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Xing S, Kowligy AS, Lesko DMB, Lind AJ, Diddams SA. All-fiber frequency comb at 2 µm providing 1.4-cycle pulses. OPTICS LETTERS 2020; 45:2660-2663. [PMID: 32356840 DOI: 10.1364/ol.391486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We report an all-fiber approach to generating sub-2-cycle pulses at 2 µm and a corresponding octave-spanning optical frequency comb. Our configuration leverages mature erbium:fiber laser technology at 1.5 µm to provide a seed pulse for a thulium-doped fiber amplifier that outputs 330 mW average power at a 100 MHz repetition rate. Following amplification, nonlinear self-compression in fiber decreases the pulse duration to 9.5 fs, or 1.4 optical cycles. The spectrum of the ultrashort pulse spans from 1 to beyond 2.4 µm and enables direct measurement of the carrier-envelope offset frequency. Our approach employs only commercially available fiber components, resulting in a design that is easy to reproduce in the larger community. As such, this system should be useful as a robust frequency comb source in the near-infrared or as a pump source to generate mid-infrared frequency combs.
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2
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O'Connor SP, Marble CB, Nodurft DT, Noojin GD, Boretsky AR, Wharmby AW, Scully MO, Yakovlev VV. Filamentation in Atmospheric Air with Tunable 1100-2400 nm Near-Infrared Femtosecond Laser Source. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12049. [PMID: 31427739 PMCID: PMC6700063 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48542-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Intense femtosecond pulse filamentation in open-air has been utilized for long distance optical communication and remote sensing, but it results in nonlinear-effect driven eye hazards which are not addressed by current eye safety standards. A systematic study of filamentation in atmospheric air was performed using a tunable 100 fs near-infrared laser (1100 nm-2400 nm). While undergoing filamentation, each source wavelength was spectrally broadened resulting in supercontinuum and third harmonic generation in the visible and near-IR spectrum. We record the spectra at the center and fringes of the supercontinuum as it is imaged onto a planar surface. In a full beam collection regime, we report the energy of the sub-1000 nm light generation for source wavelengths from 1100 nm to 1600 nm and compare the energy density to the maximum permissible exposure values under the ANSI Z136.1 laser safety standard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P O'Connor
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. .,Engility Corporation, 4241 Woodcock Dr. Ste. B-100, San Antonio, TX, 78228, USA.
| | - Christopher B Marble
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Consortium Research Fellows Program, 4214 King Street, First Floor Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, USA
| | - Dawson T Nodurft
- Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA. .,Engility Corporation, 4241 Woodcock Dr. Ste. B-100, San Antonio, TX, 78228, USA.
| | - Gary D Noojin
- Engility Corporation, 4241 Woodcock Dr. Ste. B-100, San Antonio, TX, 78228, USA
| | - Adam R Boretsky
- Engility Corporation, 4241 Woodcock Dr. Ste. B-100, San Antonio, TX, 78228, USA
| | - Andrew W Wharmby
- 711th Human Performance Wing, Airman Systems Directorate, Bioeffects Division, Optical Radiation Branch, 4141 Petroleum Rd., JBSA Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, 78234, USA
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3
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Schmidt C, Pertot Y, Balciunas T, Zinchenko K, Matthews M, Wörner HJ, Wolf JP. High-order harmonic source spanning up to the oxygen K-edge based on filamentation pulse compression. OPTICS EXPRESS 2018; 26:11834-11842. [PMID: 29716100 DOI: 10.1364/oe.26.011834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We present a 0.2 TW sub-two-cycle 1.8 µm carrier-envelope-phase stable source based on two-stage pulse compression by filamentation for driving high-order harmonic generation extending beyond the oxygen K absorption edge. The 1 kHz repetition rate, high temporal resolution enabled by the short 11.8 fs driving pulse duration, and bright high-order harmonics generated in helium make this an attractive source for solid-state and molecular-dynamics studies.
