1
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Li BY, Liu F, Chen M, Yuan XH, Sheng ZM, Zhang J. Spectral modulation of high-order harmonics in relativistic laser-solid interaction. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:025212. [PMID: 38491712 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.025212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Spectral modulation of high-order harmonics generated in relativistic laser-solid interaction is investigated. Numerical simulations show that the modulation depends on surface plasma density profile, resulting in spectral envelope modulation and regular and irregular harmonic splitting. The mathematical and physical connections between the spectral modulation of high-order harmonics and the temporal modification of attosecond pulse train are explained. Based on these understandings, we propose a possible method to produce isolated attosecond pulses by tailoring surface the plasma profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Y Li
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - F Liu
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - M Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - X H Yuan
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Z M Sheng
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - J Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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2
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Xin Q, Wang Y, Yan X, Eliasson B. Giant isolated half-cycle attosecond pulses generated in coherent bremsstrahlung emission regime. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:035201. [PMID: 37072949 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.035201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
Giant half-cycle attosecond pulse generation in the coherent bremsstrahlung emission regime is proposed for laser pulses with normal incidence on a double-foil target, where the first foil is transparent and the second foil is opaque. The presence of the second opaque target contributes to the formation of a relativistic flying electron sheet (RFES) from the first foil target. After the RFES has passed through the second opaque target, it is decelerated sharply, and bremsstrahlung emission occurs, which results in the generation of an isolated half-cycle attosecond pulse having an intensity of ∼1.4×10^{22}W/cm^{2} and a duration of 3.6 as. The generation mechanism does not require extra filters and may open a regime of nonlinear attosecond science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Xin
- Department of Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yunliang Wang
- Department of Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xueqing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Laser Acceleration Innovation Center, Beijing 100871, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Bengt Eliasson
- SUPA, Physics Department, John Anderson Building, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, Scotland, United Kingdom
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3
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Intense isolated attosecond pulses from two-color few-cycle laser driven relativistic surface plasma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13668. [PMID: 35953509 PMCID: PMC9372060 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17762-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrafast plasma dynamics play a pivotal role in the relativistic high harmonic generation, a phenomenon that can give rise to intense light fields of attosecond duration. Controlling such plasma dynamics holds key to optimize the relevant sub-cycle processes in the high-intensity regime. Here, we demonstrate that the optimal coherent combination of two intense ultrashort pulses centered at two-colors (fundamental frequency, [Formula: see text] and second harmonic, [Formula: see text]) can lead to an optimal shape in relativistic intensity driver field that yields such an extraordinarily sensitive control. Conducting a series of two-dimensional (2D) relativistic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations carried out for currently achievable laser parameters and realistic experimental conditions, we demonstrate that an appropriate combination of [Formula: see text] along with a precise delay control can lead to more than three times enhancement in the resulting high harmonic flux. Finally, the two-color multi-cycle field synthesized with appropriate delay and polarization can all-optically suppress several attosecond bursts while favourably allowing one burst to occur, leading to the generation of intense isolated attosecond pulses without the need of any sophisticated gating techniques.
