Temporal evolution of the xenon laser pulse

An experimental investigation was made of the xenon excimer laser. Several laser cavities have been employed with excitation by electron beams of cross section (15×2) cm² and (55×4) cm² and current density 100–150 A cm^-2 injected transverse to the cavity axis. A numerical model of the xenon laser is compared with experimental results. The laser pulse width was found to be dependent on laser intensity and cavity mirrors. Early termination of the laser pulse was observed consistent with changing reflectivity of the cavity mirrors. An uncoated MgF₂ retroreflector produced a laser output of significantly longer pulse width. Quasi-cw laser action was observed.     

The generation,detection and measurement of laser-induced carbon plasma ions and their implantation effects on brass substrate

The generation, detection and measurement of laser-induced carbon plasma ions and their implantation effects on brass substrate have been investigated. Thomson parabola technique was employed to measure the energy and flux of carbon ions. The magnetic field of strength 80?mT was applied on the graphite plasma plume to provide an appropriate trajectory to the generated ions. The energy of carbon ions is 678?KeV for laser fluence of 5.1?J/cm² which was kept constant for all exposures. The flux of ions varies from 32?×?10¹¹ to 72?×?10¹⁴?ions/cm² for varying numbers of laser pulses from 3000 to 12,000. In order to explore the ion irradiation effects on brass, four brass substrates were irradiated by carbon ions of different flux. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) are used to analyze the surface morphology and crystallographic structure of ion-implanted brass, respectively. SEM analysis reveals the formation and growth of nano-/micro-sized cavities, pores and pits for the various ion flux for varying numbers of laser pulses from 3000 to 12,000. By increasing ion flux by increasing the number of pulses up to 9000 shots, the dendritic structures initiate to grow along with cavities and pores. At the maximum ion flux for 12,000 shots, the unequiaxed dendritic structures become distinct and the distance between the dendrites is decreased, whereas cavities, pores and pits are completely finished. The XRD analysis reveals that a new phase of ZnC (0012) is formed in the brass substrate after ion implantation. Universal tensile testing machine and Vickers microhardness tester are used to explore the yield stress, ultimate tensile strength and microhardness of ion-implanted brass substrate. The mechanical properties monotonically increase by increasing the ion flux. Variations in mechanical properties are correlated with surface and structural modifications of brass.     

Measurement of the absolute Raman scattering cross sections of sulfur and the standoff Raman detection of a 6‐mm‐thick sulfur specimen at 1500 m

The absolute Raman scattering cross sections (σ_RS) for the 471, 217, and 153 cm⁻¹ modes of sulfur were measured as 6.0 ± 1.2 × 10⁻²⁷, 7.7 ± 1.6 × 10⁻²⁷, and 1.2 ± 0.24 × 10⁻²⁶ cm² at 815, 799, and 794 nm, respectively, using a 785‐nm pump laser. The corresponding values of σ_RS at 1120, 1089, and 1081 nm were determined to be 1.5 ± 0.3 × 10⁻²⁷, 1.2 ± 0.24 × 10⁻²⁷, and 1.2 ± 0.24 × 10⁻²⁷ cm² using a 1064‐nm laser. A temperature‐controlled, small‐cavity (2.125 mm diameter) blackbody source was used to calibrate the signal output of the Raman spectrometers for these measurements. Standoff Raman detection of a 6‐mm‐thick sulfur specimen located at 1500 m from the pump laser and the Raman spectrometer was made using a 1.4‐W, CW, 785‐nm pump laser. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ultrafast nanoporous silica formation driven by femtosecond laser irradiation

