Investigation of a copper-vapor laser pumped by trains of damped sine pulses

A copper-vapor laser the lasing medium of which is pumped by damped sine voltage pulses is studied experimentally. It is shown that this laser can operate at megahertz lasing pulse repetition rates. Each current pulse in a train of damped sine excitation pulses generates a lasing pulse. The time between lasing pulses is no more than 224 ns, which corresponds to a lasing pulse repetition rate of more than 4.5 MHz. According to estimates, the use of the megahertz sine voltage to excite the copper-vapor laser may raise the specific power of laser radiation by at least an order of magnitude at an efficiency of ≈15%.     

Generation of femtosecond vacuum-ultraviolet pulses

High power femtosecond pulses in the Vacuum Ultra Violet (VUV) have been generated through the nonlinear interaction of femtosecond KrF pulses with xenon and argon gas. Under near resonant two photon excitation of xenon by a femtosecond KrF laser, parametric four wave mixing processes lead to VUV pulses at 147 and 108 nm with pulse energies in the 10 µJ range. Tuning is demonstrated by mixing the KrF pulse with a 500 fs dye laser pulse at 497 nm, resulting in 165 nm emission. In argon, a three photon resonance leads to third harmonic generation at 83 nm and micro joule level pulses near 127 nm generated by a six wave mixing process. Since the spectra of the VUV pulses show an ionization-induced blue shift with increasing KrF laser intensity, the VUV pulses can be shown to have temporal duration less than the pulse width (450 fs) of the KrF laser. Blue shifting of the third harmonic of the KrF laser in argon is dominated by a reduction in the neutral gas density rather than by an increase in the electron density.     

不同偏振飞秒激光经块状材料传输后的脉宽压缩

实验研究了线偏振和圆偏振状态下的飞秒强激光脉冲在块状材料中的传输过程。不同偏振的激光脉冲在传输过程中得到了不同程度的光谱展宽,经色散补偿后,脉冲时域宽度均得到了压缩。详细分析了压缩脉冲的脉宽以及啁啾情况与入射激光脉冲能量之间的关系,比较了飞秒激光在线偏振及圆偏振情况下的不同压缩效果。在线偏振入射光情况下得到了最短21fs的压缩脉冲宽度,在圆偏振情况下得到的最短脉冲宽度为22fs。实验结果表明,这种光谱展宽与色散补偿方式对圆偏振光同样适用,而且圆偏振的入射激光将更有利于对更高能量的脉冲进行压缩。在色散补偿量相同的情况下,压缩效果随入射脉冲能量变化的规律符合理论估计。     

利用脉冲负反馈压缩准分子激光脉冲

 分析了准分子激光脉冲在放大过程中的展宽现象。将饱和开关技术应用于放电泵浦激光器放大腔的放大压缩,发展了脉冲负反馈饱和压缩技术。利用该技术在天光一号系统前端LPX-150激光器上成功获得能量100 mJ、脉宽10 ns的脉冲输出,其空间分布均匀性保持在3%以内。这证明该技术可与无阶梯诱导非相干技术联合使用,在保证光束均匀性基础上进行脉冲压缩。     

用于宽带啁啾脉冲光参量放大系统精确同步的新方法

基于非共线光参量放大,以波长800 nm飞秒激光的倍频光为抽运光,以激光二极管640 nm连续波激光为信号光,产生了与800 nm飞秒激光精确同步的无直流本底的1064 nm脉冲光。实验结果显示该1064 nm的光脉冲在脉冲能量和空间光束质量上均可作为1064 nm波长脉冲放大器的种子光。仅通过一级简单紧凑的非共线参量放大就可实现光周期量级的光参量啁啾脉冲放大系统的抽运激光和种子光的精确同步。     

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.     

Tailored terahertz pulses from a laser-modulated electron beam

We present a new method to generate steady and tunable, coherent, broadband terahertz radiation from a relativistic electron beam modulated by a femtosecond laser. We have demonstrated this in the electron storage ring at the Advanced Light Source. Interaction of an electron beam with a femtosecond laser pulse copropagating through a wiggler modulates the electron energies within a short slice of the electron bunch with about the same duration of the laser pulse. The bunch develops a longitudinal density perturbation due to the dispersion of electron trajectories, and the resulting hole emits short pulses of temporally and spatially coherent terahertz pulses synchronized to the laser. We present measurements of the intensity and spectra of these pulses. This technique allows tremendous flexibility in shaping the terahertz pulse by appropriate modulation of the laser pulse.     

