Temporal confinement of the harmonic emission through polarization gating

We show experimentally that a simple optical setup is able to reduce the duration of the harmonic emission generated by long (many optical cycles) laser pulses. By controlling the time-dependent ellipticity during the laser pulse, one can confine the harmonic emission to a narrow temporal window where the polarization is quasi-linear. The results obtained and their comparison with a simple model show a shortening of a factor 2 for harmonics located in the plateau region. Using shorter laser pulses of 15-20 fs duration should make it possible to isolate a single attosecond pulse.Received: 25 November 2002, Published online: 8 July 2003PACS: 42.65.Ky Frequency conversion; harmonic generation, including higher-order harmonic generation - 32.80.Wr Other multiphoton processes     

Harmonic generation in the discrete spectral region of xenon using broadband femtosecond laser pulses

The conversion of 34-fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses into the wavelength region 105–210 nm has been studied in xenon for laser intensities up to 5×10¹³ W/cm². A strongly structured, pressure-dependent emission spectrum is observed. Radiation is detected in regions expected for the 5th and 7th harmonics but also in regions in between. In the resonance region (<147 nm), self-phase-modulation processes in the conversion medium together with phase-matched, efficient harmonic generation in negative-dispersive spectral regions explain the observations. Broadband emission is detected in the resonance-free, positive-dispersive spectral region 155–210 nm. Emission from the xenon dimer is superimposed on a direct 5th-harmonic signal. PACS 32.70.-n; 32.80.-t; 42.65.Ky; 42.65.Re     

High brightness harmonic generation at 13 nm using self-guided and chirped femtosecond laser pulses

We have optimized the brightness of high-order harmonics from a long neon gas jet using self-guided and chirped laser pulses. The self-guided and chirped laser pulses effectively reduced the ionization effects in space and time, producing bright high-order harmonics with narrow bandwidth. The brightness of the 61st harmonic was about 10¹⁵ W/cm²/srad with a bandwidth of 0.7 Å. PACS 42.65.Ky; 42.65.Wi; 32.80.-t; 52.38.-r     

Time-frequency characterization of high-order harmonic pulses

We present energy-resolved cross-correlation measurements of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses generated as high harmonics of femtosecond pulses from a 1 kHz titanium-sapphire laser. The harmonic pulses are probed by a fraction of the fundamental laser pulse at 800 nm, in a noncollinear geometry, allowing us to vary independently the parameters of the harmonic pump and near-infrared probe pulses. We measure the so-called sidebands in the photoelectron spectrum of argon corresponding to the absorption of a harmonic photon plus or minus one probe photon. Spectrally resolving the cross-correlation signal allows us to characterize the time-dependent frequency of the XUV pulse.Received: 20 December 2002, Published online: 24 April 2003PACS: 42.65.Ky Harmonic generation, frequency conversion     

Generation of accurately synchronized pump source for optical parametric chirped pulse amplification

We demonstrate the generation of ultra-short pulses at 1064 nm by continuous-wave seeded non-collinear optical parametric amplification in a -barium borate crystal pumped by the second harmonics of a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser. After two stages of seeded parametric amplifiers, the generated pulses at 1064 nm were accurately synchronized with the fundamental pump pulses, which could be used as seeding pulses for further amplification and then frequency doubling to produce an accurately synchronized pump source for optical parametric amplification of chirped pulses from the same Ti:sapphire laser. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.65.-k; 52.35.Mw     

Coherent control of high-order harmonics generated with intense femtosecond laser pulses

Experimental results and theoretical analysis on the coherent control of high-order harmonics with chirped femtosecond laser pulses are presented. The coherent control of high-order harmonic generation resulted in sharp harmonic spectra by compensating for induced harmonic chirp with the control of applied laser chirp and it was found to be crucial also in producing sharp and bright harmonics.Received: 18 November 2002, Published online: 8 July 2003PACS: 42.65.Ky Frequency conversion; harmonic generation, including higher-order harmonic generation - 32.80.-t Photon interactions with atoms - 42.65.Re Ultrafast processes; optical pulse generation and pulse compression     

Controlling coherent and incoherent plasma emissions: the role of electron plasma waves

We present results of our two-pulse time resolved measurements of second harmonic and hard X-ray generation in the interaction of an intense (10¹⁶ Wcm^-2, 100 fs, 800 nm) laser with a preplasma generated on a solid surface. The time-resolved study as a function of both plasma scale length and laser polarization brings out interesting features of electron plasma wave dynamics. The harmonic and X-ray emission show contrary behavior and we interpret the results in terms of Resonance Absorption and Wave-Breaking mechanisms. Simple optimization of the scale length of the preplasma and the polarization parameters of the main pulse results in significant enhancements, up to a factor of 100 for X-rays and 10 for the second harmonic respectively. These results can help us understand the governing mechanisms for higher harmonic generation and for fast particle generation, aiding the development of more efficient sources. PACS 52.35.Fp; 42.65.Ky; 52.38.Ph     

Generation of strong coherent extreme ultraviolet radiation from the laser plasma produced on the surface of solid targets