A type of glass modifications occurring after femto‐second laser irradiation gives rise to strong (10⁻²) from birefringence. This form birefringence is thought to be related to index nanostructure (called nanogratings). Analyzing induced tracks in fused silica using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with nm resolution shows that nanostructures are porous nanoplanes with an average index lower than typical silica (Δn ∼ –0.20). Their origin is explained as arising from fast decomposition of the glass under localized, high‐intensity femtosecond laser radiation where strong nonlinear, multiphoton‐induced photoionization leads to plasma generation. Mechanistic details include Coulombic explosions characteristic of strong photoionization and the production of self‐trapped exciton (STE). Rapid relaxation of these STE prevents recombination and dissociated atomic oxygen instead recombines with each other to form molecular oxygen pointed out using Raman microscopy. Some of it is dissolved in the condensed glass whilst the rest is trapped within nanovoids. A chemical recombination can only occur at 1200 °C for many hours. This explains the thermal stability of such a nanostructure. Precise laser translation and control of these birefringent nanoporous structures allo arbitrarily tuning and positioning within the glass, an important tool for controlling optical properties for photonic applications, catalysts, molecular sieves, composites and more.     

Wavelength response and thermal stability of embedded nanograting structure light attenuator fabricated by direct femtosecond laser writing

Planar structure consisting of line array with embedded nanogratings, which can function as a polarization-dependent light attenuator, was fabricated inside fused silica using a tightly focused 1 kHz fs laser scanning. Microstructure in the laser-modified region was characterized with Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Wavelength response and thermal stability of the structure were studied. The polarization-dependent attenuation efficiency decreases with increasing wavelength. The structure can resist high temperature up to 900 °C, and proper heat treatment can improve its attenuation efficiency. The results provide some new insights into the characteristics of fs laser-induced self-organized nanogratings and an alternative way to produce a polarization-dependent light attenuator that can be used in harsh environment.     

Experimental study of conditions for the 3D laser cladding of nickel aluminide

The layerwise laser cladding of powdered alloy based on intermetallic gamma Ni₃Al phase is studied. The effect deposition parameters have on the geometry of the deposited beads is shown. Microstructures are investigated and the cracking susceptibility of the deposited material is analyzed. The effective deposition parameters are determined within a range of specific laser energy inputs of (2–8) × 10⁶ J kg^?1 at beam scanning rates of (1.67–10) × 10^?3 m/s and a powder feed of 6.3 × 10^?5 kg/s^?1.     

Studies on the Binding of Barbaloin to Human Gamma Globulin

The binding of barbaloin to human gamma globulin (HGG) was studied in vitro under simulated physiological conditions by spectroscopic method including circular dichroism (CD), Fourier transformation infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The binding parameters of HGG to barbaloin were studied from the fluorescence decrease of HGG by the fluorometric titrations in the presence of barbaloin. The Sips plots indicated that the binding of HGG to barbaloin at 296, 304, 310, and 317 K was characteristic of two binding sites with the average affinity constant K _o at 1.152×10⁴, 1.022 ×10⁴, 0.9618×10⁴, and 0.8937×10⁴, respectively. The binding process was exothermic, spontaneous, and entropy driven, as indicated by the thermodynamic analyses, and the major part of binding energy was electrostatic interaction. The secondary structure elements of free HGG and its barbaloin complexes were estimated by the FT‐IR spectra and the curve‐fitted results of amide I band, which were in agreement with the analyses of CD spectra. Furthermore, the average binding distance between the donor and the acceptor (3.74 nm) was obtained on the basis of the theory of Förster energy transfer.     

Optical properties of Yb3+ ions in fluorophosphate glasses for 1.0 μm solid-state infrared lasers

Yb³⁺-doped fluorophosphate glasses were prepared by melt-quenching technique and characterized their spectroscopic properties to assess the laser performance parameters. The magnitude of absorption (emission) cross-sections at 975 nm for all the studied Yb³⁺-doped glasses is found to be in the range of 0.29–1.50 × 10^?20 (0.59–1.99 × 10^?20 cm²) which is much higher than those of commercial Kigre QX/Yb: 1.06 × 10^?20 (0.5 × 10^?20 cm²) laser glass. The luminescence lifetimes of ²F_5/2 level decrease (1.15–0.45 ms) with increase in Yb₂O₃ concentration (0.1–4.0 mol%). Effect of OH^? content on luminescence properties of Yb³⁺ ions has also been investigated. The effect of radiative trapping has been discussed by using McCumber (McC) and Fuchtbauer–Ladenburge (F–L) methods. The product of experimental lifetimes and emission cross-sections for 0.1 mol% Yb₂O₃-doped glass is found to be 2.28 × 10^?20 cm² ms which indicates that the higher energy storage and extraction capability could be possible. The detailed spectroscopic results suggest that the studied glasses can be considered for high-power and ultrashort pulse laser applications.     

