利用三色组合脉冲激光获得孤立阿秒脉冲发射

孤立阿秒脉冲因可以跟踪和控制原子及分子内电子的运动过程而备受关注.本文从理论上开展了氦原子在3束飞秒脉冲激光组合场辐照下产生的高次谐波和阿秒脉冲辐射的研究.组合激光场由16 fs/1600 nm,15 fs/1100 nm和5.3 fs/800 nm的钛宝石脉冲构成.与前两束脉冲合成的双色场产生谐波谱相比,附加钛宝石脉冲的三色场产生的高次谐波发射谱呈现出高转换效率及宽带超连续特性,超连续谱范围覆盖从230—690次谐波,傅里叶变换后实现了128 as高强度孤立短脉冲的产生.该结果归因于合成的三色场呈现出高功率及少周期的中红外飞秒脉冲激光特性,可以有效控制原子电离以及复合发生在中红外飞秒脉冲的一个有效光学周期内.     

附加谐波脉冲生成强的39阿秒孤立脉冲

采用多周期800 nm激光组合它的27次谐波脉冲生成超短、宽频的孤立阿秒脉冲.研究表明,脉宽为1 fs的27次谐波脉冲可以有效地控制电子动力学过程.将其加入到单色激光场的特定时域,可以控制电离概率在半个光学周期内迅速提升,使得谐波的转化效率相对于单色场情形增强4个数量级,并实现单一的短量子路径选择,出现频宽为108 eV的超连续辐射谱,叠加该连续谱140次到210次谐波获得了脉宽为39as的强、短孤立脉冲.与文献[7]中采用5 fs/800 nm激光附加紫外阿秒脉冲的方法相比,该方案生成的连续谱频带增宽一 关键词： 组合激光脉冲 连续辐射谱 阿秒脉冲     

阿秒范围电子动力学的直接观测

为研究一个系统的动力学过程，通常采用激光脉冲抽运实验的方法．实验中，用可见波长的抽运脉冲激光来激发该系统，并使用第二个探测脉冲对系统演化与脉冲问延迟的关系进行跟踪．在这种实验中，可达到的时间分辨依赖于激光脉冲的时间精度，但是这些脉冲通常要持续几个飞秒（fs，lfs=10^-15s），因此不能用于研究更快的过程．最近一项很有希望的进展是将脉冲压缩到了200as（as为阿秒，1as=10^-18s）．     

多周期双色场方案下附加脉冲频率对阿秒脉冲产生的影响

通过数值求解一维含时薛定谔方程,研究了多周期双色场与氢原子相互作用过程中不同波段的附加脉冲波长对体系高次谐波及阿秒脉冲产生的影响.研究发现,当双色场的附加脉冲波长处于红外波段1600 nm时,比起处于可见光波段的533 nm附加脉冲,谐波谱截止位置得到大幅延展,相应地拓宽了超连续带宽,小波变换后获得了78 as的孤立短脉冲.由合成电场的光学振荡频率解释了附加脉冲波段对谐波谱的影响,同时该结论有利于在获得孤立阿秒脉冲的研究中选择合适的附加脉冲频率.     

正交偏振双色激光场作用下生成的孤立阿秒脉冲

我们理论研究了正交偏振双色激光场作用下的高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生.当y方向加一束中红外激光脉冲(12.5 fs/2000 nm),x方向加一束强度较弱的激光脉冲(12 fs/800 nm)时,我们得到从250 eV到350 eV的超连续谐波平台,在平台范围内叠加50 eV的谐波,可以得到一个脉宽约为97as的孤立阿秒脉冲. 通过时频分析,我们解释了高次谐波发射的物理机制.     

利用阿秒激光追踪和控制原子分子内部电子的运动(英文)

随着强激光技术的快速发展,在物质与激光相互作用下,实验上发现了很多新奇的物理现象。这些现象成功地被各种理论模型和数值模拟所解释和证明。一种很重要的现象就是所谓的高次谐波产生:在原子和分子与强激光相互作用时,能够放出能量为基频光子能量几倍到几百倍的大能量光子。在实验上,人们已经可以通过合成截止频率附近的几个谐波来产生脉冲长度在阿秒量级的激光脉冲(1阿秒=10~(-18)s)。阿秒脉冲的获得开启了超快科学一个全新的领域:人们可以在电子运动的自然时间尺度上去探测和操控原子分子内部电子的运动,这是继飞秒科学后人们操控微观世界物质运动的又一大飞跃。在本文中,我们就最近几年我们在理论上所开展的阿秒物理做一个简单的综述,重点强调利用阿秒光去控制电子的电离动力学以及探测分子内部电子运动。     

