超短脉冲强激光与固体靶作用产生的高次谐波红移

用一维粒子模拟程序研究了超短脉冲强激光与超临界密度等离子体平板作用产生的高次谐波。分析了振荡镜面模型所不能解释的伴随高次谐波出现的频率红移现象。通常激光与固体靶作用中的高次谐波是由于激光从振荡靶面的反射产生的.除此之外，相对论光强的激光与固体靶作用还应考虑光压对靶的烧蚀推进作用，这时激光相当于从一个移动的振荡靶面反射，所以产生了带有红移的高次谐波. 关键词： 红移 超短脉冲强激光 高次谐波 粒子模拟     

相对论圆偏振激光与固体靶作用产生高次谐波

超短超强激光与固体靶表面等离子体相互作用可以通过高次谐波的方式产生从极紫外到软X射线波段的相干辐射,获得飞秒甚至阿秒量级的超短脉冲,可用于观测原子或分子中的电子运动等超快动力学过程.本文实验研究了相对论圆偏振飞秒激光与固体靶相互作用的高次谐波产生过程,实验结果表明,在较大入射角下,圆偏振激光也可以有效地产生高次谐波辐射.通过预脉冲控制靶表面的预等离子体密度标长,发现高次谐波的产生效率随密度标长的增加而单调下降.进一步通过二维粒子模拟程序,分析了激光的偏振以及预等离子体密度标长对高次谐波产生的影响,很好地解释了实验观测结果.     

激光脉冲对内层等离子体辐射源的影响

本文的基本思想是设计双层金铝薄膜靶以检测激光脉冲宽度与等离子体消融深度的关系,找出有效的等离子体加热方法以产生更强更亮的等离子体辐射源.由于有预脉冲激光的存在,表层金薄膜首先被消融,由主脉冲携带的大能量就能较易穿过表层金等离子体将能量聚焦在内层铝靶上,由此产生内层高温等离子体.又由于外层低温等离子体存在,其将有效的阻碍内高温等离子体因膨胀而引起的能量损失.对无预脉冲而言,直接入射激光能量都沉积在靶表层形成表层高温等离子体.但是激光直接入射而产生的等离子体辐射总强度只比由预脉冲情况下产生的金等离子体辐射强度增加15%.而预脉冲能量只占激光总能量的2%.实验结果显示Al光谱线主要来自类氢,类氦离子跃迁.Au等离子体光谱线主要来自它的N带,O带和P带谱.我们也观察到一个明显的软X射线短波发射极限.所有结果显示由于预脉冲的存在将对靶各层等离子体辐射产生极大的影响     

超短脉冲强激光与等离子体的非线性相互作用

超短脉冲强光与等离子体相互作用是近年来令人注目的一个前沿领域。介绍了其中的超短脉冲强激光与非稠密等离子体作用中的激光尾波场与尾波场加速器、光脉冲频率上转换与脉宽正缩、相对论光导等重要研究课题。还介绍了超短脉冲强激光与固体靶作用听吸收机制，短标尺长等离子体产生、能量输运等有关问题的研究。     

超相对论强度激光与薄膜靶作用中0.4 nm以下X射线阿秒脉冲的产生

用一维粒子模拟程序对功率密度在10²² W/cm²以上的超强激光驱动薄膜靶产生的相对论电子层及其经过汤姆孙散射产生的阿秒X射线进行了研究. 结果表明, 在超相对论强度范围下增大驱动激光强度, 相应减小等离子体密度及厚度可使电子层获得更高纵向动量, 使汤姆孙散射光明显向更短波长移动. 优化相关参数得到了波长为 1.168 nm的阿秒脉冲. 经过对倍频探测光方案与驱动光以及薄膜靶参数进行综合考虑和优化, 得到的X射线相干辐射波长有效减小到0.4 nm以下, 产生的光子能量达到2 keV以上. 关键词： 超相对论强度激光 阿秒X射线 相对论电子层 汤姆孙后向散射     

超相对论激光和稠密等离子体作用产生阿秒脉冲的优化

利用一维粒子模拟程序研究了超相对论激光脉冲与稠密等离子体相互作用得到的阿秒脉冲.从超相对论近似的角度分析了电子运动行为和高次谐波的产生,发现当等离子体密度一定时,随着无量纲相似参数S的减小,阿秒脉冲的转换效率呈先增大后减小的趋势,因此选择适当的光强就可以得到转换效率较高的阿秒脉冲.当S一定时,随着等离子体密度的增加,阿秒脉冲转换效率有增大的趋势.这说明用适当的光强照射更稠密度的等离子体靶面,可以产生更强的阿秒脉冲.     