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4
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Optical Parametric Amplification Techniques for the Generation of High-Energy Few-Optical-Cycles IR Pulses for Strong Field Applications. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/app7030265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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5
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Austin DR, Witting T, Weber SJ, Ye P, Siegel T, Matía-Hernando P, Johnson AS, Tisch JWG, Marangos JP. Spatio-temporal characterization of intense few-cycle 2 μm pulses. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:24786-24798. [PMID: 27828198 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.024786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We present a variant of spatially encoded spectral shearing interferometry for measuring two-dimensional spatio-temporal slices of few-cycle pulses centered around 2 μm. We demonstrate experimentally that the device accurately retrieves the pulse-front tilt caused by angular dispersion of two-cycle pulses. We then use the technique to characterize 500-650 μJ pulses from a hollow fiber pulse compressor, with durations as short as 7.1 fs (1.3 optical cycles).
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6
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Multi-millijoule few-cycle mid-infrared pulses through nonlinear self-compression in bulk. Nat Commun 2016; 7:12877. [PMID: 27620117 PMCID: PMC5027276 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12877] [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: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The physics of strong-field applications requires driver laser pulses that are both energetic and extremely short. Whereas optical amplifiers, laser and parametric, boost the energy, their gain bandwidth restricts the attainable pulse duration, requiring additional nonlinear spectral broadening to enable few or even single cycle compression and a corresponding peak power increase. Here we demonstrate, in the mid-infrared wavelength range that is important for scaling the ponderomotive energy in strong-field interactions, a simple energy-efficient and scalable soliton-like pulse compression in a mm-long yttrium aluminium garnet crystal with no additional dispersion management. Sub-three-cycle pulses with >0.44 TW peak power are compressed and extracted before the onset of modulation instability and multiple filamentation as a result of a favourable interplay between strong anomalous dispersion and optical nonlinearity around the wavelength of 3.9 μm. As a manifestation of the increased peak power, we show the evidence of mid-infrared pulse filamentation in atmospheric air. Exploring strong-field laser interaction requires pulses that are both energetic and short. Here, the authors demonstrate a mid-IR soliton-like pulse compression in a mm-long YAG crystal, reaching the multi-millijoule energy range and showing pulse filamentation in atmospheric air.
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7
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Gražulevičiūtė I, Šuminas R, Tamošauskas G, Couairon A, Dubietis A. Carrier-envelope phase-stable spatiotemporal light bullets. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:3719-3722. [PMID: 26274643 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.003719] [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 an extensive experimental investigation of the self-focusing and filamentation of intense 90 fs, 1.8 μm, carrier-envelope phase-stable laser pulses in fused silica in the anomalous group velocity dispersion region. Spectral measurements in a wedge-shaped sample uncover dynamics of spectral broadening, which captures the evolution of third-harmonic, resonant radiation, and supercontinuum spectra as a function of the propagation distance with unprecedented detail. The relevant events of spectral broadening are linked to the formation and propagation dynamics of spatiotemporal light bullets as measured by a three-dimensional imaging technique. We also show that at a higher input power, the light bullet splits into two bullets, which retain characteristic O-shaped spatiotemporal intensity distributions and propagate with different group velocities. Finally, we demonstrate that the light bullets have a stable carrier-envelope phase that is preserved even after the bullet splitting event, as verified by f-2f interferometric measurements.
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Wienke A, Wandt D, Morgner U, Neumann J, Kracht D. 700 MW peak power of a 380 fs regenerative amplifier with Tm:YAP. OPTICS EXPRESS 2015; 23:16884-16889. [PMID: 26191699 DOI: 10.1364/oe.23.016884] [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 report on a high power ultrashort pulse regenerative amplifier system, entirely based on thulium-doped laser materials operating around 1.94 μm. At a repetition rate of 1 kHz the Tm:YAP regenerative amplifier emits pulse energies > 700 μJ, only limited by the damage threshold of the Tm:YAP crystal. The pulses can be compressed to 380 fs at an efficiency of 50 %. Purging of the regenerative amplifier cavity with nitrogen is necessary due to atmospheric absorptions causing long ps pedestals in the autocorrelation.
