM. Near- and Extended-Edge X-Ray-Absorption Fine-Structure Spectroscopy Using Ultrafast Coherent High-Order Harmonic Supercontinua. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 120:093002. [PMID: 29547333 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.120.093002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in high-order harmonic generation have made it possible to use a tabletop-scale setup to produce spatially and temporally coherent beams of light with bandwidth spanning 12 octaves, from the ultraviolet up to x-ray photon energies >1.6 keV. Here we demonstrate the use of this light for x-ray-absorption spectroscopy at the K- and L-absorption edges of solids at photon energies near 1 keV. We also report x-ray-absorption spectroscopy in the water window spectral region (284-543 eV) using a high flux high-order harmonic generation x-ray supercontinuum with 10^{9} photons/s in 1% bandwidth, 3 orders of magnitude larger than has previously been possible using tabletop sources. Since this x-ray radiation emerges as a single attosecond-to-femtosecond pulse with peak brightness exceeding 10^{26} photons/s/mrad^{2}/mm^{2}/1% bandwidth, these novel coherent x-ray sources are ideal for probing the fastest molecular and materials processes on femtosecond-to-attosecond time scales and picometer length scales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ming-Chang Chen
- National Tsing Hua University, Institute of Photonics Technologies, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Franklin Dollar
- JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | | | - Amelia Hankla
- JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | - Luis Miaja-Avila
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - Galen O'Neil
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - Justin M Shaw
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305, USA
| | - Guangyu Fan
- Photonics Institute, TU Wien, Gusshausstrasse 27-387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Skirmantas Ališauskas
- Photonics Institute, TU Wien, Gusshausstrasse 27-387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Tadas Balčiunas
- Photonics Institute, TU Wien, Gusshausstrasse 27-387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Oliver D Mücke
- Center for Free Electron Laser Science (CFEL), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, D-22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Audrius Pugzlys
- Photonics Institute, TU Wien, Gusshausstrasse 27-387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrius Baltuška
- Photonics Institute, TU Wien, Gusshausstrasse 27-387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Henry C Kapteyn
- JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | - Tenio Popmintchev
- JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | - Margaret M Murnane
- JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
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21
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Hajima R, Nagai R. Generating Carrier-Envelope-Phase Stabilized Few-Cycle Pulses from a Free-Electron Laser Oscillator. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2017; 119:204802. [PMID: 29219380 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.119.204802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We propose a scheme to generate carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) stabilized few-cycle optical pulses from a free-electron laser oscillator. The CEP stabilization is realized by the continuous injection of CEP-stabilized seed pulses from an external laser to the free-electron laser oscillator whose cavity length is perfectly synchronized to the electron bunch repetition. Operated at a midinfrared wavelength, the proposed method is able to drive a photon source based on high harmonic generation (HHG) to explore the generation of isolated attosecond pulses at photon energies above 1 keV with a repetition of >10 MHz. The HHG photon source will open a door to full-scale experiments of attosecond x-ray pulses and push ultrafast laser science to the zeptosecond regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoichi Hajima
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 3191106 Japan
| | - Ryoji Nagai
- National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 3191106 Japan
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22
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Dorney KM, Ellis JL, Hernández-García C, Hickstein DD, Mancuso CA, Brooks N, Fan T, Fan G, Zusin D, Gentry C, Grychtol P, Kapteyn HC, Murnane MM. Helicity-Selective Enhancement and Polarization Control of Attosecond High Harmonic Waveforms Driven by Bichromatic Circularly Polarized Laser Fields. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2017; 119:063201. [PMID: 28949633 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.119.063201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
High harmonics driven by two-color counterrotating circularly polarized laser fields are a unique source of bright, circularly polarized, extreme ultraviolet, and soft x-ray beams, where the individual harmonics themselves are completely circularly polarized. Here, we demonstrate the ability to preferentially select either the right or left circularly polarized harmonics simply by adjusting the relative intensity ratio of the bichromatic circularly polarized driving laser field. In the frequency domain, this significantly enhances the harmonic orders that rotate in the same direction as the higher-intensity driving laser. In the time domain, this helicity-dependent enhancement corresponds to control over the polarization of the resulting attosecond waveforms. This helicity control enables the generation of circularly polarized high harmonics with a user-defined polarization of the underlying attosecond bursts. In the future, this technique should allow for the production of bright highly elliptical harmonic supercontinua as well as the generation of isolated elliptically polarized attosecond pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Dorney
