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Wang XK, Ye JS, Sun WF, Han P, Hou L, Zhang Y. Terahertz near-field microscopy based on an air-plasma dynamic aperture. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2022; 11:129. [PMID: 35525862 PMCID: PMC9079089 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-022-00822-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Terahertz (THz) near-field microscopy retains the advantages of THz radiation and realizes sub-wavelength imaging, which enables applications in fundamental research and industrial fields. In most THz near-field microscopies, the sample surface must be approached by a THz detector or source, which restricts the sample choice. Here, a technique was developed based on an air-plasma dynamic aperture, where two mutually perpendicular air-plasmas overlapped to form a cross-filament above a sample surface that modulated an incident THz beam. THz imaging with quasi sub-wavelength resolution (approximately λ/2, where λ is the wavelength of the THz beam) was thus observed without approaching the sample with any devices. Damage to the sample by the air-plasmas was avoided. Near-field imaging of four different materials was achieved, including metallic, semiconductor, plastic, and greasy samples. The resolution characteristics of the near-field system were investigated with experiment and theory. The advantages of the technique are expected to accelerate the advancement of THz microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Ke Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Metamaterials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Terahertz Optoelectronics Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Jia-Sheng Ye
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Metamaterials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Terahertz Optoelectronics Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Wen-Feng Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Metamaterials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Terahertz Optoelectronics Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Peng Han
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Metamaterials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Terahertz Optoelectronics Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Lei Hou
- Applied Physics Department, Xian University of Technology, Xian, Shaanxi, 710048, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Metamaterials and Devices, Key Laboratory of Terahertz Optoelectronics Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
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2
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Sheng W, Tang F, Zhang Z, Chen Y, Peng XY, Sheng ZM. Spectral control of terahertz radiation from inhomogeneous plasma filaments by tailoring two-color laser beams. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:8676-8684. [PMID: 33820310 DOI: 10.1364/oe.417515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Terahertz (THz) radiation from an inhomogeneous plasma filament generated by focusing two-color femtosecond laser pulses into argon gas filled in a chamber is investigated experimentally by tailoring the Gaussian pump laser beams with an iris, where broadband THz emission over 10 THz is produced. It is found that the collected far-field THz radiation includes not only coherent but also partial-coherent components of the THz waves, which are emitted from the different parts of the inhomogeneous plasma filament with different plasma densities, contributing correspondingly to the different frequencies of the THz spectrum. Our results suggest that the THz spectrum can be manipulated by controlling the plasma density distribution of the filaments.
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Grewal RS, Ghosh A, Samanta GK. Simultaneous generation of high-power, ultrafast 1D and 2D Airy beams and their frequency-doubling characteristics. OPTICS LETTERS 2018; 43:3957-3960. [PMID: 30106925 DOI: 10.1364/ol.43.003957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We report on a simple experimental scheme based on a pair of cylindrical lenses (convex and concave) of the same focal length and common optical elements, producing high power optical beams in 1D and/or 2D Airy intensity profiles with laser polarization as the control parameter. Using an ultrafast Yb-fiber laser at 1064 nm of average power of 5 W in a Gaussian spatial profile and pulse width of ∼180 fs, we have generated 1D and 2D Airy beams at an efficiency of 80% and 70%, respectively, and a pulse width of ∼188 and ∼190 fs, respectively. We have measured the transverse deflection rate of 1D and 2D beams to be ∼5.0×10-5 1/mm and ∼2.0×10-5 1/mm, respectively. Simply rotating the polarization state of the 1D cubic phase modulated beam in the experiment, we can produce 1D and 2D Airy beams on demand. Using a 5 mm long bismuth borate (BiB3O6), we have also studied frequency-doubling characteristics of both 1D and 2D Airy beams. Like the 2D Airy beam, the 1D Airy beam also produces a frequency-doubled 1D Airy and an additional 1D spatial cubic structure. Like the Gaussian beams, we have observed the focusing dependence of conversion efficiency for both 1D and 2D Airy beams, producing green 1D and 2D Airy beams of output powers in excess of 110 and 150 mW for 3.4 and 2.8 W of fundamental power, respectively.
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Zhang Y, Sun W, Wang X, Ye J, Feng S, Han P, Zhang Y. Active modulation of the terahertz spectra radiated from two air plasmas. OPTICS LETTERS 2017; 42:1907-1910. [PMID: 28504756 DOI: 10.1364/ol.42.001907] [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
A simple and energy-saving method has been proposed to actively modulate the spectra of terahertz (THz) waves radiated from two serial plasmas, which uses the background light to generate one plasma to make full use of the energy of the femtosecond laser. With this method, the modulation of the central frequency, spectral bandwidth, and spectral profile of the output THz waves have been observed. The shifting of the amplitude dip has been manipulated by changing the distance of the two serial plasmas. The manipulation results agree with the ones simulated by the transition-Cherenkov model. This proposed method provides a useful tool for getting the modulated THz spectra that can be used in the THz remote sensing.
