Spectra of secondary emission during generation of optical harmonics in globular photonic crystals

Secondary emission spectra of globular silica photonic crystals when their surfaces were exposed to laser pulses 250 fs long at a power density to 1 TW/cm² have been studied. Optical harmonics and plasma emission were detected in this case. For the opal matrix containing pores filled with air, in the reflection mode, the third optical harmonic with a conversion efficiency of ～10% arises. The highest conversion efficiency for exciting radiation with wavelengths of 1026 or 513 nm is implemented when the frequencies of the exciting radiation or the second harmonic are near the stop band edge. In globular photonic crystals filled with sodium nitrite or barium titanate ferroelectrics, the second optical harmonic is observed. The exciting radiation conversion efficiency to the second optical harmonic was a few percent and depended on the frequency of exciting radiation and photonic crystal globule diameters. It is found that the plasma emission intensity increases with the exciting radiation power density. The dependences of the intensity of the second and third optical harmonics on the pump intensity are constructed for various photonic crystal globule diameters.     

基于“泵浦-探测”效应的等离子体通道中三次谐波增强与光谱分析

利用“泵浦-探测”非共线双等离子体通道方法实现三次谐波增强。泵浦光与探测光间的耦合作用能有效改善探测光光丝中的饱和效应,克服光强钳制对谐波强度增加的限制。实验中将两束能量分别为4.4和10.2 mJ、中心波长均为810 nm、脉宽均为60 fs的超短脉冲在空气中非共线聚焦,能各自形成光丝且产生微弱三次谐波。当强光在时域上超前于弱光时,强光会预先成丝形成等离子体通道,对后续弱光产生调制,使探测光产生的三次谐波强度明显增强。实验发现270 nm谐波能量增加的显著区域内频谱宽度出现振荡变化,当两光以27.3 mrad小角度相交于几何焦点前约15 mm,且探测光滞后约55 fs时,获得的能量增长倍率达到近70倍,对应谱宽约为5 nm。     

Second Harmonic Generation of Self Focused Cosh‐Gaussian Laser Beam in Collisionless Plasma

This paper presents an investigation of self‐focusing of a Cosh‐Gaussian (ChG) laser beam and its effect on second harmonic generation in collisionless plasma. In the presence of ChG laser beam the carriers get redistributed from high field region to low field region on account of ponderomotive force as a result of which a transverse density gradient is produced in the plasma which in turn generates an electron‐plasma wave at pump frequency. Generated plasma wave interacts with the incident laser beam and hence generates its second harmonics. Moment theory has been used to derive differential equation governing the evolution of spot size of ChG laser beam propagating through collisionless plasma. The differential equation so obtained has been solved numerically. The effect of decentered parameter, intensity of ChG laser beam and density of plasma on self‐focusing of the laser beam and second harmonic yield has been investigated. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The analysis of excite and probe measurements of relaxation times with fluctuating pulse duration

The effect of fluctuations in the pulse duration of synchronously pumped modelocked pulse trains on excite and probe measurements is discussed. Relaxation times comparable with the pulse durations can be measured even when large pulse-to-pulse fluctuations in duration exist. The pump and probe pulse durations are assumed to be correlated. When the probe pulses are the second harmonic of the pump, or vice versa, the third harmonic must also be generated to permit deconvolution of experimental excite and probe data. When the pump and probe pulses have the same time dependence, the excite and probe curves consist of the desired response function convolved with the time-averaged second harmonic autocorrelation function which is easily measured. Deconvolution yields the relaxation time but fluctuations in pulse duration increase the root-mean-square voltage fluctuation at the output of the detector system and limit the accuracy with which the relaxation time can be calculated.     

Effects of transverse profile of pump field on second harmonic generation in periodic nonlinear materials

We report on a theoreticalanalysis of the effects of a converging pump field of Gaussian transverse profile on second harmonic generation in a periodic nonlinear material with quasi-phase-matching. The outputs of the centre intensity and the intensity flux for second harmonic generation are derived by simulation, based on the parameters of quasi-phase-mismatch, the waist and focus positions of the input pump beam. The results show that when the transverse profile of the pump field is taken into account, the quasi-phase-match value and focus position of input beam for maximal second harmonic generation flollow new criteria.     