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Jennifer L Ellis
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Carlos Hernández-García
- Grupo de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica, Departamento de Física Aplicada, University of Salamanca, E-37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Daniel D Hickstein
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Christopher A Mancuso
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Nathan Brooks
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Tingting Fan
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Guangyu Fan
- Photonics Institute, Vienna University of Technology, A-1040 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dmitriy Zusin
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Christian Gentry
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Patrik Grychtol
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Henry C Kapteyn
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Margaret M Murnane
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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23
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Hernández-García C, Popmintchev T, Murnane MM, Kapteyn HC, Plaja L, Becker A, Jaron-Becker A. Isolated broadband attosecond pulse generation with near- and mid-infrared driver pulses via time-gated phase matching. OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 25:11855-11866. [PMID: 28788745 DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.011855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We present a theoretical analysis of the time-gated phase matching (ionization gating) mechanism in high-order harmonic generation for the isolation of attosecond pulses at near-infrared and mid-infrared driver wavelengths, for both few-cycle and multi-cycle driving laser pulses. Results of our high harmonic generation and three-dimensional propagation simulations show that broadband isolated pulses spanning from the extreme-ultraviolet well into the soft X-ray region of the spectrum can be generated for both few-cycle and multi-cycle laser pulses. We demonstrate the key role of absorption and group velocity matching for generating bright, isolated, attosecond pulses using long wavelength multi-cycle pulses. Finally, we show that this technique is robust against carrier-envelope phase and peak intensity variations.
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24
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Nisoli M, Decleva P, Calegari F, Palacios A, Martín F. Attosecond Electron Dynamics in Molecules. Chem Rev 2017; 117:10760-10825. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 261] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Nisoli
- Department
of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, IFN-CNR, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Piero Decleva
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Universitá di Trieste and IOM- CNR, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesca Calegari
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies, IFN-CNR, 20133 Milano, Italy
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, DESY, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department
of Physics, University of Hamburg, 20355 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alicia Palacios
- Departamento
de Química, Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Martín
- Departamento
de Química, Módulo 13, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Condensed
Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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25
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Li W, Li Y, Xu Y, Guo X, Lu J, Wang P, Leng Y. Design and simulation of a single-cycle source tunable from 2 to 10 micrometers. OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 25:7101-7111. [PMID: 28381050 DOI: 10.1364/oe.25.007101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We present the design of a novel single-cycle infrared source tunable from 2 to 10 μm. We simulate the optical parametric amplification (OPA) in BBO and the difference frequency generation (DFG) in AGS based on coupled second-order three-wave nonlinear propagation equations. We combine this with the unidirectional pulse propagation equation, which models the generation of the initial supercontinuum seed in sapphire and the final self-compression in YAG, ZnS, and GaAs, respectively. The obtained results indicate that single-cycle pulses can be produced in a tunable range of 2 to 10 μm.
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26
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Archipovaite GM, Petit S, Delagnes JC, Cormier E. 100 kHz Yb-fiber laser pumped 3 μm optical parametric amplifier for probing solid-state systems in the strong field regime. OPTICS LETTERS 2017; 42:891-894. [PMID: 28248324 DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.000891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We report on a laser source operating at 100 kHz repetition rate and delivering 8 μJ few-cycle mid-IR pulses at 3 μm. The system is based on optical parametric amplification pumped by a high repetition rate Yb-doped femtosecond fiber-chirped amplifier. This high-intensity ultrafast system is a promising tool for strong-field experiments (up to 50 GV/m and 186 T) in low ionization potential atomic and molecular systems, or solid-state physics with coincidence measurements. As a proof of principle, up to the sixth harmonic has been generated in a 1 mm zinc selenide sample.