Electron-positron pair production in a strong asymmetric laser electric field

By solving the quantum Vlasov equation, electron positron pair production in a strong electric field with asymmetric laser pulses has been investigated. We consider three different situations of subcycle, cycle and supercycle laser pulses. It is found that in asymmetric laser pulse field, i.e.. when the pulse length of one rising or falling side is fixed while the pulse length of the other side is changed, the pair production rate and mnnber density can be significantly modified comparable to symmetric situation. For each ca,se of these three different cycle pulses, when one side pulse length is constant and the other side pulse length becomes shorter, i.e., the whole pulse is compressed, the more pairs can be produced than that in tile vice versa case, i.e., the whole pulse is elongated. In compressed pulse case there exists an optimum pulse length ratio of asylnmetric pulse lengths which makes the pair number density maximunn. Moreover, the created maximum pair number density by subcycle pulse is larger than that by cycle or/and supercycle pulse. In elongated pulse case, however, only for supercycle laser pulse the created pairs is enhanced and there exists also an optimum asymmetric pulse length ratio that maximizes the pair number density. On the other hand. surprisingly, in both cases of subcycle and cycle elongated laser pulses, the pair number density is monotonically decreasing as the asymmetry of pulse increases.     

Binding widely-separated pulses with a passively mode-locked Yb-doped double-clad fiber laser

We have investigated the generation of widely-separated bound pulses with a high power passively mode-locked Yb-doped double clad fiber laser. We report on the emission of bound pulses of 5 ps whose separation can exceed 180 ps. Pulses are further compressed extra-cavity to 140 fs, leading to pulse separations that can reach approximately 1300 pulse widths, while pulses remain bound. Scenarios leading to these regimes are detailed. RF analysis shows an important reduction of the amplitude noise of the laser when pulses bind together. Finally, we report on a new regime of multiple pulse emission of this fiber laser: stable co-emission of a single-pulse and a pair of bound pulses in the same cavity round trip. PACS 42.55.Wd; 42.65.Re     

多脉冲激光增强太赫兹辐射的PIC模拟

 模拟了强激光和稀薄非均匀等离子体相互作用在界面辐射超强太赫兹波的物理过程,提出了利用多脉冲激光增强太赫兹辐射的方案,详细研究了多脉冲激光的脉冲个数（取１～４个）、脉冲间距等因素对太赫兹辐射功率和频率的影响。当入射激光包含4个脉冲时,辐射最强,此时的辐射功率是相同条件下单脉冲的6倍,可达到7.16 MW,辐射的太赫兹波的脉宽约为330 fs,总能量约为1 μJ。研究结果表明:多脉冲激光可以显著增强太赫兹辐射,且随着脉冲个数的增加,激起的电子静电波振幅变大,辐射功率也随之变大,直到尾流场饱和;当脉冲间距等于入射激光脉宽时辐射最强。     

Spectral and temporal analysis of ultrashort ultraviolet pulses generated by high-intensity laser radiation in the atmosphere

We report direct spectral and temporal characterization of ultrashort ultraviolet (UV) pulses resulting from third-harmonic generation by high-intensity Ti: sapphire laser radiation in the atmosphere. The experimental technique implemented in this work enables the measurement of the pulse width and the chirp of the UV field, as well as the electron density of the plasma produced by laser pulses. The bandwidth of the third harmonic generated in our experiments by laser pulses with an initial pulse width of 45 fs supports transform-limited UV pulses as short as 30 fs.     

整形高功率激光装置的任意电脉冲发生器设计(英文)

基于GaAs场效应管电压控制电流和开关的特性,设计了一种任意电脉冲发生器,并成功应用于激光脉冲整形装置。该电脉冲发生器利用超宽带窄脉冲触发多个GaAs场效应管,产生多路负脉冲,通过模拟延时线依次将各路负脉冲延迟一定时间后经微带线耦合输出多路负脉冲叠加的波形;通过多路不同幅度的脉冲堆积效应来获得形状任意可调的整形电脉冲。为了满足惯性约束聚变(ICF)实验中对电脉冲幅度不能过小的要求,在电路的输出端接入增益可调的超宽带电压放大器,使脉冲幅度达到实验要求。利用设计的任意电脉冲发生器实现了脉冲幅度0～5 V可调、脉宽0～10ns可调、时域调节精度为330 ps,整形方波脉冲下降沿为330 ps、上升沿为240 ps。实验结果表明,将产生的电脉冲注入光波导调制器,可获得理想形状的整形激光脉冲,提高激光脉冲的输出能量。     

THz generation via optical rectification with ultrashort laser pulse focused to a line

We report on efficient THz pulse generation via optical rectification with femtosecond laser pulses focused to a line by a cylindrical lens. This configuration provides phase-matched conditions in the superluminal regime. 35 pJ THz pulses have been generated with this technique in a stoichiometric LiNbO₃ crystal pumped by 2 μJ femtosecond laser pulses at room temperature. An unusual superquadratic rise of the THz pulse energy with the laser pulse energy has been observed at high laser energies. This extraordinary energy dependence of the THz generation efficiency is explained by self-focusing of the laser beam in the crystal. Z-scan measurements and comparison of the THz pulse spectra created with laser pulses having different energies confirm this interpretation.     