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Panagiotopoulos P, Papazoglou DG, Couairon A, Tzortzakis S. Controlling high-power autofocusing waves with periodic lattices. OPTICS LETTERS 2014; 39:4958-4961. [PMID: 25121918 DOI: 10.1364/ol.39.004958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We show numerically that by using radial symmetric lattices, the focal spot characteristics and filament peak intensity of high-power autofocusing waves can be controlled. The lattice induced diffraction is able to isolate the main on-axis peak and control the focus position. In addition, at higher power the lattice can control and stabilize the peak intensity of the filament over an extended distance.
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Vvedenskii NV, Korytin AI, Kostin VA, Murzanev AA, Silaev AA, Stepanov AN. Two-color laser-plasma generation of terahertz radiation using a frequency-tunable half harmonic of a femtosecond pulse. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2014; 112:055004. [PMID: 24580606 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.112.055004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We investigate for the first time, both experimentally and theoretically, low-frequency terahertz (THz) emission from the ambient air ionized by a two-color femtosecond laser pulse containing, besides the fundamental-frequency main field, a weak additional field tunable near the frequency of the half harmonic. By controlling the mutual polarization and the powers of the main and additional fields, we determine the dependences of the THz power and polarization on the parameters of the two-color pulse. We also discover the resonantlike dependence of the THz yield on the frequency detuning of the additional field. The analytical formulas obtained using the model of the free-electron residual current density give an excellent agreement with the experimental results.
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Affiliation(s)
- N V Vvedenskii
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia and University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
| | - A I Korytin
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
| | - V A Kostin
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia and University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
| | - A A Murzanev
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
| | - A A Silaev
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia and University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
| | - A N Stepanov
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
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Bellec M, Panagiotopoulos P, Papazoglou DG, Efremidis NK, Couairon A, Tzortzakis S. Observation and optical tailoring of photonic lattice filaments. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2012; 109:113905. [PMID: 23005632 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.109.113905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2011] [Revised: 05/04/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate, for the first time, that photonic lattices support a new type of laser filaments, called lattice filaments (LF). The LF attributes (length, width, and intensity) can be tailored by both varying the photonic lattice properties and also dynamically through the interaction between filaments. This opens the way for extensive all-optical control of the nonlinear propagation of intense ultrafast wave packets. Our approach is generic and applicable to all transparent media, with potential strong impact on various photonic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bellec
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, P.O. Box 1527, 71110 Heraklion, Greece
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Massaouti M, Manceau JM, Selimis A, Tzortzakis S. An intense tunable femtosecond gas-plasma THz source: Application in spectroscopic studies of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. J Mol Struct 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2011.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Panagiotopoulos P, Couairon A, Efremidis NK, Papazoglou DG, Tzortzakis S. Intense dynamic bullets in a periodic lattice. OPTICS EXPRESS 2011; 19:10057-10062. [PMID: 21643264 DOI: 10.1364/oe.19.010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Femtosecond filamentation inside a periodic lattice in air is numerically shown to form intense dynamic bullets. The long propagation distance of the bullet structure is primarily attributed to the effect of the lattice that regulates the competition between linear and nonlinear spatiotemporal effects in the region of normal dispersion.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Panagiotopoulos
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, PO Box 1527, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
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Wu HC, Meyer-Ter-Vehn J, Ruhl H, Sheng ZM. Terahertz radiation from a laser plasma filament. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2011; 83:036407. [PMID: 21517604 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.83.036407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2010] [Revised: 01/16/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
By the use of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we clarify the terahertz (THz) radiation mechanism from a plasma filament formed by an intense femtosecond laser pulse. The nonuniform plasma density of the filament leads to a net radiating current for THz radiation. This current is mainly located within the pulse and the first cycle of the wakefield. As the laser pulse propagates, a single-cycle and radially polarized THz pulse is constructively built up forward. The single-cycle shape is mainly due to radiation damping effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- H-C Wu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, D-85748 Garching, Germany.