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)     

Nonlinear optical effects in an inhomogeneous Bose—Einstein condensate

A variety of nonlinear optical effects arising upon the interaction of a signal beam with a strong pump beam at the second harmonic frequency in a nonlinear Bose-Einstein condensate is studied. Along with the ratio of signal and pump beam widths, the influence of the mutual geometry of the trap and the pump beam profile on the studied processes is investigated.     

Conjecture on the effect of small anharmonicity on vibrational modes of glass

We conjecture here that, unlike for crystal lattice modes, some nearly harmonic vibrational modes of a glass lattice may have their (thermally populated) energy levels shifted (from equal spacing) more than they are broadened, both the shifting and broadening arising from small anharmonic terms in the lattice potential. This conjecture could be verified by observing either (a) saturating infrared absorption, (b) an infrared photon echo, or (c) altered infrared absorption (possibly even gain) of a probe beam in the presence of a second pump beam.     

Characterization of high-order harmonic radiation on femtosecond and attosecond time scales

We characterize the temporal structure of high-order harmonic radiation on both the femtosecond and attosecond time scales. The harmonic emission is characterized by mixed-color two-photon ionization with an infrared femtosecond laser using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer where both pump and probe arms travel completely separate paths. In a first experiment, we measure the duration and chirp of individual harmonics. In a second experiment, we resolve, for the first time with this type of setup, the attosecond beating of several harmonics generated under conditions similar to the first experiment. We suggest that the results of both measurements can be combined to determine the full attosecond time structure of the harmonic emission. PACS 32.80.Rm; 42.65.Ky     

Improved contrast to tissue ratio at higher harmonics

The challenge in ultrasound contrast imaging is a better discrimination between the perfused tissue and the contrast bubbles, which is usually expressed by contrast to tissue ratio (CTR). Imaging based on the second harmonic frequency showed a higher CTR than imaging at the fundamental frequency. However, because of nonlinear propagation of ultrasound waves, harmonic frequencies are generated. These harmonic frequencies will be linearly reflected by the tissue and therefore limit the CTR at the second harmonic frequency. In order to reduce the scattering of tissue at harmonic frequencies and by that increase the CTR, nonlinear distortion has to be reduced. We demonstrate in this study that the CTR increases with the harmonic number. The increase is substantial when transmitting at lower frequencies. To take advantage of the higher harmonics (third, fourth, fifth and the ultraharmonics and termed here super harmonics), we have developed a new phased array transducer with a wide frequency band. In-vitro measurements using the new probe show an increase of 40 dB of the CTR for super harmonic components over the conventional second harmonic system. The increase in CTR is in agreement with the calculations using existing models for the response of encapsulated bubbles and known theory of nonlinear propagation.     

Relation between efficiency of second harmonic generation and spectral properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal

Numerical calculation of second harmonic generation in a photonic crystal consisting of alternating quarter-wave layers of ZnS and SeF₂ pumped by a femtosecond tunable laser is carried out. The results are compared with the spectral characteristics of the photonic crystal obtained with the use of a matrix method for calculating transmission coefficients. It is shown that the maximum efficiency of conversion to the second harmonic takes place at a minimum group velocity mismatch of the pump and second harmonic waves, corresponding to pump frequencies in the range below the band gap edge of the photonic crystal.     

On a new mechanism of excitation of the absolute parametric decay instability of an electromagnetic wave in experiments on electron cyclotron resonance heating in toroidal devices

Experimental conditions under which the low-threshold absolute parametric decay instability of an electromagnetic wave with extraordinary polarization at the electron cyclotron resonance heating of a plasma at the second harmonic resonance in toroidal devices are analyzed. A new mechanism is proposed for the localization of a daughter electrostatic wave in the toroidal direction in the region of a high-power pump beam. This mechanism, along with the two-dimensional localization of the daughter wave because of a nonmonotonic radial profile of the plasma density and the poloidal inhomogeneity of the magnetic field, can be responsible for the parametric excitation of a three-dimensional cavity for this wave and, as a result, low-threshold absolute decay instability of the pump wave.     

Second Harmonic Conversion-efficiency of Aberrated Laser Beam

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SECOND HARMONIC GENERATION WITH PHOTON NUMBER SQUEEZED LIGHT AS INPUT

We investigate the quantum statistics of the fields produced in second harmonic generation when photon number squeezed light ia used as input. It is found that the squeezed properties of the pump beam can be transferred to a certain extent to the second harmonic beam. The normalized photon fluctuations, or Fano factors, of the fundamental and second harmonic output fields are derived for various values of the interaction parameters.     