Generation of THz Radiation from Laser Beam Filamentation in a Magnetized Plasma

The terahertz (THz) frequency radiation production as a result of nonlinear interaction of high intense laser beam with low density ripple in a magnetized plasma has been studied. If the appropriate phase matching conditions are satisfied and the frequency of the ripple is appropriate then this difference frequency can be brought in the THz range. Self focusing (filamentation) of a circularly polarized beam propagating along the direction of static magnetic field in plasma is first investigated within extended‐paraxial ray approximation. The beam gets focused when the initial power of the laser beam is greater than its critical power. Resulting localized beam couples with the pre‐existing density ripple to produce a nonlinear current driving the THz radiation. By changing the strength of the magnetic field, one can enhance or suppress the THz emission. The expressions for the laser beam width parameter, the electric field vector of the THz wave have been obtained. For typical laser beam and plasma parameters with the incident laser intensity ≈ 10¹⁴ W/cm², laser beam radius (r₀) = 50 μm, laser frequency (ω₀) = 1.8848 × 10¹⁴rad/s, electron plasma (low density rippled) wave frequency (ω₀) = 1.2848 × 10¹⁴ rad/s, plasma density (n₀) = 5.025 × 10¹⁷cm^–3, normalized ripple density amplitude (μ)=0.1, the produced THz emission can be at the level of Giga watt (GW) in power (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A New Candidate Laser Dye Based 1,4-Bis[β-(2-Naphthothiazolyle)Vinyl]Benzene. Spectroscopic Behavior,Laser Parameters and Excitation Energy Transfer

A new candidate laser dye based 1,4-bis[β-(2-naphthothisolyl) vinyl] benzene (BNTVB) were prepared, and characterized in various organic solvents. The center polarity is less sensitive than electronic absorption. A red shift was noticed in the fluorescence spectra (ca. 40 nm) with increment in the solvent’s polarity, this means that BNTVB’s polarity appreciates upon excitation. The dipole moment of ground state (μ_g) and the excited singlet state dipole moment (μ_e) are determined from Kawski – Chamma and Bakshiev–Viallet equations using the disparity of Stokes shift with solvent polarity function of ε (dielectric constant) and n (refractive index) of the solvent. The result was found to be 0.019D and 5.13D for ground and exited state, in succession. DFT/TD-DFT manners were used to understand the electronic structures and geometric of BNTVB in other solvents. The experimental and theoretical results showed a good agreement. The photochemical quantum yield (Ф_c) of BNTVB was calculated in variable organic reagents such as Dioxane, CHCl₃, EtOH and MeOH at room temperature. The values of φ_c were calculated as 2.3?×?10^?4, 3.3?×?10^?3, 9.7?×?10^?5 and 6.2?×?10^?5 in Dioxane, CHCl₃, EtOH and MeOH, respectively. The dye solutions (2?×?10^?4 M) in DMF, MeOH and EtOH give laser emission in the blue-green region. The green zone is excited by nitrogen pulse 337.1 nm. The tuning range, gain coefficient (α) and cross – section emission (σ_e) of laser were also estimated. Excitation energy transfer from BNTVB to rhodamine-6G (R6G) and N,N-bis(2,6-dimethyphenyl)-3,4:9,10-perylenebis-(dicarboximide) (BDP) was also studied in EtOH to increase the laser emission output from R6G and BDP when excited by nitrogen laser. The dye-transfer power laser system (ETDL) obeys the Foster Power Transmission (FERT) mechanism with a critical transmission distance, R_o of 40 and 32 ? and k_ET equals 2.6?×?10¹³ and 1.06?×?10¹³ M^?1 s^?1 for BNTVB / R6G and BNTVB / BDP pair, respectively.     