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Clerici M, Faccio D, Rubino E, Lotti A, Couairon A, Di Trapani P. Space-time focusing of Bessel-like pulses. OPTICS LETTERS 2010; 35:3267-3269. [PMID: 20890355 DOI: 10.1364/ol.35.003267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
We report on a space-time compression technique allowing for complete and independent control of the longitudinal dynamics and of the transverse pulse localization by means of spatial beam shaping. We experimentally observe both strong temporal compression and high transverse localization, of the order of a few wavelengths, along free-space propagation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Clerici
- CNISM and Dipartimento di Fisica e Matematica, Università dell’Insubria, Via Valleggio 11, 22100 Como, Italy
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Manceau JM, Massaouti M, Tzortzakis S. Coherent control of THz pulses polarization from femtosecond laser filaments in gases. OPTICS EXPRESS 2010; 18:18894-18899. [PMID: 20940782 DOI: 10.1364/oe.18.018894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate the possibility to rotate the polarization of linearly polarized THz pulses via the accurate control of the 2-color filament surrounding gas pressure. We also show ways to produce elliptically and circularly polarized THz pulses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Michel Manceau
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, P.O. Box 1527, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
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Manceau JM, Massaouti M, Tzortzakis S. Strong terahertz emission enhancement via femtosecond laser filament concatenation in air. OPTICS LETTERS 2010; 35:2424-2426. [PMID: 20634851 DOI: 10.1364/ol.35.002424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the emission of terahertz (THz) radiation from two laser filaments in air. An increase by 1 order of magnitude of the overall THz power is found when the two filaments are coherently linked on-axis, leading to a single longer concatenated filament. The observed enhancement is found to be the same for the cases of single-color and two-color filamentation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- J-M Manceau
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), P.O. Box 1527, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
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Leahy-Hoppa MR, Miragliotta J, Osiander R, Burnett J, Dikmelik Y, McEnnis C, Spicer JB. Ultrafast laser-based spectroscopy and sensing: applications in LIBS, CARS, and THz spectroscopy. SENSORS 2010; 10:4342-4372. [PMID: 22399883 PMCID: PMC3292122 DOI: 10.3390/s100504342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2010] [Revised: 03/30/2010] [Accepted: 04/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ultrafast pulsed lasers find application in a range of spectroscopy and sensing techniques including laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), coherent Raman spectroscopy, and terahertz (THz) spectroscopy. Whether based on absorption or emission processes, the characteristics of these techniques are heavily influenced by the use of ultrafast pulses in the signal generation process. Depending on the energy of the pulses used, the essential laser interaction process can primarily involve lattice vibrations, molecular rotations, or a combination of excited states produced by laser heating. While some of these techniques are currently confined to sensing at close ranges, others can be implemented for remote spectroscopic sensing owing principally to the laser pulse duration. We present a review of ultrafast laser-based spectroscopy techniques and discuss the use of these techniques to current and potential chemical and environmental sensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Leahy-Hoppa
- Milton S. Eisenhower Research Center, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.); (R.O.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +1-443-778-1858; Fax: +1-443-778-3500
| | - Joseph Miragliotta
- Milton S. Eisenhower Research Center, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.); (R.O.)
| | - Robert Osiander
- Milton S. Eisenhower Research Center, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, MD 20723, USA; E-Mails: (J.M.); (R.O.)
| | - Jennifer Burnett
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Louisville, KY, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Yamac Dikmelik
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; E-Mail:
| | - Caroline McEnnis
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; E-Mails: (C.M.); (J.B.S.)
| | - James B. Spicer
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; E-Mails: (C.M.); (J.B.S.)
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Wang Z, Liu J, Li R, Xu Z. Wavefront control to generate ultraviolet supercontinuum by filamentation of few-cycle laser pulses in argon. OPTICS LETTERS 2010; 35:163-165. [PMID: 20081955 DOI: 10.1364/ol.35.000163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We numerically demonstrated the filamentation dynamics of a 6 fs, 800 nm pulse focused in argon at atmospheric pressure by a zone plate and a concave mirror. In comparison with a concave mirror, the zone plate has a frequency-dependent focal length and can be used to control the wavefront of the laser beam in the frequency domain. A separate supercontinuum in the ultraviolet region extending from 250 to 300 nm and peaked at ~280 nm can be generated by using a proper zone plate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 800-211, Shanghai 201800, China
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Kostin VA, Vvedenskii NV. Ionization-induced conversion of ultrashort Bessel beam to terahertz pulse. OPTICS LETTERS 2010; 35:247-249. [PMID: 20081983 DOI: 10.1364/ol.35.000247] [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 examine the conical terahertz emission from the superluminous ionization front created in air by an axicon-focused femtosecond laser pulse. We develop the theoretical model that explains the experimental results and predicts new possibilities to control terahertz pulse parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- V A Kostin
- Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 46 Ulyanov Street, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, Russia
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Valtna-Lukner H, Bowlan P, Lõhmus M, Piksarv P, Trebino R, Saari P. Direct spatiotemporal measurements of accelerating ultrashort Bessel-type light bullets. OPTICS EXPRESS 2009; 17:14948-14955. [PMID: 19687973 DOI: 10.1364/oe.17.014948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We measure the spatiotemporal field of ultrashort pulses with complex spatiotemporal profiles using the linear-optical, interferometric pulse-measurement technique SEA TADPOLE. Accelerating and decelerating ultrashort, localized, nonspreading Bessel-X wavepackets were generated from a approximately 27 fs duration Ti:Sapphire oscillator pulse using a combination of an axicon and a convex or concave lens. The wavefields are measured with approximately 5 microm spatial and approximately 15 fs temporal resolutions. Our experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical calculations and numerical simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Valtna-Lukner
- Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia 142, Tartu, 51014 Estonia.
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