利用阿秒激光追踪和控制原子分子内部电子的运动

随着强激光技术的快速发展, 在物质与激光相互作用下,实验上发现了很多新奇的物理现象。这些现象成功地被各种理论模型和数值模拟所解释和证明。一种很重要的现象就是所谓的高次谐波产生：在原子和分子与强激光相互作用时, 能够放出能量为基频光子能量几倍到几百倍的大能量光子。在实验上, 人们已经可以通过合成截止频率附近的几个谐波来产生脉冲长度在阿秒量级的激光脉冲（1阿秒=10-18秒）。阿秒脉冲的获得开启了超快科学一个全新的领域：人们可以在电子运动的自然时间尺度上去探测和操控原子分子内部电子的运动,这是继飞秒科学后人们操控微观世界物质运动的又一大飞跃。在本文中,我们就最近几年我们在理论上所开展的阿秒物理做一个简单的综述,重点强调利用阿秒光去控制电子的电离动力学以及探测分子内部电子运动.     

60 fs长脉宽双色场作用下孤立阿秒脉冲的产生

通过数值求解一维含时Schrödinger方程,研究了具有较长脉宽双色激光脉冲与氢原子相互作用产生的高次谐波和阿秒(as)脉冲.这里的双色激光脉冲由一束基频钛宝石主脉冲与另一束红外附加脉冲构成.研究发现,当合成脉冲的脉宽选为12 fs时, 选取合适的附加脉冲波长,合成电场的振幅在始末端时间段能被大幅抑制, 仅中间部分的电场对谐波谱平台区和截止位置起主要贡献. 通过分析合成脉冲电场始末端时间段抑制的机理,进一步扩展了合成脉冲脉宽到60 as, 并得到160 as的孤立短脉冲.这是迄今为止在孤立阿秒脉冲产生研究中所采用的最长脉宽. 该方案中的合成脉冲等效于单一5 fs短脉冲的作用, 却克服了5 fs脉冲低输出能量导致的阿秒脉冲能量低的困难.     

原子在两色组合激光场中产生的单个阿秒脉冲

利用分裂算符法求解含时薛定谔方程,对一维氦原子处于红外场（IR）与紫外场（UV）组合的两色激光场中产生的高次谐波进行研究,分析了由高次谐波产生的阿秒脉冲的特征. 发现在组合场中可以通过增加红外场的强度,来缩短阿秒脉冲的宽度,通过调节组合场中两束激光的时间延迟,提高一个电子轨道对谐波的贡献,而抑制另一个电子轨道的贡献,从而得到低于100 as的单个脉冲. 关键词： 强激光场 组合场 高次谐波 阿秒脉冲     

紧聚焦激光束作用于电子实现单个阿秒脉冲输出

研究了电子在聚焦的圆偏振高斯激光束中的非线性汤姆孙散射过程，在此基础上提出了实现单个阿秒脉冲输出的新机理.通过计算机模拟，发现利用紧聚焦的激光脉冲可以有效地增大辐射脉冲链的最高峰和次高峰的峰值强度比即信噪比，从而将阿秒脉冲链变为单个阿秒脉冲输出.紧聚焦情形下，随着驱动激光强度的增大，辐射信号的脉宽变短，信噪比变大；同时当减小激光束腰半径时，辐射信号信噪比也能得到有效改善.研究还发现，利用几个光周期的极短激光脉冲与电子的相互作用也能实现单个阿秒脉冲输出. 关键词： 阿秒脉冲 紧聚焦 信噪比     

Attosecond control of ionization by wave-packet interference

A train of attosecond pulses, synchronized to an infrared (IR) laser field, is used to create a series of electron wave packets (EWPs) that are below the ionization threshold in .helium. The ionization probability is found to strongly oscillate with the delay between the IR and attosecond fields twice per IR laser cycle. Calculations that reproduce the experimental results demonstrate that this ionization control results from interference between transiently bound EWPs created by different pulses in the train. In this way, we are able to observe, for the first time, attosecond wave-packet interference in a strongly driven atomic system.     

Coherent electron scattering captured by an attosecond quantum stroboscope

We demonstrate a quantum stroboscope based on a sequence of identical attosecond pulses that are used to release electrons into a strong infrared (IR) laser field exactly once per laser cycle. The resulting electron momentum distributions are recorded as a function of time delay between the IR laser and the attosecond pulse train using a velocity map imaging spectrometer. Because our train of attosecond pulses creates a train of identical electron wave packets, a single ionization event can be studied stroboscopically. This technique has enabled us to image the coherent electron scattering that takes place when the IR field is sufficiently strong to reverse the initial direction of the electron motion causing it to rescatter from its parent ion.     

Generation of XUV attosecond pulses in the process of atomic ionization by few-cycle laser radiation

Ionization of a model two-electron atom in the presence of a strong field of ultrashort laser pulses is investigated using the numerical integration of the nonstationary Schrödinger equation, which describes the dynamics of a quantum system in the presence of an electromagnetic wave. The features of two-electron ionization in the presence of one-and two-cycle pulses are analyzed. The suppression of double ionization in the presence of ultrashort laser pulses related to a finite-time interelectron energy exchange upon the laser action is demonstrated. The features of the generation of high-order harmonics and single XUV attosecond pulses are studied for the atomic ionization by few-cycle laser pulses. The parameters of the laser pulse are optimized for the effective generation of a single XUV attosecond pulse.     