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9
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Gebhardt M, Gaida C, Hädrich S, Stutzki F, Jauregui C, Limpert J, Tünnermann A. Nonlinear compression of an ultrashort-pulse thulium-based fiber laser to sub-70 fs in Kagome photonic crystal fiber. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:2770-2773. [PMID: 26076258 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.002770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Nonlinear pulse compression of ultrashort pulses is an established method for reducing the pulse duration and increasing the pulse peak power beyond the intrinsic limits of a given laser architecture. In this proof-of-principle experiment, we demonstrate nonlinear compression of the pulses emitted by a high-repetition-rate thulium-based fiber CPA system. The initial pulse duration of about 400 fs has been shortened to <70 fs with 19.7 μJ of pulse energy, which corresponds to about 200 MW of pulse peak power.
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Liang H, Krogen P, Grynko R, Novak O, Chang CL, Stein GJ, Weerawarne D, Shim B, Kärtner FX, Hong KH. Three-octave-spanning supercontinuum generation and sub-two-cycle self-compression of mid-infrared filaments in dielectrics. OPTICS LETTERS 2015; 40:1069-1072. [PMID: 25768184 DOI: 10.1364/ol.40.001069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We experimentally and numerically investigate the spectral and temporal structure of mid-infrared (mid-IR) filaments in bulk dielectrics with normal and anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD) pumped by a 2.1 μm optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier (OPCPA). The formation of stable and robust filaments with several microjoules of pulse energy is observed. We demonstrate a supercontinuum that spans more than three octaves from ZnS in the normal GVD regime and self-compression of the mid-IR pulse to sub-two-cycle duration in CaF2 in the anomalous GVD regime. The experimental observations quantitatively agree well with the numerical simulations based on a three-dimensional nonlinear wave equation that reveals the detailed spatio-temporal dynamics of mid-IR filaments in dielectrics.
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Abstract
Filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses in the atmosphere offers unique opportunities for long-range transmission of high-power laser radiation and standoff detection. With the critical power of self-focusing scaling as the laser wavelength squared, the quest for longer-wavelength drivers, which would radically increase the peak power and, hence, the laser energy in a single filament, has been ongoing over two decades, during which time the available laser sources limited filamentation experiments in the atmosphere to the near-infrared and visible ranges. Here, we demonstrate filamentation of ultrashort mid-infrared pulses in the atmosphere for the first time. We show that, with the spectrum of a femtosecond laser driver centered at 3.9 μm, right at the edge of the atmospheric transmission window, radiation energies above 20 mJ and peak powers in excess of 200 GW can be transmitted through the atmosphere in a single filament. Our studies reveal unique properties of mid-infrared filaments, where the generation of powerful mid-infrared supercontinuum is accompanied by unusual scenarios of optical harmonic generation, giving rise to remarkably broad radiation spectra, stretching from the visible to the mid-infrared.
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Trisorio A, Divall M, Monoszlai B, Vicario C, Hauri CP. Intense sub-two-cycle infrared pulse generation via phase-mismatched cascaded nonlinear interaction in DAST crystal. OPTICS LETTERS 2014; 39:2660-2663. [PMID: 24784071 DOI: 10.1364/ol.39.002660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Octave-spanning, 12.5 fs, (1.9 cycle) pulses with 115 μJ energy in the short-wavelength mid-infrared spectral range (1-2.5 μm) have been generated via phase-mismatched cascaded nonlinear frequency conversion using organic DAST (4-N, N-dimethylamino-4'-N'-methylstilbazolium tosylate) crystal. Such ultrafast cascading effect is ensured by the interaction of a pump pulse with the exceptionally large effective nonlinearity of the DAST crystal and experiencing nonresonant, strongly phase-mismatched, Kerr-like negative nonlinearity.