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27
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Jin C, Hong KH, Lin CD. Optimal generation of spatially coherent soft X-ray isolated attosecond pulses in a gas-filled waveguide using two-color synthesized laser pulses. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38165. [PMID: 27929036 PMCID: PMC5144061 DOI: 10.1038/srep38165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We numerically demonstrate the generation of intense, low-divergence soft X-ray isolated attosecond pulses in a gas-filled hollow waveguide using synthesized few-cycle two-color laser waveforms. The waveform is a superposition of a fundamental and its second harmonic optimized such that highest harmonic yields are emitted from each atom. We then optimize the gas pressure and the length and radius of the waveguide such that bright coherent high-order harmonics with angular divergence smaller than 1 mrad are generated, for photon energy from the extreme ultraviolet to soft X-rays. By selecting a proper spectral range enhanced isolated attosecond pulses are generated. We study how dynamic phase matching caused by the interplay among waveguide mode, neutral atomic dispersion, and plasma effect is achieved at the optimal macroscopic conditions, by performing time-frequency analysis and by analyzing the evolution of the driving laser's electric field during the propagation. Our results, when combined with the on-going push of high-repetition-rate lasers (sub- to few MHz's) may eventually lead to the generation of high-flux, low-divergence soft X-ray tabletop isolated attosecond pulses for applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Jin
- Department of Applied Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210094, P. R. China
| | - Kyung-Han Hong
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - C. D. Lin
- J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
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28
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Attosecond streaking measurement of extreme ultraviolet pulses using a long-wavelength electric field. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35594. [PMID: 27752115 PMCID: PMC5067518 DOI: 10.1038/srep35594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-wavelength lasers have great potential to become a new-generation drive laser for tabletop coherent light sources in the soft X-ray region. Because of the significantly low conversion efficiency from a long-wavelength light field to high-order harmonics, their pulse characterization has been carried out by measuring the carrier-envelope phase and/or spatial dependences of high harmonic spectra. However, these photon detection schemes, in general, have difficulty in obtaining information on the spectral phases, which is crucial to determine the temporal structures of high-order harmonics. Here, we report the first attosecond streaking measurement of high harmonics generated by few-cycle optical pulses at 1.7 μm from a BiB3O6-based optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier. This is also the first demonstration of time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy using high harmonics from a long-wavelength drive laser other than Ti:sapphire lasers, which paves the way towards ultrafast soft X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
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29
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Mancuso CA, Dorney KM, Hickstein DD, Chaloupka JL, Ellis JL, Dollar FJ, Knut R, Grychtol P, Zusin D, Gentry C, Gopalakrishnan M, Kapteyn HC, Murnane MM. Controlling Nonsequential Double Ionization in Two-Color Circularly Polarized Femtosecond Laser Fields. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2016; 117:133201. [PMID: 27715086 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.117.133201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Atoms undergoing strong-field ionization in two-color circularly polarized femtosecond laser fields exhibit unique two-dimensional photoelectron trajectories and can emit bright circularly polarized extreme ultraviolet and soft-x-ray beams. In this Letter, we present the first experimental observation of nonsequential double ionization in these tailored laser fields. Moreover, we can enhance or suppress nonsequential double ionization by changing the intensity ratio and helicity of the two driving laser fields to maximize or minimize high-energy electron-ion rescattering. Our experimental results are explained through classical simulations, which also provide insight into how to optimize the generation of circularly polarized high harmonic beams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Mancuso
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Kevin M Dorney
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Daniel D Hickstein
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Jan L Chaloupka
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado 80639, USA
| | - Jennifer L Ellis
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Franklin J Dollar
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Ronny Knut
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Patrik Grychtol