Generation of 88 as Isolated Attosecond Pulses with Double Optical Gating

Isolated attosecond pulses with a duration of 88 as are generated in the spectral range of 29-72 eV using double optical gating technique.The gate width is set to be shorter than half the optical cycle to avoid carrier envelop phase stabilization of the 4.2 fs driving laser pulses centered at 800 nm.The attosecond pulse duration is measured with the technique of frequency resolved optical gating for complete reconstruction of attosecond bursts.     

Single attosecond pulse generation in the multicycle-driver regime by adding a weak second-harmonic field

We present a method of producing single attosecond pulses by high-harmonic generation with multicycle driver laser pulses. This can be achieved by tailoring the driving pulse so that attosecond pulses are produced only every full cycle of the oscillating laser field rather than every half-cycle. It is shown by classical and quantum-mechanical model calculations that even a minor addition (1%) of phase-locked second-harmonic light to the 800 nm fundamental driver pulse for high-harmonic generation leads to a major (15%) difference in the maximum kinetic energies of the recombining electrons in adjacent half-cycles.     

Spatial control of recollision wave packets with attosecond precision

We propose orthogonally polarized two-color laser pulses to steer tunneling electrons with attosecond precision around the ion core. We numerically demonstrate that the angles of birth and recollision, the recollision energy, and the temporal structure of the recolliding wave packet can be controlled without stabilization of the carrier-envelope phase of the laser, and that the wave packet's properties can be described by classical relations for a point charge. This establishes unique mapping between parameters of the laser field and attributes of the recolliding wave packet. The method is capable of probing ionic wave packet dynamics with attosecond resolution from an adjustable direction and might be used as an alternative to aligning molecules. Shaping the properties of the recollision wave packet by controlling the laser field may also provide new routes for improvement of attosecond pulse generation via high harmonic radiation.     

Single attosecond pulse generation with intense mid-infrared elliptically polarized laser pulses

We have studied theoretically high-harmonic-order and single attosecond pulse generation with elliptically polarized laser pulses at wavelengths ranging from the visible to the mid-infrared. Results of ab initio simulations of the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation show that the ellipticity dependence of the high-harmonic signal intensifies with increasing wavelength of the driving pulse and saturates in the mid-infrared. The isolation of single attosecond pulses using the polarization gating method in the mid-infrared is due to an effective suppression of side pulses as compared with an operation at Ti:sapphire wavelengths.     

Mapping attosecond electron wave packet motion

Attosecond pulses are produced when an intense infrared laser pulse induces a dipole interaction between a sublaser cycle recollision electron wave packet and the remaining coherently related bound-state population. By solving the time-dependent Schr?dinger equation we show that, if the recollision electron is extracted from one or more electronic states that contribute to the bound-state wave packet, then the spectrum of the attosecond pulse is modulated depending on the relative motion of the continuum and bound wave packets. When the internal electron and recollision electron wave packet counterpropagate, the radiation intensity is lower. We show that we can fully characterize the attosecond bound-state wave packet dynamics. We demonstrate that electron motion from a two-level molecule with an energy difference of 14 eV, corresponding to a period of 290 asec, can be resolved.     

Single attosecond pulse generation from asymmetric molecules with a multicycle laser pulse

A new scheme for single attosecond pulse generation from asymmetric molecules with a multicycle laser pulse is proposed. It is shown that both even and odd harmonics are generated from the asymmetric molecules, and the attosecond pulses are produced every full cycle of the driving laser field rather than each half-cycle. By filtering the harmonics in the cutoff of the spectrum, a single attosecond pulse can be obtained with a multicycle laser pulse with a duration of 2 times longer than the few-cycle pulse conventionally used.     

Electron Dynamics and Characteristics of Attosecond Electromagnetic Emissions in Relativistic Laser-Plasma Interactions

Generation of attosecond electromagnetic(EM) pulses and the associated electron dynamics are studied using particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic laser pulses interacting with over-dense plasma foil targets. The interaction process is found to be so complicated even in the situation of utilizing driving laser pulses of only one cycle. Two electron bunches closely involved in the laser-driven wavebreaking process contribute to attosecond EM pulses through the coherent synchrotron emission process whose spectra are found to follow an exponential decay rule. Detailed investigations of electron dynamics indicate that the early part of the reflected EM emission is the high-harmonics produced through the relativistic oscillating mirror mechanism. High harmonics are also found to be generated through the Bremsstrahlung radiation by one electron bunch that participates in the wavebreaking process and decelerates when it experiences the local wavebreaking-generated high electrostatic field in the moving direction.