Second Harmonic Conversion-efficiency of Aberrated Laser Beam

How aberrations of pump wave affect second harmonic generation is studied. The solution is applied to type I second harmonic generation in KDP crystal. The results of conversion-efficiency and transverse intensity distribution in second harmonic generation of Gaussian beam and super-Gaussian beam with aberrations of Zernike polynomials are presented.     

Coherent interaction of picosecond pulses in a fluorescent medium and the timing of pulse trains for two-wavelength excite and probe measurements

Coherent interaction between two cw, picosecond pulse trains of the same wavelength absorbed by a fluorescent material and the effect on the emission has been studied. As the path difference between the two beams is varied, the infra-red emission from colour centres in KCl: Na or KCl: Li fluctuates in phase with the transmitted intensity of the weaker of the two beams. The effect may be applied to the accurate relative timing of cw pulse trains of different wavelengths for use in two-wavelength, excite and probe measurements. A small fraction of the pump pulse train is superimposed on the probe beam and passes along precisely the same optical path. Coherent interaction between the two pulse trains at the pump frequency causes modulation of the transmitted probe beam intensity when pump and probe pulses are accurately synchronised.     

Doppler-free spectroscopy of neon atoms dressed by optical photons in nearly-degenerate four-wave mixing

We have investigated nearly degenerate four-wave mixing in neon on the 607 nm line. We have considered the case where one pump beam saturates the medium while the two other incident beams have a much weaker intensity. The frequency of the most intense pump beam is equal to the frequency of the probe beam. When the frequency of the second pump beam is scanned, narrow resonances are observed. These resonances correspond to transitions between the energy levels of the atom dressed by the photons of the intense pump beam.     

Femtosecond two-photon photoemission at 150 kHz utilizing two noncollinear optical parametric amplifiers for measuring ultrafast electron dynamics

An improved setup for femtosecond two-photon photoemission spectroscopy (TR-2PPE) is presented. Two noncollinear optical parametric amplifiers (NOPA) were operated simultaneously at a repetition rate of 150 kHz. The frequencies of the NOPA outputs were tuned such that subsequent second harmonic generation (SHG) provided the two different ultraviolet wavelengths required for the pump and probe pulse. The width of the crosscorrelation function (CC) for pump and probe pulse was sub-30 fs (FWHM).The performance of this assembly was tested by measuring the lifetime of image potential states (IS) on Cu(111) and Ag(111) surfaces. We present here for the first time lifetimes of the IS that were determined directly from the measured decay of the 2PPE signal.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Studies of advanced soft X-ray laser and coherent higher harmonic generation using intense subpicosecond laser produced high density plasma

Current activities on our research of soft X-ray lasers and higher harmonic generations using intense, subpicosecond lasers are reviewed. Especially for soft X-ray lasers we experimentally demonstrate that by longitudinally pumping 2-mm-long molybdenum preformed plasma with high-intensity 475 fs duration laser pulse, a highly directive soft-X-ray laser at 18.9 nm wavelength is generated. The divergence of the beam is evaluated to be of the submilliradian order, and only requires pump laser energy of 150 mJ. Simulations show that the pedestal in the main pump pulse can generate electron density and gain profiles with large spatial gradients, which result in the selective amplification of low-order transverse modes. The present result is the demonstration of an efficient and alternative method of improving the spatial coherence of X-ray lasers with amplified spontaneous emission medium, with possibilities of becoming an excellent tool to explore various application experiments. In higher harmonic generation, topics related to observation of blue shift due to collisionless absorption process is described.     

Observation of saturation of energy transfer between copropagating beams in a flowing plasma

Experiments demonstrate energy and power transfer between copropagating, same frequency, beams crossing at a small angle in a plasma with a Mach 1 flow. The process is interpreted as amplification of the low intensity probe beam by the stimulated scatter of the high intensity pump beam. The observed probe amplification increases slowly with pump intensity and decreases with probe intensity, indicative of saturation limiting the energy and power transfer due to ion-wave nonlinearities and localized pump depletion. The results are consistent with numerical modeling including ion-wave nonlinearities.