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4
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Wei S, Wang Y, Yan X, Eliasson B. Ultrahigh-amplitude isolated attosecond pulses generated by a two-color laser pulse interacting with a microstructured target. Phys Rev E 2022; 106:025203. [PMID: 36109966 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.106.025203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A unique electron nanobunching mechanism using a two-color laser pulse interacting with a microstructured foil is proposed for directly generating ultraintense isolated attosecond pulses in the transmission direction without requiring extra filters and gating techniques. The unique nanobunching mechanism ensures that only one electron sheet contributes to the transmitted radiation. Accordingly, the generated attosecond pulses are unipolar and have durations at the full width at half-maximum about 5 attoseconds. The emitted ultrahigh-amplitude isolated attosecond pulses have intensities of up to ∼10^{21}W/cm^{2}, which are beyond the limitations of weak attosecond pulses generated by gas harmonics sources and may open a new regime of nonlinear attosecond studies. Unipolar pulses can be useful for probing ultrafast electron dynamics in matter via asymmetric manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengzhan Wei
- Department of Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yunliang Wang
- Department of Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xueqing Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, and Key Laboratory of HEDP of the Ministry of Education, CAPT, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Laser Acceleration Innovation Center, Beijing 100871, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Bengt Eliasson
- SUPA, Physics Department, John Anderson Building, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, Scotland
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5
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Attosecond stable dispersion-free delay line for easy ultrafast metrology. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8525. [PMID: 35595769 PMCID: PMC9122952 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12348-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate a dispersion-free wavefront splitting attosecond resolved interferometric delay line for easy ultrafast metrology of broadband femtosecond pulses. Using a pair of knife-edge prisms, we symmetrically split and later recombine the two wavefronts with a few tens of attosecond resolution and stability and employ a single-pixel analysis of interference fringes with good contrast using a phone camera without any iris or nonlinear detector. Our all-reflective delay line is theoretically analyzed and experimentally validated by measuring 1st and 2nd order autocorrelations and the SHG-FROG trace of a NIR femtosecond pulse. Our setup is compact, offers attosecond stability with flexibility for independent beam-shaping of the two arms. Furthermore, we suggest that our compact and in-line setup can be employed for attosecond resolved pump-probe experiments of matter with few-cycle pulses.
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6
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Siminos E, Thiele I, Olofsson C. Laser Wakefield Driven Generation of Isolated Carrier-Envelope-Phase Tunable Intense Subcycle Pulses. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 126:044801. [PMID: 33576683 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.126.044801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Sources of intense, ultrashort electromagnetic pulses enable applications such as attosecond pulse generation, control of electron motion in solids, and the observation of reaction dynamics at the electronic level. For such applications, both high intensity and carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) tunability are beneficial, yet hard to obtain with current methods. In this Letter, we present a new scheme for generation of isolated CEP tunable intense subcycle pulses with central frequencies that range from the midinfrared to the ultraviolet. It utilizes an intense laser pulse that drives a wake in a plasma, copropagating with a long-wavelength seed pulse. The moving electron density spike of the wake amplifies the seed and forms a subcycle pulse. Controlling the CEP of the seed pulse or the delay between driver and seed leads to CEP tunability, while frequency tunability can be achieved by adjusting the laser and plasma parameters. Our 2D and 3D particle-in-cell simulations predict laser-to-subcycle-pulse conversion efficiencies up to 1%, resulting in relativistically intense subcycle pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Siminos
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - I Thiele
- Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - C Olofsson
- Department of Physics, University of Gothenburg, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
- Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
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7
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Wang J, Bulanov SV, Chen M, Lei B, Zhang Y, Zagidullin R, Zorina V, Yu W, Leng Y, Li R, Zepf M, Rykovanov SG. Relativistic slingshot: A source for single circularly polarized attosecond x-ray pulses. Phys Rev E 2021; 102:061201. [PMID: 33466060 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.061201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We propose a mechanism to generate a single intense circularly polarized attosecond x-ray pulse from the interaction of a circularly polarized relativistic few-cycle laser pulse with an ultrathin foil at normal incidence. Analytical modeling and particle-in-cell simulation demonstrate that a huge charge-separation field can be produced when all the electrons are displaced from the target by the incident laser, resulting in a high-quality relativistic electron mirror that propagates against the tail of the laser pulse. The latter is efficiently reflected as well as compressed into an attosecond pulse that is also circularly polarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, CAS Center for Excellence in Ultra-intense Laser Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 201800, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Sergei V Bulanov
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i. (FZU), ELI-Beamlines Project, 182 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Min Chen
- Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (MoE), School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Bifeng Lei
- Helmholtz Institute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Yuxue Zhang
- Helmholtz Institute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Rishat Zagidullin
- Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 121205, Russia
| | - Veronika Zorina
- Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 121205, Russia
| | - Wei Yu
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, CAS Center for Excellence in Ultra-intense Laser Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Yuxin Leng
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, CAS Center for Excellence in Ultra-intense Laser Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Ruxin Li
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, CAS Center for Excellence in Ultra-intense Laser Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Matt Zepf
- Helmholtz Institute Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Faculty of Physics and Astronomy, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sergey G Rykovanov
- Center for Computational and Data-Intensive Science and Engineering, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 121205, Russia
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8
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Cousens S, Yeung M, Zepf M, Dromey B. Electron trajectories associated with laser-driven coherent synchrotron emission at the front surface of overdense plasmas. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:053210. [PMID: 32575346 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.053210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We present an in-depth analysis of an ultrafast electron trajectory type that produces attosecond electromagnetic pulses in both the reflected and forward directions during normal incidence, relativistic laser-plasma interactions. Our particle-in-cell simulation results show that for a target which is opaque to the frequency of the driving laser pulse the emission trajectory is synchrotronlike but differs significantly from the previously identified figure-eight type which produces bright attosecond bursts exclusively in the reflected direction. The origin and characteristics of this trajectory type are explained in terms of the driving electromagnetic fields, the opacity of the plasma, and the conservation of canonical momentum.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cousens
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - M Yeung
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - M Zepf
- Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Helmholtz Institut Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - B Dromey
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
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9
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Gao J, Li B, Liu F, Chen ZY, Chen M, Ge X, Yuan X, Chen L, Sheng Z, Zhang J. Divergence control of relativistic harmonics by an optically shaped plasma surface. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:033202. [PMID: 32289989 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.033202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The unique spatial and temporal properties of relativistic high harmonics generated from a laser-driven plasma surface allow them to be coherently focused to an extremely high intensity reaching the Schwinger limit. The ultimately achievable intensity is limited by the harmonic wavefront distortions during the interactions. Here we demonstrate experimentally that the harmonic divergence can be controlled by an optically shaped plasma surface with a prepulse that has the same spatial and temporal distribution as the main laser pulse. Simulations are also performed to explain the experimental observation, and we find that the harmonic wavefront curvature from a dented surface can be precompensated by a convex plasma. Our work suggests an active approach to control the harmonic divergence and wavefront by an optically shaped target. This can be critical for further high harmonics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Gao
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Boyuan Li
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zi-Yu Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Shock Wave and Detonation Physics, Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621999, China.,Key Laboratory of High Energy Density Physics and Technology (Ministry of Education), College of Physics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Min Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xulei Ge
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiaohui Yuan
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Liming Chen
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhengming Sheng
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,SUPA, Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom.,Cockcroft Institute, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Cheshire WA4 4AD, United Kingdom.,Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education) and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of IFSA (CICIFSA), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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10
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Spectral interferometry with waveform-dependent relativistic high-order harmonics from plasma surfaces. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4992. [PMID: 30478336 PMCID: PMC6255866 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07421-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction of ultra-intense laser pulses with matter opened the way to generate the shortest light pulses available nowadays in the attosecond regime. Ionized solid surfaces, also called plasma mirrors, are promising tools to enhance the potential of attosecond sources in terms of photon energy, photon number and duration especially at relativistic laser intensities. Although the production of isolated attosecond pulses and the understanding of the underlying interactions represent a fundamental step towards the realization of such sources, these are challenging and have not yet been demonstrated. Here, we present laser-waveform-dependent high-order harmonic radiation in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range supporting well-isolated attosecond pulses, and utilize spectral interferometry to understand its relativistic generation mechanism. This unique interpretation of the measured spectra provides access to unrevealed temporal and spatial properties such as spectral phase difference between attosecond pulses and field-driven plasma surface motion during the process. High-order harmonic generation is explored in gases, solids and plasmas with moderate to high intensity lasers. Here the authors show spectral interferometry of HHG from relativistic plasma and its potential as a source of intense isolated attosecond pulses.