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Abstract
Femtosecond laser filamentation occurs as a dynamic balance between the self-focusing and plasma defocusing of a laser pulse to produce ultrashort radiation as brief as a few optical cycles. This unique source has many properties that make it attractive as a nonlinear optical tool for spectroscopy, such as propagation at high intensities over extended distances, self-shortening, white-light generation, and the formation of an underdense plasma. The plasma channel that constitutes a single filament and whose position in space can be controlled by its input parameters can span meters-long distances, whereas multifilamentation of a laser beam can be sustained up to hundreds of meters in the atmosphere. In this review, we briefly summarize the current understanding and use of laser filaments for spectroscopic investigations of molecules. A theoretical framework of filamentation is presented, along with recent experimental evidence supporting the established understanding of filamentation. Investigations carried out on vibrational and rotational spectroscopy, filament-induced breakdown, fluorescence spectroscopy, and backward lasing are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanan Odhner
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Advanced Photonics Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
| | - Robert Levis
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Advanced Photonics Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122
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14
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Hemmer M, Baudisch M, Thai A, Couairon A, Biegert J. Self-compression to sub-3-cycle duration of mid-infrared optical pulses in dielectrics. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:28095-28102. [PMID: 24514323 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.028095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We present the first demonstration of sub-3 cycle optical pulses at 3.1 μm central wavelength generated through self-compression in the anomalous dispersion regime in a dielectric. The pulses emerging from this compact and efficient self-compression setup could be focused to intensities exceeding 10(14) W/cm(2), a suitable range for high field physics experiments. Numerical simulations performed with a 3D nonlinear propagation code, provide theoretical insight on the processes involved and support our experimental findings.
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15
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Fattahi H, Schwarz A, Keiber S, Karpowicz N. Efficient, octave-spanning difference-frequency generation using few-cycle pulses in simple collinear geometry. OPTICS LETTERS 2013; 38:4216-4219. [PMID: 24321963 DOI: 10.1364/ol.38.004216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We present experimental observations and corresponding numerical simulations illustrating the difference-frequency generation of mid-infrared radiation using few-cycle near-infrared-to-visible pulses, which yields conversion efficiencies above 12% in beta-barium borate crystal. Type I and type II phase-matching are shown to yield qualitatively different intensity-scaling behavior, with the former showing higher overall efficiency, especially with the addition of a zero-order wave plate for modifying the polarization state of the pulse, and the latter having a better stability of the spectrum versus input intensity.
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16
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Gong C, Jiang J, Li C, Song L, Zeng Z, Zheng Y, Miao J, Ge X, Deng Y, Li R, Xu Z. Observation of CEP effect via filamentation in transparent solids. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:24120-24128. [PMID: 24104322 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.024120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We report on the first direct observation of carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) effect during the interaction between few-cycle laser pulses and bulk solid materials. Using 2-cycle mid-infrared laser pulses with stabilized CEP, the CEP effect of tunneling ionization during the laser filamentation in a fused silica is revealed. The phase variation of the accompanying supercontinuum (SC) emission with filamentation at different CEPs of laser pulses can be measured by means of spectral interference technique, as a direct manifestation of the strong field tunneling ionization dynamics in transparent solids.
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17
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Ricci A, Silva F, Jullien A, Cousin SL, Austin DR, Biegert J, Lopez-Martens R. Generation of high-fidelity few-cycle pulses at 2.1 μm via cross-polarized wave generation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:9711-9721. [PMID: 23609680 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.009711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate the generation of temporally clean few-cycle pulses at 2.1 μm by shortening of 6-optical-cycle pulses via cross-polarized wave (XPW) generation in BaF(2), CaF(2) and CVD-Diamond crystals. By combining spectra and single-shot third-order intensity cross-correlation traces in a novel Bayesian pulse retrieval technique, we measured pulse durations of 20 fs, corresponding to 2.8 optical cycles. Our results show that XPW generation in the infrared could provide a high-fidelity source of few-cycle pulses for strong-field physics applications. It could also serve as an injector for high-peak power ultrafast mid-IR wavelength parametric amplifiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Ricci
- Laboratoire d’Optique Appliquée, ENSTA-Paristech, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, 91761 Palaiseau, France.