Energy efficiency of drilling granite and travertine with a CO2 laser and 980 nm diode laser

Using lasers to drill hard rock presents potential advantages compared to conventional mechanical drilling, such as higher penetration rates and reduced vibration. Before realistic drilling tools can be proposed, the influence of important parameters and the mechanisms involved in drilling different rocks with different lasers must be understood. In this work, we investigate the efficiency of laser drilling of granite and travertine with a CO₂ laser and a 980 nm fiber coupled diode laser. At the drilling surface, the maximum CW power delivered by the CO₂ laser was 140 W, while the diode laser delivered up to 215 W. Even at these modest power levels, it was possible to drill holes with diameters of the order of 8 mm at efficiencies varying from 40 kJ/cm³ to 150 kJ/cm³. The optimum laser exposure period of time was also investigated. Finally, x-ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis, as well as Tg (Thermogravimetry) and DTA (Differential Thermal Analysis) measurements, were performed on the rocks samples used.     

Measurement of the absolute Raman scattering cross section of the 1584‐cm−1 band of benzenethiol and the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering cross section enhancement factor for femtosecond laser‐nanostructured substrates

The absolute Raman scattering cross section (σ_RS) for the 1584‐cm⁻¹ band of benzenethiol at 897 nm (1.383 eV) has been measured to be 8.9 ± 1.8 × 10⁻³⁰ cm² using a 785‐nm pump laser. A temperature‐controlled, small‐cavity blackbody source was used to calibrate the signal output of the Raman spectrometer. We also measured the absolute surface‐enhanced Raman scattering cross section (σ_SERS) of benzenethiol adsorbed onto a silver‐coated, femtosecond laser‐nanostructured substrate. Using the measured values of 8.9 ± 1.8 × 10⁻³⁰ and 6.6 ± 1.3 × 10⁻²⁴ cm² for σ_RS and σ_SERS respectively, we calculate an average cross‐section enhancement factor (EF) of 0.8 ± 0.3 × 10⁶. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three-dimensional simulation of laser–plasma-based electron acceleration

A sequential three-dimensional (3D) particle-in-cell simulation code PICPSI-3D with a user friendly graphical user interface (GUI) has been developed and used to study the interaction of plasma with ultrahigh intensity laser radiation. A case study of laser–plasma-based electron acceleration has been carried out to assess the performance of this code. Simulations have been performed for a Gaussian laser beam of peak intensity 5 × 10¹⁹ W/cm² propagating through an underdense plasma of uniform density 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^− 3, and for a Gaussian laser beam of peak intensity 1.5 × 10¹⁹ W/cm² propagating through an underdense plasma of uniform density 3.5 × 10¹⁹ cm^− 3. The electron energy spectrum has been evaluated at different time-steps during the propagation of the laser beam. When the plasma density is 1 × 10¹⁹ cm^− 3, simulations show that the electron energy spectrum forms a monoenergetic peak at ~14 MeV, with an energy spread of ±7 MeV. On the other hand, when the plasma density is 3.5 × 10¹⁹ cm^− 3, simulations show that the electron energy spectrum forms a monoenergetic peak at ~23 MeV, with an energy spread of ±7.5 MeV.     

X-Ray Diffraction Analysis of the Influence of the Absorbed γ-Irradiation Dose on Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>Al Structural Characteristics

The influence of absorbed γ-quantum irradiation doses D_γ (⁶⁰Co isotope) on the structural parameters of Ti₃Al single-phase compounds is experimentally investigated. The structural characteristics are defined more accurately using X-ray diffractometry. On account of the results of structural studies, it is found that exposure to low γ-radiation doses (e.g., D_γ = 1 × 10³ Gy) generates the nonequilibrium state of the Ti₃Al structure. An increase in the absorbed dose (to D_γ = 1 × 10⁵ Gy) stimulates the formation of a metastable radiation-induced state, which is identified by diffraction-reflection splitting, an increase in the crystal-lattice volume, and changes in the parameters of the fine structure (the coherent-scattering-region size decreases to 13 nm, and the defect concentration increases).     