We demonstrate the generation of high harmonics (up to the 65th order, λ=12.24 nm) of a Ti:sapphire laser radiation after the propagation of femtosecond laser pulses through the low-excited plasma produced by a picosecond prepulse radiation on the surface of different targets. High-order harmonics generated from the surface plasma of most targets showed a plateau pattern. It is assumed that the harmonic generation in these conditions occurs due to the interaction of the femtosecond pulses with the ions. The conversion efficiencies at the plateau region were varied between 1×10^-7 to 8×10^-6, depending on the target. The main contribution to the limitation of harmonic generation efficiency and cutoff energy was attributed to the self-defocusing of main pulse. A considerable restriction of the 27th harmonic generation was observed at different focusing conditions in the case of chromium plasma. Our observation of the resonance-induced enhancement of a single harmonic (λ=61.2 nm) at a plateau region with the efficiency of 8×10^-5 in the case of In plasma can offer some expectation that analogous processes can be realized in other plasma samples in the shorter wavelength range where the highest harmonics were achieved. PACS 42.65.Ky; 52.35.Mw; 52.38.-r     

A powerful diode-pumped laser source for micro-machining with ps pulses in the infrared, the visible and the ultraviolet

We report a ps diode-pumped Nd:YVO₄ laser system for micro-machining applications. The system consists of a passively mode-locked oscillator followed by a regenerative amplifier. It provides laser pulses at 1064 nm with a pulse duration of 10.2 ps, a repetition rate of 20 kHz and an average output power of 10.8 W. This average power corresponds to a pulse energy of 0.54 mJ. Second-harmonic generation in LBO and fourth-harmonic generation in BBO provide visible (532-nm) and ultraviolet (266-nm) radiation with pulse energies of 270 J and 75 J, respectively. Amplification in a diode-pumped single-pass Nd:YVO₄ amplifier increases the pulse energy of the fundamental 1064-nm laser pulses to 1 mJ. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.60.Da; 42.65.Ky; 42.65.Re     

空间非均匀啁啾双色场驱动下氦离子的高次谐波以及孤立阿秒脉冲的产生

本文理论上研究了初态为基态与第一激发态等权叠加的一维氦离子在空间非均匀啁啾双色场驱动下氦离子的高次谐波发射及孤立阿秒脉冲的产生. 研究表明, 一维氦离子在空间非均匀啁啾双色场驱动下发射的高次谐波相对于均匀场情况截止位置得到明显扩展, 得到了光滑的超连续谱,并应用半经典三步模型解释了高次谐波发射的物理机理. 通过小波变换的方法对连续谱进行了时频分析, 并且与电子的经典运动轨迹进行了对比分析, 结果显示在空间非均匀场中长量子轨道消失, 短量子轨道加强. 讨论了空间非均匀啁啾双色场中时间延迟对谐波和孤立阿秒脉冲产生的影响, 发现适当调整时间延迟值可以得到较大延展的光滑的超连续谐波谱, 本方案中时间延迟为t₀=1.6πup/ω₁时得到了最大延展, 通过对谐波中600次到680次(80次)谐波合成得到32 as的孤立脉冲.     

Compression of harmonic pulses by using material dispersion

We utilize the dispersion property of an X-ray filter material for the generation of a single sub-50-as pulse from high-order harmonics. The attosecond pulse, formed by selecting the spectral range of high-order harmonic radiation, contains an intrinsic chirp corresponding to the quadratic phase variation during a half cycle of a laser pulse. We show that this chirp can be compensated by using the negative group-delay dispersion of a thin X-ray filter, compressing the attosecond pulse down to sub-50-as. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.50.Hz; 42.65.Ky     

Scanning mirror on a vibrating membrane for dynamic optical trapping

A study of the variation of the spectral shape and the harmonic distribution of the high-order harmonics generated from silver plasma on the frequency chirp of the driving laser radiation (793 nm 48 fs) is reported. The results of the systematic study of the harmonic generation from the 21st order up to the 61st order (λ=13 nm) are presented. A tuning of the harmonic wavelength up to 0.8 nm can be accomplished by variation of the laser chirp. PACS 42.65.Ky; 42.79.Nv; 52.38.Mf     

Z-scan technique for elliptic Gaussian beams

A novel z-scan technique suitable for elliptic Gaussian beams is proposed. It is based on the direct measurement of the beams semiaxes in the far field instead of the irradiance transmitted through an aperture, as in the case of circular beams. This technique overcomes, for the first time, the insurmountable obstacles encountered when a z-scan technique based on transmittance measurements is used in the case of elliptic beams. The experimental procedure of this technique is realized using a CCD camera connected to a laser beam profiler, and has the advantage of being insensitive to beam pointing instability and energy fluctuations. It also reveals the different influence of the optical non-linearities on the two principal semiaxes of the elliptic beam. PACS 42.65.-k; 42.65.An; 42.65.Jx     