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Cheng YH, Wahlstrand JK, Jhajj N, Milchberg HM. The effect of long timescale gas dynamics on femtosecond filamentation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2013; 21:4740-4751. [PMID: 23482007 DOI: 10.1364/oe.21.004740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Femtosecond laser pulses filamenting in various gases are shown to generate long- lived quasi-stationary cylindrical depressions or 'holes' in the gas density. For our experimental conditions, these holes range up to several hundred microns in diameter with gas density depressions up to ~20%. The holes decay by thermal diffusion on millisecond timescales. We show that high repetition rate filamentation and supercontinuum generation can be strongly affected by these holes, which should also affect all other experiments employing intense high repetition rate laser pulses interacting with gases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-H Cheng
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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Xu J, Blaga CI, DiChiara AD, Sistrunk E, Zhang K, Chen Z, Le AT, Morishita T, Lin CD, Agostini P, DiMauro LF. Laser-induced electron diffraction for probing rare gas atoms. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2012; 109:233002. [PMID: 23368191 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.109.233002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Recently, using midinfrared laser-induced electron diffraction (LIED), snapshots of a vibrating diatomic molecule on a femtosecond time scale have been captured [C.I. Blaga et al., Nature (London) 483, 194 (2012)]. In this Letter, a comprehensive treatment for the atomic LIED response is reported, a critical step in generalizing this imaging method. Electron-ion differential cross sections (DCSs) of rare gas atoms are extracted from measured angular-resolved, high-energy electron momentum distributions generated by intense midinfrared lasers. Following strong-field ionization, the high-energy electrons result from elastic rescattering of a field-driven wave packet with the parent ion. For recollision energies ≥100 eV, the measured DCSs are indistinguishable for the neutral atoms and ions, illustrating the close collision nature of this interaction. The extracted DCSs are found to be independent of laser parameters, in agreement with theory. This study establishes the key ingredients for applying LIED to femtosecond molecular imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junliang Xu
- J.R. Macdonald Laboratory, Physics Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506-2604, USA
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20
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Trisorio A, Grabielle S, Divall M, Forget N, Hauri CP. Self-referenced spectral interferometry for ultrashort infrared pulse characterization. OPTICS LETTERS 2012; 37:2892-2894. [PMID: 22825169 DOI: 10.1364/ol.37.002892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate for the first time (to our knowledge) characterization of ultrashort IR pulses by self-referenced spectral interferometry. Both sub-55-fs pulses from 1.4 μm to 2 μm and broadband 2.5-cycle pulses at 1.65 μm (13 fs FWHM) are characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Trisorio
- Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
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21
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Zhang Q, Takahashi EJ, Mücke OD, Lu P, Midorikawa K. Dual-chirped optical parametric amplification for generating few hundred mJ infrared pulses. OPTICS EXPRESS 2011; 19:7190-7212. [PMID: 21503032 DOI: 10.1364/oe.19.007190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
An ultrafast high-power infrared pulse source employing a dual-chirped optical parametric amplification (DC-OPA) scheme based on a Ti:sapphire pump laser system is theoretically investigated. By chirping both pump and seed pulses in an optimized way, high-energy pump pulses can be utilized for a DC-OPA process without exceeding the damage threshold of BBO crystals, and broadband signal and idler pulses at 1.4 μm and 1.87 μm can be generated with a total conversion efficiency approaching 40%. Furthermore, few-cycle idler pulses with a passively stabilized carrier-envelope phase (CEP) can be generated by the difference frequency generation process in a collinear configuration. DC-OPA, a BBO-OPA scheme pumped by a Ti:sapphire laser, is efficient and scalable in output energy of the infrared pulses, which provides us with the design parameters of an ultrafast infrared laser system with an energy up to a few hundred mJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingbin Zhang
- Extreme Photonics Research Group, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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22
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Schmidt BE, Shiner AD, Lassonde P, Kieffer JC, Corkum PB, Villeneuve DM, Légaré F. CEP stable 1.6 cycle laser pulses at 1.8 μm. OPTICS EXPRESS 2011; 19:6858-6864. [PMID: 21451713 DOI: 10.1364/oe.19.006858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
By using the novel approach for pulse compression that combines spectral broadening in hollow-core fiber (HCF) with linear propagation in fused silica (FS), we generate 1.6 cycle 0.24 mJ laser pulses at 1.8 μm wavelength with a repetition rate of 1 kHz. These pulses are obtained with a white light seeded optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and shown to be passively carrier envelope phase (CEP) stable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno E Schmidt
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Energie Matériaux et Télécommunications, Varennes, QC, Canada.
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Mathur D, Rajgara FA. Communication: Ionization and Coulomb explosion of xenon clusters by intense, few-cycle laser pulses. J Chem Phys 2010; 133:061101. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3469821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D Mathur
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 1 Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005, India.