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Dmitriy Zusin
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Christian Gentry
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | | | - Henry C Kapteyn
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
| | - Margaret M Murnane
- JILA, Department of Physics, University of Colorado and NIST, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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30
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Galloway BR, Popmintchev D, Pisanty E, Hickstein DD, Murnane MM, Kapteyn HC, Popmintchev T. Lorentz drift compensation in high harmonic generation in the soft and hard X-ray regions of the spectrum. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:21818-21832. [PMID: 27661918 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.021818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We present a semi-classical study of the effects of the Lorentz force on electrons during high harmonic generation in the soft and hard X-ray regions driven by near- and mid-infrared lasers with wavelengths from 0.8 to 20 μm, and at intensities below 1015 W/cm2. The transverse extent of the longitudinal Lorentz drift is compared for both Gaussian focus and waveguide geometries. Both geometries exhibit a longitudinal electric field component that cancels the magnetic Lorentz drift in some regions of the focus, once each full optical cycle. We show that the Lorentz force contributes a super-Gaussian scaling which acts in addition to the dominant high harmonic flux scaling of λ-(5-6) due to quantum diffusion. We predict that the high harmonic yield will be reduced for driving wavelengths > 6 μm, and that the presence of dynamic spatial mode asymmetries results in the generation of both even and odd harmonic orders. Remarkably, we show that under realistic conditions, the recollision process can be controlled and does not shut off completely even for wavelengths >10 μm and recollision energies greater than 15 keV.
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31
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Ramasesha K, Leone SR, Neumark DM. Real-Time Probing of Electron Dynamics Using Attosecond Time-Resolved Spectroscopy. Annu Rev Phys Chem 2016; 67:41-63. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physchem-040215-112025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Krupa Ramasesha
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720;
- Combustion Research Facility, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94550
| | - Stephen R. Leone
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720;
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Daniel M. Neumark
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720;
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720
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32
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Abstract
Attosecond light pulses in the extreme ultraviolet have drawn a great deal of
attention due to their ability to interrogate electronic dynamics in real time.
Nevertheless, to follow charge dynamics and excitations in materials, element
selectivity is a prerequisite, which demands such pulses in the soft X-ray region,
above 200 eV, to simultaneously cover several fundamental absorption
edges of the constituents of the materials. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the
exploitation of a transient phase matching regime to generate carrier envelope
controlled soft X-ray supercontinua with pulse energies up to
2.9±0.1 pJ and a flux of (7.3±0.1) ×
107 photons per second across the entire water window and
attosecond pulses with 13 as transform limit. Our results herald attosecond science
at the fundamental absorption edges of matter by bridging the gap between ultrafast
temporal resolution and element specific probing. Attosecond soft X-ray pulses hold promise for probing electronic
dynamics in real time, but it is challenging to achieve element sensitivity while
maintaining temporal resolution. Teichmann et al. report the cover of carbon,
nitrogen and oxygen absorption edges with an isolated pulse supporting 13 as
duration.
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33
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Xia Y, Jaron-Becker A. Mollow sidebands in high order harmonic spectra of molecules. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:4689-4697. [PMID: 29092298 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.004689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Novel feature of high order harmonic generation process for molecules is presented for several molecules at their equilibrium geometries. The high order harmonic spectra reveal additional sidebands for each odd harmonic, which are a consequence of the resonant coupling of two valence orbitals, a mechanism analogous to Mollow triplets known from quantum optics. Strong modification of the high order harmonic generation process is illustrated with time frequency analysis in which there appear additional minima dependent on the Rabi frequency for the corresponding transition. The orbital coupling further leads to the modification of the electron dynamics which is presented using total electron density difference maps.