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11
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Chen ZY. Isolated attosecond pulse in the water window from many-cycle laser-driven plasma mirrors without pulse engineering. OPTICS LETTERS 2018; 43:2114-2117. [PMID: 29714759 DOI: 10.1364/ol.43.002114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
High-order harmonic generation from relativistic laser-driven plasma mirrors is an attractive route to produce highly energetic attosecond pulses in the extreme ultraviolet to x-ray regime. To achieve an isolated attosecond pulse (IAP) driven by many-cycle intense laser pulses, pulse engineering techniques such as polarization modulation and wavefront rotation, are usually needed. Here we show that it is possible to generate an IAP without pulse engineering. Through particle-in-cell simulations, it is found that plasma mirrors can be rapidly heated and deformed in a relatively long preplasma regime. Intense IAP in the high-frequency spectral region is given rise once when the mirror parameters are suitable. The results may offer a new route to generate a bright IAP source for various applications such as bio-imaging and electronic dynamic studies.
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12
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Chen ZY, Li XY, Li BY, Chen M, Liu F. Isolated elliptically polarized attosecond soft X-ray with high-brilliance using polarization gating of harmonics from relativistic plasmas at oblique incidence. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:4572-4580. [PMID: 29475306 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.004572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The production of intense isolated attosecond pulse is a major goal in ultrafast research. Recent advances in high harmonic generation from relativistic plasma mirrors under oblique incidence interactions gave rise to photon-rich attosecond pulses with circular or elliptical polarization. However, to achieve an isolated elliptical attosecond pulse via polarization gating using currently available long driving pulses remains a challenge, because polarization gating of high harmonics from relativistic plasmas is assumed only possible at normal or near-normal incidence. Here we numerically demonstrate a scheme around this problem. We show that via control of plasma dynamics by managing laser polarization, it is possible to gate an intense single attosecond pulse with high ellipticity extending to the soft X-ray regime at oblique incidence. This approach thus paves the way towards a powerful tool enabling high-time-resolution probe of dynamics of chiral systems and magnetic materials with current laser technology.
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13
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Chen ZY, Pukhov A. Bright high-order harmonic generation with controllable polarization from a relativistic plasma mirror. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12515. [PMID: 27531047 PMCID: PMC4992059 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrafast extreme ultraviolet (XUV) sources with a controllable polarization state are powerful tools for investigating the structural and electronic as well as the magnetic properties of materials. However, such light sources are still limited to only a few free-electron laser facilities and, very recently, to high-order harmonic generation from noble gases. Here we propose and numerically demonstrate a laser-plasma scheme to generate bright XUV pulses with fully controlled polarization. In this scheme, an elliptically polarized laser pulse is obliquely incident on a plasma surface, and the reflected radiation contains pulse trains and isolated circularly or highly elliptically polarized attosecond XUV pulses. The harmonic polarization state is fully controlled by the laser-plasma parameters. The mechanism can be explained within the relativistically oscillating mirror model. This scheme opens a practical and promising route to generate bright attosecond XUV pulses with desirable ellipticities in a straightforward and efficient way for a number of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Yu Chen
- Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
- National Key Laboratory of Shock Wave and Detonation Physics, Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621999, China
| | - Alexander Pukhov
- Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
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14
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Cousens S, Reville B, Dromey B, Zepf M. Temporal Structure of Attosecond Pulses from Laser-Driven Coherent Synchrotron Emission. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2016; 116:083901. [PMID: 26967416 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.116.083901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The microscopic dynamics of laser-driven coherent synchrotron emission transmitted through thin foils are investigated using particle-in-cell simulations. For normal incidence interactions, we identify the formation of two distinct electron nanobunches from which emission takes place each half-cycle of the driving laser pulse. These emissions are separated temporally by 130 as and are dominant in different frequency ranges, which is a direct consequence of the distinct characteristics of each electron nanobunch. This may be exploited through spectral filtering to isolate these emissions, generating electromagnetic pulses of duration ∼70 as.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cousens
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - B Reville
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - B Dromey
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
| | - M Zepf
- Centre for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
- Helmholtz Institut Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
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