Bismuth triborate (BiB3O6) optical parametric oscillators

We report the phase matching of parametric frequency conversion in the nonlinear material BiB₃O₆ (BiBO) and on an investigation of optical parametric oscillators (OPOs) of this new crystal. Based on the calculation of collinear type I and type II phase matching within the refractive-index planes, the most favorable directions for phase matching are identified for OPOs pumped by the fundamental or the harmonics of 1064-nm Nd-doped lasers. Based on these results, pulsed 532-nm-pumped ns OPOs are realized. The pump source is either a Q-switched high repetition rate (10 kHz) Nd:YVO₄ laser (with a pulse energy of 24 J) or a low repetition rate (10 Hz), high pulse energy (120 mJ) Nd:YAG laser system. The BiBO OPO pumped by the Nd:YVO₄ laser showed a very low threshold of 0.047 J/cm². At an average pump power of 2.4 W the total OPO output power was 630 mW. By changing the phase-matching angle within the yz plane from 0 to 11.6° the signal wavelength was tuned from 735 nm to 970 nm, while the spectral width changed from 0.2 nm to 1.4 nm. By pumping the OPO with the Nd:YAG laser, the OPO had a threshold of 0.12 J/cm², a steep slope (59%) and a high total efficiency (of up to 48%). Due to divergence broadening the spectral width changes from 8.5 nm at 800 nm to 70 nm near degeneracy. The properties of BiBO determined from the experimental results are compared with those of well-known nonlinear materials such as BBO, LBO and KTP. PACS 42.65.-k; 42.65.Yj; 42.70.-a; 42.70.Mp     

Harmonic generation by atoms in circularly polarized laser fields: far-off and near resonance regimes

The generation of harmonics by atoms interacting with two laser fields having coplanar circular polarizations and an integral frequency ratio is addressed through ab initio numerical simulations. A detailed characterization of a few specific harmonics is given. In particular, the two different cases where the total energy absorbed through photons is far off or close to the energy gap between different atomic states are investigated. It is found that the conversion efficiency in the harmonic generation is strongly dependent on the inner atomic structure and in certain specific cases it can be significantly enhanced within a small frequency range. PACS 42.50.Hz; 42.65.Ky     

Tunable,narrow-band picosecond radiation in the mid-infrared by difference frequency mixing in GaSe and CdSe

We report on the generation of tunable, narrow-band picosecond laser pulses in the mid-IR at 1 kHz repetition rate. An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) seeded optical parametric amplifier (OPA) delivers signal and idler pulses with energies of several hundred microjoule tunable between 1.56 and 3.24 m. Difference frequency mixing of the OPA signal and idler waves permits the generation of mid-IR radiation between 3 and 24 m. The laser system therefore permits full coverage of the wavelength range between 1.6 and 24 m. Conversion efficiencies greater than 50% and pulse energies up to 40 J are obtained with GaSe. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.65.Yj; 42.72.Ai     

Generation of backscattered 2 ω and 3 ω/2 harmonics of femtosecond radiation from targets with different atomic numbers

Backscattered 2 and 3/2 harmonics were investigated during the interaction of femtosecond radiation (=795 nm, t=150 fs, 10-Hz pulse repetition rate) with various targets. The harmonics were generated without changing the position of the targets from shot to shot. Various characteristics of the harmonics were analyzed and their dependences on pump radiation parameters are discussed. Efficient 2 and 3/2 harmonics were achieved for low-Z targets, whereas only second-harmonic generation was observed for high-Z materials. PACS  42.65.Ky; 52.35.Mw; 52.38.-r     

High-harmonic generation and plasma radiation from water microdroplets

This work studied the emission of XUV radiation from water microdroplets under excitation with either a single or a pair of intense femtosecond laser pulses (Ti:Sa, 80 fs, 10¹⁴ W/cm² , 800 nm, 1 kHz). When varying the delay between the two pulses a transition from pure incoherent plasma emission to coherent high-harmonic generation was observed. Under optimized conditions high-harmonic radiation up to the 27th order was obtained. PACS 33.80.-b; 39.10.+j; 42.65.ky; 52.50.Jm     

Experimental observation of anomalous high harmonics at low intensities

A variety of complex phenomena occurs when an ultra-short laser pulse interacts with atoms in the 10¹³ W/cm² range: non-sequential ionisation, electron recollision, and Freeman resonances. We show that high-harmonic spectra obtained experimentally in this parameter range also display anomalous features, which are difficult to understand in the framework of the three-step, semiclassical model. The results of a systematic study of these high harmonics generated in argon, xenon, and krypton are presented. From the experimental curves, complex high-order harmonic generation phenomena are discussed. PACS 42.65.Ky; 32.80.Rm     

Enhanced harmonic conversion efficiency in the self-guided propagation of femtosecond ultraviolet laser pulses in argon

Harmonic generation during the self-guided propagation of femtosecond ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses (248-nm, 450-fs) in argon is investigated. The third (82.7-nm) and fifth (49.6-nm) harmonics are generated in the UV filament. The energy-conversion efficiencies for the harmonics are found to be at least two orders of magnitude higher than those reported in the literature for similar gas pressures. The enhancement is attributed to the quasi-phase matching of the harmonics due to the self-guiding of the driving pulse. PACS 42.25.Bs; 42.65.Jx; 42.65.Re; 42.65.Ky