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34
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Ellis JL, Hickstein DD, Xiong W, Dollar F, Palm BB, Keister KE, Dorney KM, Ding C, Fan T, Wilker MB, Schnitzenbaumer KJ, Dukovic G, Jimenez JL, Kapteyn HC, Murnane MM. Materials Properties and Solvated Electron Dynamics of Isolated Nanoparticles and Nanodroplets Probed with Ultrafast Extreme Ultraviolet Beams. J Phys Chem Lett 2016; 7:609-615. [PMID: 26807653 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b02772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We present ultrafast photoemission measurements of isolated nanoparticles in vacuum using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light produced through high harmonic generation. Surface-selective static EUV photoemission measurements were performed on nanoparticles with a wide array of compositions, ranging from ionic crystals to nanodroplets of organic material. We find that the total photoelectron yield varies greatly with nanoparticle composition and provides insight into material properties such as the electron mean free path and effective mass. Additionally, we conduct time-resolved photoelectron yield measurements of isolated oleylamine nanodroplets, observing that EUV photons can create solvated electrons in liquid nanodroplets. Using photoemission from a time-delayed 790 nm pulse, we observe that a solvated electron is produced in an excited state and subsequently relaxes to its ground state with a lifetime of 151 ± 31 fs. This work demonstrates that femotosecond EUV photoemission is a versatile surface-sensitive probe of the properties and ultrafast dynamics of isolated nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Ellis
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Daniel D Hickstein
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Wei Xiong
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego , La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Franklin Dollar
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Brett B Palm
- CIRES and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - K Ellen Keister
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Kevin M Dorney
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Chengyuan Ding
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Tingting Fan
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Molly B Wilker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Kyle J Schnitzenbaumer
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Gordana Dukovic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Jose L Jimenez
- CIRES and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado , Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Henry C Kapteyn
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Margaret M Murnane
- JILA-NIST and Department of Physics, University of Colorado , 440 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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35
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Sándor P, Tagliamonti V, Zhao A, Rozgonyi T, Ruckenbauer M, Marquetand P, Weinacht T. Strong Field Molecular Ionization in the Impulsive Limit: Freezing Vibrations with Short Pulses. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2016; 116:063002. [PMID: 26918985 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.116.063002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We study strong-field molecular ionization as a function of pulse duration. Experimental measurements of the photoelectron yield for a number of molecules reveal competition between different ionization continua (cationic states) which depends strongly on pulse duration. Surprisingly, in the limit of short pulse duration, we find that a single ionic continuum dominates the yield, whereas multiple continua are produced for longer pulses. Using calculations which take vibrational dynamics into account, we interpret our results in terms of nuclear motion and nonadiabatic dynamics during the ionization process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Sándor
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3800, USA
| | - Vincent Tagliamonti
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3800, USA
| | - Arthur Zhao
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3800, USA
| | - Tamás Rozgonyi
- Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest 1117, Hungary
| | - Matthias Ruckenbauer
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Währinger Strasse 17, 1090 Wien, Austria
| | - Philipp Marquetand
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Währinger Strasse 17, 1090 Wien, Austria
| | - Thomas Weinacht
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-3800, USA
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36
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Leone SR, Neumark DM. Attosecond science in atomic, molecular, and condensed matter physics. Faraday Discuss 2016; 194:15-39. [DOI: 10.1039/c6fd00174b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Attosecond science represents a new frontier in atomic, molecular, and condensed matter physics, enabling one to probe the exceedingly fast dynamics associated with purely electronic dynamics in a wide range of systems. This paper presents a brief discussion of the technology required to generate attosecond light pulses and gives representative examples of attosecond science carried out in several laboratories. Attosecond transient absorption, a very powerful method in attosecond science, is then reviewed and several examples of gas phase and condensed phase experiments that have been carried out in the Leone/Neumark laboratories are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R. Leone
- Department of Chemistry
- University of California
- Berkeley
- USA
- Department of Physics
| | - Daniel M. Neumark
- Department of Chemistry
- University of California
- Berkeley
- USA
- Chemical Sciences Division
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37
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Schütte B, Weber P, Kovács K, Balogh E, Major B, Tosa V, Han S, Vrakking MJJ, Varjú K, Rouzée A. Bright attosecond soft X-ray pulse trains by transient phase-matching in two-color high-order harmonic generation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:33947-55. [PMID: 26832053 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.033947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
We study two-color high-order harmonic generation in Neon with 790 nm and 1300 nm driving laser fields and observe an extreme-ultraviolet continuum that extends to photon energies of 160 eV. Using a 6-mm-long, high pressure gas cell, we optimize the HHG yield at high photon energies and investigate the effect of ionization and propagation under phase-matching conditions that allow us to control the temporal structure of the XUV emission. Numerical simulations that include the 3D propagation of the two-color laser pulse show that a bright isolated attosecond pulse with exceptionally high photon energies can be generated in our experimental conditions due to an efficient hybrid optical and phase-matching gating mechanism.