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Zhang C, Wei P, Huang Y, Leng Y, Zheng Y, Zeng Z, Li R, Xu Z. Tunable phase-stabilized infrared optical parametric amplifier for high-order harmonic generation. OPTICS LETTERS 2009; 34:2730-2732. [PMID: 19756086 DOI: 10.1364/ol.34.002730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate what we believe to be a novel tunable IR optical parametric amplifier (OPA) with the passively stabilized carrier-envelope phase (CEP), in which a hollow fiber is used to improve the output beam quality and to overcome the spatial chirp issue. Pumped by an 800 nm pump source, the output pulses are tunable from 1.2 to 2.4 microm with the CEP stabilization. The maximum output average energy can reach approximately (1.2 W/40 fs)/1 kHz with the total of (6.8 W/40 fs)/1 kHz pump energy. Further, the high-order harmonic generation driven by the tunable phase-stabilized OPA has been demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, ChineseAcademy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
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25
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Mücke OD, Alisauskas S, Verhoef AJ, Pugzlys A, Baltuska A, Smilgevicius V, Pocius J, Giniūnas L, Danielius R, Forget N. Self-compression of millijoule 1.5 microm pulses. OPTICS LETTERS 2009; 34:2498-2500. [PMID: 19684828 DOI: 10.1364/ol.34.002498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a four-stage optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system that delivers carrier-envelope phase-stable approximately 1.5 microm pulses with energies up to 12.5 mJ before recompression. The system is based on a fusion of femtosecond diode-pumped solid-state Yb technology and a picosecond 100 mJ Nd:YAG pump laser. Pulses with 62 nm bandwidth are recompressed to a 74.4 fs duration close to the transform limit. To show the way toward a terawatt-peak-power single-cycle IR source, we demonstrate self-compression of 2.2 mJ pulses down to 19.8 fs duration in a single filament in argon with a 1.5 mJ output energy and 66% energy throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver D Mücke
- Photonics Institute, Vienna University of Technology, Gusshausstrasse 27-387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria.
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Giguère M, Schmidt BE, Shiner AD, Houle MA, Bandulet HC, Tempea G, Villeneuve DM, Kieffer JC, Légaré F. Pulse compression of submillijoule few-optical-cycle infrared laser pulses using chirped mirrors. OPTICS LETTERS 2009; 34:1894-1896. [PMID: 19529739 DOI: 10.1364/ol.34.001894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We report generation of 400 microJ, 13.1 fs, 1425 nm optical parametric amplifier laser pulses. Spectral broadening of a 100 Hz optical parametric amplifier laser source is achieved by self-phase modulation in an argon-filled hollow-core fiber, and dispersion compensation is performed using chirped mirrors. This laser source will be useful for ultrafast time-resolved molecular orbital tomography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giguère
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Energie Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X1S2, Canada
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27
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Doumy G, Wheeler J, Roedig C, Chirla R, Agostini P, DiMauro LF. Attosecond synchronization of high-order harmonics from midinfrared drivers. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2009; 102:093002. [PMID: 19392517 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.102.093002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2008] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The group delay dispersion, also known as the attochirp, of high-order harmonics generated in gases has been identified as the main intrinsic limitation to the duration of Fourier-synthesized attosecond pulses. Theory implies that the attochirp, which is inversely proportional to the laser wavelength, can be decreased at longer wavelength. Here we report the first measurement of the wavelength dependence of the attochirp using an all-optical, in situ method [N. Dudovich, Nature Phys. 2, 781 (2006)10.1038/nphys434]. We show that a 2 microm driving wavelength reduces the attochirp with respect to 0.8 microm at comparable intensities.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Doumy
- Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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28
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Gu X, Marcus G, Deng Y, Metzger T, Teisset C, Ishii N, Fuji T, Baltuska A, Butkus R, Pervak V, Ishizuki H, Taira T, Kobayashi T, Kienberger R, Krausz F. Generation of carrier-envelope-phase-stable 2-cycle 740-microJ pulses at 2.1-microm carrier wavelength. OPTICS EXPRESS 2009; 17:62-69. [PMID: 19129873 DOI: 10.1364/oe.17.000062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We produce carrier-envelope-phase-stable 15.7-fs (2-cycle) 740-microJ pulses at the 2.1-microm carrier wavelength, from a three-stage optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier system, pumped by an optically synchronized 49-ps 11-mJ Nd:YLF laser. A novel seed pulse spectral shaping method is used to ascertain the true amplified seed energy and the parametric superfluorescence levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xun Gu
- Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics, Garching, Germany.