Structural evolution of nanopores and cracks as fundamental constituents of ultrashort pulse-induced nanogratings

We present an extensive study of the underlying structure of femtosecond laser-induced nanogratings in fused silica. To explore the evolution of the three-dimensional structure of the nanopores and cracks, of which the nanogratings consist, we performed small angle X-ray scattering measurements as well as focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy. Our results show that cracks with dimensions of (280  $\times $  25  $\times $  380) nm $^{3}$ and nanopores with typical diameters of (30  $\times $  25  $\times $  75) nm $^{3}$ are formed independent of various illumination parameters. With increasing number of laser pulses the smaller pores fuse to larger structures. Furthermore, the data suggest a cross-sectional change of the pores from cuboidal to ellipsoidal.     

Ground-state depleted solid-state lasers: principles,characteristics and scaling

A novel class of rare-earth-doped solid-state lasers is described. The ground-state depleted laser is pumped by an intense (more than tens of kW cm⁻²) narrow-band (less than a few nm) laser source and is characterized by: (1) an unusually low laser ion doping density (5 to 10×10¹⁸ion cm⁻³), (2) an unusually large fractional excited population inversion density (4 to 8×10¹⁸ ion cm⁻³, or >75%), (3) a gain element that is optically thick at the pump wavelength and (4) a gain element that has a substantially uniform gain distribution due to a bleaching of the pump transition at the pump intensity utilized. These features enable efficient room-temperature operation of rare-earth-ion laser transitions terminating on the ground manifold. The relationships between laser parameters (cross-sections, saturation fluences and fluxes, bleaching wave velocities, etc.) are given and laser performance scaling relationships are presented and discussed.

     

Femtosecond laser plasma in CaF<Subscript>2</Subscript> crystal microchannel and effective generation of characteristic X-ray radiation

The dependence of the characteristic X-ray radiation yield from CaF₂ crystal on the formed microchannel depth under highly intensive (I ∼ 3 × 10¹⁵ W/cm²) laser pulses with different contrast was obtained. The maximum of the characteristic X-ray radiation yield at these experimental conditions corresponded to the microchannel depth of 30–50 μm. The efficiency of the laser radiation conversion to the characteristic X-ray radiation increased from 6 × 10⁻⁸ for the surface up to 10⁻⁷ in the microchannel. The dependence of the characteristic X-ray radiation yield on the viewing angle showed that the source of X-ray radiation was located near the surface inside the microchannel.     

Large-format fabrication by two-photon polymerization in SU-8

Microporous structures are central to many fields of science and engineering, but many of these systems are complex with little or no symmetry and are difficult to fabricate. We applied two-photon polymerization (2PP) and femtosecond laser direct-writing techniques to fabricate broad-area large-format 3D microporous structures (450 μm × 450 μm × 40 μm) in the epoxy-based photoresist SU-8. The appropriate exposure was determined by controlling average pulse energies and stage speeds to generate the exposure curves. Mechanical distortion exhibited in suspended walls fabricated by 2PP laser writing was studied by controlling wall lengths and widths. A simple thermal-expansion model is presented to explain the distortion caused by axial loadings of the walls.     

Surface topography of ultrashort laser-irradiated CaF2

A single-crystal CaF₂ (111) was irradiated with single and multiple laser (Ti:sapphire, 800 nm, 25 fs) shots at fluences ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 J cm^?2. In this fluence regime, a single laser pulse usually leads to typical bump-like features ranging from 200 nm to 1.5 μm in diameter and 10–50 nm in height. These bumps are related to compressive stresses due to a pressure build-up induced by fast laser heating and their subsequent relaxation. When CaF₂ is irradiated with successive (in our case 20) shots at a laser fluence of 1.5 J cm^?2, nanocavities at the top of the microbumps are observed. The formation of these nanocavities is regarded as an explosion and is attributed to the explosive expansion generated by shock waves due to laser-induced plasma after the nonlinear absorption of the laser energy by the material. Such kinds of surface structures at the nanometre scale could be attractive for nanolithography.