Dynamics of self-similar light pulses of limiting pulse width and energy in a fiber laser

We investigate dynamics of the formation of high-power ultrashort self-similar light pulses (similaritons) in a fiber laser in the regime of positive dispersion. The physical factors limiting the energy and the pulse width of such pulses are revealed. We specify regimes where a laser system based on an ytterbium-doped fiber can generate self-similar pulses with an energy of about 80 nJ compressible to a pulse width of about 150 fs through extracavity linear chirp compensation.     

在固体透明材料中利用级联四波混频方法获得宽带多色飞秒激光脉冲的研究

飞秒激光光谱学实验研究的深入与拓展对飞秒激光脉冲的要求也越来越高.比如多色抽运探测实验需要同时用到多个不同频率的超短飞秒激光脉冲.本文设计了一个更加简单紧凑的实验装置,对两束不同中心频率的入射光引入相反啁啾,在厚度为0.5 mm的CaF2晶体中利用级联四波混频获得了光谱半高全宽近100nm,支持傅里叶转换极限脉宽小于10 fs的多色飞秒激光脉冲.这一结果将为拓展飞秒激光光谱学研究和应用发挥重要作用.     

Talbot effect under illumination of double femtosecond laser pulses

The Talbot effect under illumination of double femtosecond laser pulses has been reported. Spectrums of double femtosecond laser pulses with phase differences are quite different from that of one single femtosecond laser pulse. Therefore, the Talbot images of the double femtosecond laser pulses with phase differences are different from that of one single femtosecond laser pulse. Specifically, for the phase difference corresponding to π, the Talbot image shows the largest difference from that of one single pulse. Experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. The behaviors of Talbot images under double femtosecond laser pulses illumination cannot be obtained under one femtosecond laser pulse, monochromatic or polychromatic light illumination. Therefore, it is a new interesting optical phenomenon for the Talbot effect which should have potential applications.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of combined self-phase modulation and stimulated Raman-scattering in single-mode fibres

A theoretical model of pulse propagation through single-mode fibres is presented taking into account the combined action of self-phase modulation, stimulated Raman-scattering and the group velocity mismatch between pump and Stokes pulses. Due to the walk-off of Stokes and laser light an asymmetric pump pulse depletion resulting in considerable reshaping of laser pulses and an asymmetric self-phase modulation spectrum can be calculated and experimentally verified. A maximum laser power is found to be transferable through the fibre.     

Comparison of temperature field due to laser step input and time exponentially varying pulses

Laser evaporative heating of the solid surface is considered and the effect of temporal variation of laser pulse shape on temperature rise is examined. In the analysis, time exponentially varying and step input pulses are employed and closed-form solutions for temperature rise are presented. Comparison of temporal variation of surface temperature is carried out for various laser pulse parameters of exponential and step input pulses. The pulse energies are kept the same for all pulses used in the comparison. It is found that temperature distributions corresponding to pulses used in the simulations are different and temperature decay in cooling cycle (after ending of the laser pulse) is clearly evident for step input pulses; however, this is not clearly identified for exponential pulses.     

整形高功率激光装置的任意电脉冲发生器设计

基于GaAs场效应管电压控制电流和开关的特性,设计了一种任意电脉冲发生器,并成功应用于激光脉冲整形装置。该电脉冲发生器利用超宽带窄脉冲触发多个GaAs场效应管,产生多路负脉冲,通过模拟延时线依次将各路负脉冲延迟一定时问后经微带线耦合输出多路负脉冲叠加的波形;通过多路不同幅度的脉冲堆积效应来获得形状任意可调的整形电脉冲。为了满足惯性约束聚变（ICF）实验中对电脉冲幅度不能过小的要求,在电路的输出端接入增益可调的超宽带电压放大器,使脉冲幅度达到实验要求。利用设计的任意电脉冲发生器实现了脉冲幅度0～5V可调、脉宽0—10ns可调、时域调节精度为330ps,整形方波脉冲下降沿为330ps、上升沿为240ps。实验结果表明,将产生的电脉冲注入光波导调制器,可获得理想形状的整形激光脉冲,提高激光脉冲的输出能量。     

Effects of Pulse Durations on High-order Harmonic Generation

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