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38
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Mero M, Noack F, Bach F, Petrov V, Vrakking MJJ. High-average-power, 50-fs parametric amplifier front-end at 1.55 μm. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:33157-33163. [PMID: 26831983 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.033157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
An average-power-scalable, two-stage optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier is presented providing 90-μJ signal pulses at 1.55 μm and 45-μJ idler pulses at 3.1 μm at a repetition rate of 100 kHz. The signal pulses were recompressible to within a few percent of their ~50-fs Fourier limit in anti-reflection coated fused silica at negligible losses. The overall energy conversion efficiency from the 1030-nm pump to the recompressed signal reached 19%, significantly reducing the cost per watt of pump power compared to similar systems. The two-stage source will serve as the front-end of a three-stage system permitting the development of novel experimental strategies towards laser-based imaging of molecular structures and chemical reactivity.
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39
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Popmintchev D, Hernandez-Garcia C, Dollar F, Mancuso C, Perez-Hernandez JA, Chen MC, Hankla A, Gao X, Shim B, Gaeta AL, Tarazkar M, Romanov DA, Levis RJ, Gaffney JA, Foord M, Libby SB, Jaron-Becker A, Becker A, Plaja L, Murnane MM, Kapteyn HC, Popmintchev T. Ultraviolet surprise: Efficient soft x-ray high-harmonic generation in multiply ionized plasmas. Science 2015; 350:1225-31. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aac9755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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40
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Fan T, Grychtol P, Knut R, Hernández-García C, Hickstein DD, Zusin D, Gentry C, Dollar FJ, Mancuso CA, Hogle CW, Kfir O, Legut D, Carva K, Ellis JL, Dorney KM, Chen C, Shpyrko OG, Fullerton EE, Cohen O, Oppeneer PM, Milošević DB, Becker A, Jaroń-Becker AA, Popmintchev T, Murnane MM, Kapteyn HC. Bright circularly polarized soft X-ray high harmonics for X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:14206-11. [PMID: 26534992 PMCID: PMC4655510 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1519666112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 211] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate, to our knowledge, the first bright circularly polarized high-harmonic beams in the soft X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and use them to implement X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements in a tabletop-scale setup. Using counterrotating circularly polarized laser fields at 1.3 and 0.79 µm, we generate circularly polarized harmonics with photon energies exceeding 160 eV. The harmonic spectra emerge as a sequence of closely spaced pairs of left and right circularly polarized peaks, with energies determined by conservation of energy and spin angular momentum. We explain the single-atom and macroscopic physics by identifying the dominant electron quantum trajectories and optimal phase-matching conditions. The first advanced phase-matched propagation simulations for circularly polarized harmonics reveal the influence of the finite phase-matching temporal window on the spectrum, as well as the unique polarization-shaped attosecond pulse train. Finally, we use, to our knowledge, the first tabletop X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements at the N4,5 absorption edges of Gd to validate the high degree of circularity, brightness, and stability of this light source. These results demonstrate the feasibility of manipulating the polarization, spectrum, and temporal shape of high harmonics in the soft X-ray region by manipulating the driving laser waveform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Fan
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440;
| | - Patrik Grychtol
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Ronny Knut
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Carlos Hernández-García
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440; Grupo de Investigación en Óptica Extrema, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Daniel D Hickstein
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Dmitriy Zusin
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Christian Gentry
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Franklin J Dollar
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | | | - Craig W Hogle
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Ofer Kfir
- Solid State Institute and Physics Department, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Dominik Legut
- IT4Innovations Center, VSB Technical University of Ostrava, CZ 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic; Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Charles University in Prague, CZ-12116 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Carva
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Charles University in Prague, CZ-12116 Prague 2, Czech Republic; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jennifer L Ellis
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Kevin M Dorney
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Cong Chen
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Oleg G Shpyrko
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Eric E Fullerton
- Center for Magnetic Recording Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0401