等离子体密度标长对高次谐波转换效率的影响

通过等离子体粒子模拟研究了在强激光与等离子体相互作用产生高次谐波的过程中,等离子体密度标长对转换效率的影响,计算了在不同密度标长下p偏振非相对论强度激光与高密度等离子体相互作用产生高次谐波的转换效率,发现等离子体密度标长对转换效率有重要的影响,这种影响与谐波级次,等离子体密度,激光脉冲宽度有关。     

欠稠密等离子体中诱发的偶次相对论谐波

在自生磁场或背景磁场的作用下,等离子体被磁化.磁化后的欠稠密等离子在超强激光的辐射下诱发相对论相干谐波辐射.由于磁场的影响,诱发的相对论相干谐波辐射中产生偶次谐波辐射.从理论上研究了这一现象,导出了谐波辐射的一般性方程,并特别研究了二次谐波辐射的有关参数 关键词： 二次谐波辐射 自生磁场 强激光 欠稠密等离子体     

不同激光等离子体条件下的阿秒光脉冲产生

通过一维粒子模拟研究了利用相对论少周期强激光与固体密度等离子体表面相互作用实现单个孤立阿秒光脉冲产生的参数条件。主要研究描述相互作用的多维参数,如激光强度、入射角和等离子体标尺长度等,对相对论高次谐波能量转换效率和孤立阿秒光脉冲分离度的影响。研究发现,虽然激光等离子体参数对阿秒光脉冲产生的影响是复杂的,但是存在着能够实现大能量孤立阿秒光脉冲的最佳等离子体标尺长度和最佳入射角。当其他相互作用条件确定时,使用中等强度的相对论强激光可以在较宽的参数范围内实现孤立的阿秒光脉冲。大角度入射时,孤立阿秒光脉冲的分离度较高,能够实现孤立阿秒光脉冲的相互作用参数范围也较宽。     

强激光等离子体相互作用驱动高次谐波与阿秒辐射研究进展

对超快过程的探测和控制决定了人类在微观层面认识和改造物质世界的能力.阿秒光源可完成对组成物质的电子运动及其关联效应进行超高时空分辨的探测和操控,为人类认识微观世界提供了全新手段,被认为是激光科学史上最重要的里程碑之一.世界主要科技强国都将阿秒科学列为未来10年重要的科技发展方向.利用强激光与物质相互作用产生高次谐波是突破飞秒极限实现高亮度阿秒脉冲辐射的重要方案之一,成为了近年来激光等离子体领域的研究热点.本文聚焦强激光与等离子体相互作用中的高次谐波和阿秒脉冲辐射,主要介绍其产生机制、研究进展和前沿应用,并对未来的发展趋势和创新突破进行展望.     

强激光和超薄等离子体薄膜相互作用产生高次谐波

通过一维粒子（particle in cell,简称PIC）模拟，研制了超薄等离子体薄膜在两列旋转方向相反的圆偏振激光脉冲作用下的高次谐波辐射。在10^21W/cm^2强度的激光作用下，可以获得200次以上的高次谐波。当激光脉冲宽度较短时，由于等离子体薄膜被压缩所导致的多普勒频移对高次谐波产生了显著的频率调制。而这种多普勒频移可以通过对抽运光脉冲引入频率啁啾来补偿。     

Second Harmonic Generation of Self‐Focused Cosh‐Gaussian Laser Beam in Thermal Quantum Plasma by Excitation of an Electron Plasma Wave

This paper presents a scheme for second harmonic generation (SHG) of an intense Cosh‐Gaussian (ChG) laser beam in thermal quantum plasmas. Moment theory approach in W.K.B approximation has been adopted in deriving the differential equation governing the propagation characteristics of the laser beam with distance of propagation. The effect of relativistic increase in electron mass on propagation dynamics of laser beam has been incorporated. Due to relativistic nonlinearity in the dielectric properties of the plasma, the laser beam gets self‐focused and produces density gradients in the transverse direction. The generated density gradients excite electron plasma wave (EPW) at pump frequency that interacts with the incident laser beam to produce its second harmonics. Numerical simulations have been carried out to investigate the effects of laser parameters on selffocusing of the laser beam and hence on the conversion efficiency of its second harmonics. Simulation results predict that within a specific range of decentered parameter the ChG laser beams show smaller divergence as they propagate and, thus, lead to enhanced conversion efficiency of second harmonics. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Spatio-temporal characterization of double plasma mirror for ultrahigh contrast and stable laser pulse

An ultrahigh contrast laser pulse of over 10¹¹ for 6 ps before the main pulse was achieved by employing a double plasma mirror installed at the end of a 100 TW Ti:sapphire laser system. Spatial beam qualities such as focusability and stability were found to be extremely sensitive in the range of 14–360 J/cm² on the double plasma mirror, while ultrahigh contrast was maintained. At the fluence of 90 J/cm² the focusability of the ultrahigh contrast laser was not degraded, and the stability was very close to that obtained without the double plasma mirror when the 2-dimensional normalized standard deviation and the correlation function for several laser beam profiles were analyzed. These results are requisites for carrying out relativistic laser-plasma interactions with ultrahigh contrast laser pulses, enabling the use of ultrathin solid targets.     