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29
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Abstract
We numerically study the filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses at 2 microm carrier wavelength in noble gases (argon, xenon) and in air. Compared with filamentation in the near-visible domain (800 nm), mid-infrared optical sources with durations close to a single cycle can be generically produced at various pressures and powers near the self-focusing threshold. The mechanism by which self-compression takes place mainly involves optical self-focusing, pulse steepening and plasma defocusing. On-axis spectra and spectral phases are discussed. Delivering single-cycled pulses at long wavelengths has important applications in the generation of high-order harmonics and isolated attosecond pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Bergé
- CEA-DAM, DIF, Bruyères-le-Châtel, F-91297 Arpajon, France.
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30
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Légaré F, Naji M, Lassonde P, Comtois D, Crozatier V, Oksenhendler T, Anis H, Kieffer JC. Pulse compression and shaping of broadband optical parametric amplifier laser source. OPTICS LETTERS 2008; 33:2824-2826. [PMID: 19037439 DOI: 10.1364/ol.33.002824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We report pulse compression and shaping of a 100 Hz broadband optical parametric amplifier (OPA) laser source generated by self-phase modulation in a hollow-core fiber. The amplitude and phase of the broadband OPA laser pulses are controlled using an acousto optic programmable dispersive filter (AOPDF). Using the AOPDF, we demonstrate compression, characterization, and amplitude/phase control of 1300 nm 20 fs laser pulses with energies up to 10 microJ. This novel source is suitable for seeding successive OPA amplification stages and for time-resolved spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Légaré
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre Energie Matériaux et Télécommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X1S2, Canada.
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31
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Börzsönyi A, Heiner Z, Kalashnikov MP, Kovács AP, Osvay K. Dispersion measurement of inert gases and gas mixtures at 800 nm. APPLIED OPTICS 2008; 47:4856-4863. [PMID: 18806842 DOI: 10.1364/ao.47.004856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Dispersion of femtosecond laser pulses propagating in Ar, He, Kr, N(2), Ne, Xe, and their mixtures is measured by spectrally and spatially resolved interferometry. By varying the gas pressure in a 4.5 m long tube between 0.05 mbar and ambient pressure, the first, second, and third order phase derivatives of broadband laser pulses are determined at 800 nm under standard conditions. The dispersion of gases and gas mixtures obeys the Lorentz-Lorenz formula with an accuracy of 0.7%. Based on the measured pressure dependent dispersion values in the near infrared and the refractive indices available from the literature for the ultraviolet and visible, a pressure dependent Sellmeier-type formula is fitted for each gas. These common form, two-term dispersion equations provide an accuracy between 4.1x10(-9) (Ne) and 4.3x10(-7) (Xe) for the refractive indices, from UV to near IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Börzsönyi
- Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, P.O. Box 406, Szeged 6701, Hungary
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32
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Trisorio A, Hauri CP. Control and characterization of multiple circularly polarized femtosecond filaments in argon. OPTICS LETTERS 2007; 32:1650-2. [PMID: 17572735 DOI: 10.1364/ol.32.001650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
We provide what is believed to be the first experimental evidence of spatial control on multiple filamentation (MF) using circularly polarized femtosecond laser pulses. The exceptional shot-to-shot reproducibility of the MF pattern allowed complete characterization of the two copropagating high-energy filaments, revealing for the first time temporal (self-) compression of circularly polarized filamenting pulses to a fifth of the initial 57 fs laser pulse duration without any sophisticated chirp control. Compared with LP MF, an enhancement in spatial stability and an increase in energy throughput are reported for circular input polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Trisorio
- Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, ENSTA-Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS UMR 7639, Palaiseau, France
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