| | - Oren Cohen
- Solid State Institute and Physics Department, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Peter M Oppeneer
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dejan B Milošević
- Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Max-Born-Institut, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Becker
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | | | - Tenio Popmintchev
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
| | - Margaret M Murnane
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440;
| | - Henry C Kapteyn
- Department of Physics and JILA, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0440
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41
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Hernández-García C, Holgado W, Plaja L, Alonso B, Silva F, Miranda M, Crespo H, Sola IJ. Carrier-envelope-phase insensitivity in high-order harmonic generation driven by few-cycle laser pulses. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:21497-21508. [PMID: 26367996 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.021497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We present evidence for self-stabilization of the relative spectral phase of high-order harmonic emission against intensity variations of the driving field. Our results demonstrate that, near the laser focus, phase matching of the harmonic field from a macroscopic target can compensate for the intensity dependence of the intrinsic phase of the harmonics emitted by a single radiator. As a consequence, we show experimentally and theoretically the insensitivity of the harmonic spectra produced at the laser focus against variations of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of a sub-two-cycle driving field. In addition, the associated attosecond pulse trains exhibit phase locking against CEP changes of the few-cycle driver.
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42
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Jin C, Stein GJ, Hong KH, Lin CD. Generation of Bright, Spatially Coherent Soft X-Ray High Harmonics in a Hollow Waveguide Using Two-Color Synthesized Laser Pulses. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2015; 115:043901. [PMID: 26252685 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.115.043901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the efficient generation of low-divergence high-order harmonics driven by waveform-optimized laser pulses in a gas-filled hollow waveguide. The drive waveform is obtained by synthesizing two-color laser pulses, optimized such that highest harmonic yields are emitted from each atom. Optimization of the gas pressure and waveguide configuration has enabled us to produce bright and spatially coherent harmonics extending from the extreme ultraviolet to soft x rays. Our study on the interplay among waveguide mode, atomic dispersion, and plasma effect uncovers how dynamic phase matching is accomplished and how an optimized waveform is maintained when optimal waveguide parameters (radius and length) and gas pressure are identified. Our analysis should help laboratory development in the generation of high-flux bright coherent soft x rays as tabletop light sources for applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Jin
- J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
| | - Gregory J Stein
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Kyung-Han Hong
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - C D Lin
- J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA
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43
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Novoa D, Cassataro M, Travers JC, Russell PSJ. Photoionization-Induced Emission of Tunable Few-Cycle Midinfrared Dispersive Waves in Gas-Filled Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fibers. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2015; 115:033901. [PMID: 26230794 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.115.033901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We propose a scheme for the emission of few-cycle dispersive waves in the midinfrared using hollow-core photonic crystal fibers filled with noble gas. The underlying mechanism is the formation of a plasma cloud by a self-compressed, subcycle pump pulse. The resulting free-electron population modifies the fiber dispersion, allowing phase-matched access to dispersive waves at otherwise inaccessible frequencies, well into the midinfrared. Remarkably, the pulses generated turn out to have durations of the order of two optical cycles. In addition, this ultrafast emission, which occurs even in the absence of a zero dispersion point between pump and midinfrared wavelengths, is tunable over a wide frequency range simply by adjusting the gas pressure. These theoretical results pave the way to a new generation of compact, fiber-based sources of few-cycle midinfrared radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Novoa
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Guenther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - M Cassataro
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Guenther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - J C Travers
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Guenther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - P St J Russell
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Guenther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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44