High repetition rate plasma mirror for temporal contrast enhancement of terawatt femtosecond laser pulses by three orders of magnitude

We present a plasma mirror configuration that improves the temporal pulse contrast of femtosecond terawatt laser pulses by a factor of thousand using a single antireflection coated glass target. The device provides ultra-high contrast for experiments with a maximum repetition rate of 10 Hz. A third-order cross-correlator has been used to measure the temporal pulse contrast for several different plasma mirror targets. It is shown that the ASE can be suppressed to a level of 10⁻¹¹. A comparison between a triggered and an untriggered plasma mirror reveals differences in the intensity distribution of the focused beam. The triggered plasma mirror produces a slightly larger focus due to the expansion of the triggered plasma mirror at −3 ps before the main pulse. We propose a cost-effective AR-coated and a blank glass target to reduce the costs of the consumable target material. High-harmonic radiation on solid surfaces has been generated with different plasma mirror targets to demonstrate the high laser contrast.     

Intense short-pulse lasers irradiating wire and hollow plasma fibers

When an intense laser pulse irradiates a solid-density foil target, electrons produced at the relativistic critical density can be accelerated to relativistic energy by the ponderomotive force. When a plasma fiber is attached to the back of the foil, the produced relativistic electrons are guided to propagate along the fiber for a long distance, because the high-current electron beam induces strong radial electric fields in the fiber. Transport and heating of intense laser-driven relativistic electrons in both wire and hollow plasma fibers are compared theoretically and numerically. We found that the coupling efficiency from the laser to the plasma fiber depends on the fiber structure. Because of the enhanced return currents in the wire fiber, the temperature in the wire fiber is higher than that in the hollow fiber.     

Ensemble of ultra-high intensity attosecond pulses from laser-plasma interaction

The efficient generation of intense X-rays and γ-radiation is studied. The scheme is based on the relativistic mirror concept, i.e., a flying thin plasma slab interacts with a counterpropagating laser pulse, reflecting part of it in the form of an intense ultra-short electromagnetic pulse having an up-shifted frequency. In the proposed scheme a series of relativistic mirrors is generated in the interaction of the intense laser with a thin foil target as the pulse tears off and accelerates thin electron layers. A counterpropagating pulse is reflected by these flying layers in the form of an ensemble of ultra-short pulses resulting in a significant energy gain of the reflected radiation due to the momentum transfer from flying layers.     

激光功率密度对Al膜靶后表面快电子发射的影响

 报道了在20 TW皮秒激光器上完成的p偏振激光与等离子体相互作用过程中产生的快电子的角分布和能谱测量结果。实验得到：当激光功率密度小于10¹⁷ W/cm²时,电子发射没有明显定向性,在激光入射面内多峰发射;当激光功率密度大于10¹⁷ W/cm2,小于10¹⁸ W/cm²时,电子主要沿靶面法线方向发射;当激光功率密度达到相对论强度时,电子主要沿激光传播方向发射;激光功率密度未达到相对论强度时,靶后表面法线方向快电子能谱拟合平均温度符合共振吸收温度定标率;激光功率密度达相对论强度以上时,靶后表面法线方向快电子能谱拟合平均温度高于已有的温度定标率。     

Generation of higher-order harmonics of chirped radiation from a titanium-sapphire laser in plasma generated by pulses of different durations

The frequency conversion of laser radiation in plasma created by pulses of different durations under conditions of the chirp variation of the radiation to be converted is investigated. It is shown that the chirp variation of the laser pulse during the generation of higher-order radiation harmonics of the femtosecond laser leads to a considerable change in the brightness, wavelength shift, and maximal order of generated harmonics. The long-and short-wavelength shifts of harmonics observed in these studies are attributed to the manifestation of a considerable concentration of free charge carriers in the plasma, as well as the self-modulation of the laser pulse. The generation of plasma by pulses whose durations vary from 160 fs to 20 ns is considered and it is shown that the generation efficiency of harmonics depends to a greater extent on the energy of the heating prepulse than on its intensity on the surface of a target to be ablated. The effect that the atomic number of the target has on the formation of optimal plasma at different delays between the heating prepulse and the femtosecond pulse to be converted is discussed.     

High-order harmonics from solid targets as a probe for high-density plasmas

The interaction of 100-fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses with thin foil targets was experimentally investigated at intensities exceeding 10(18) W/cm(2). High harmonics were observed in transmission through an overdense plasma in the direction of the incident beam. From the cutoff frequency of the harmonics an electron density of 1 x 10(24) cm(-3) is inferred, indicating a compression of the plasma by the ponderomotive force of the laser pulse.