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Li Y, Qin M, Zhu X, Zhang Q, Lan P, Lu P. Ultrafast molecular orbital imaging based on attosecond photoelectron diffraction. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:10687-10702. [PMID: 25969107 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.010687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We present ab initio numerical study of ultrafast ionization dynamics of H(2)(+) as well as CO(2) and N(2) exposed to linearly polarized attosecond extreme ultraviolet pulses. When the molecules are aligned perpendicular to laser polarization direction, photonionization of these molecules show clear and distinguishing diffraction patterns in molecular attosecond photoelectron momentum distributions. The internuclear distances of the molecules are related to the position of the associated diffraction patterns, which can be determined with high accuracy. Moreover, the relative heights of the diffraction fringes contain fruitful information of the molecular orbital structures. We show that the diffraction spectra can be well produced using the two-center interference model. By adopting a simple inversion algorithm which takes into account the symmetry of the initial molecular orbital, we can retrieve the molecular orbital from which the electron is ionized. Our results offer possibility for imaging of molecular structure and orbitals by performing molecular attosecond photoelectron diffraction.
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45
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Silva F, Teichmann SM, Cousin SL, Hemmer M, Biegert J. Spatiotemporal isolation of attosecond soft X-ray pulses in the water window. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6611. [PMID: 25790345 PMCID: PMC4382990 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Attosecond pulses at photon energies that cover the principal absorption edges of the building blocks of materials are a prerequisite for time-resolved probing of the triggering events leading to electronic dynamics such as exciton formation and annihilation. We demonstrate experimentally the isolation of individual attosecond pulses at the carbon K-shell edge (284 eV) in the soft X-ray water window with pulse duration below 400 as and with a bandwidth supporting a 30-as pulse duration. Our approach is based on spatiotemporal isolation of long-wavelength-driven harmonics and validates a straightforward and scalable approach for robust and reproducible attosecond pulse isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Silva
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Stephan M Teichmann
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Seth L Cousin
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Michael Hemmer
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Jens Biegert
- 1] ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona), Spain [2] ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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46
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Chao MS, Cheng HN, Fong BJ, Hsieh ZM, Hsiang WW, Yang SD. High-sensitivity ultrashort mid-infrared pulse characterization by modified interferometric field autocorrelation. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:902-905. [PMID: 25768142 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.000902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We report on spectral phase retrieval of 43 MHz, ∼100 fs, 3.3 μm pulses at energies down to 8.9 pJ by a modified interferometric field autocorrelation method. The simple setup consists of a Michelson interferometer, a 266 μm thick AgGaSe2 crystal, and a homemade spectrometer with an InGaAs point detector, which is readily applicable to measuring a 20 fs (1.8 cycles) pulse at 3.3 μm. The feasibility is verified by comparing with the results obtained by simulation and frequency-resolved optical gating for the spectral phase modulation because of a 4 mm thick germanium plate.
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47
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Su J, Ni H, Jaroń-Becker A, Becker A. Time delays in two-photon ionization. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2014; 113:263002. [PMID: 25615320 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.113.263002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We present results of ab initio numerical simulations of time delays in two-photon ionization of the helium atom using the attosecond streaking technique. The temporal shifts in the streaking traces consist of two contributions, namely, a time delay acquired during the absorption of the two photons from the extreme-ultraviolet field and a time delay accumulated by the photoelectron after photoabsorption. In the case of a nonresonant transition, the absorption of the two photons is found to occur without time delay. In contrast, for a resonant transition a substantial absorption time delay is found, which scales linearly with the duration of the ionizing pulse. The latter can be related to the phase acquired during the transition of the electron from the initial ground state to the continuum and the influence of the streaking field on the resonant structure of the atom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Su
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | - Hongcheng Ni
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | - Agnieszka Jaroń-Becker
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
| | - Andreas Becker
- JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA
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