Characterization of femtosecond pulses via transverse second-harmonic generation in random nonlinear media

We study, both experimentally and theoretically, the process of second-harmonic generation by two noncollinear beams in ferroelectric crystals with a disordered distribution of ferroelectric domains. We show that this parametric process results in generation of second-harmonic wave in the direction transverse to the propagation of the fundamental beam. We demonstrate how this effect can be used for the femtosecond pulse characterization enabling the estimation of both width and chirp of the pulse.     

Double-pulse femtosecond laser ablation of the surface of stainless steel with variable interpulse delays

Spectral studies of optical emission from plumes produced via ablation of the surface of stainless steel in the phase explosion regime at different incident fluences by a pair of collinear degenerate femtosecond laser pulses, separated by variable delay time of 0.01–1.5 ns, demonstrate a drastic decrease in atomic emission intensities in a subnanosecond range. This effect was related to “bulk” absorption of the second pump pulse in ablative plumes with near-critical density, achieved during their hydrodynamic expansion on a subnanosecond timescale.     

Two-order Interference of Single Photon

A pair of photons called signal and idler photons, respectively, are produced through the nonlinear process of type-I spontaneous parametric downconversion in BBO crystal pumped by the second-harmonic wave of a Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser pulse. The two-order interference phenomenon of the signal photon in Michelson interferometer is observed and give an analysis in detail.     

High-order harmonic generation in nanoparticle-containing laser-produced plasmas

Nanoparticle-containing media can be used for the efficient high-order harmonic generation (HHG) of laser radiation in the extreme ultraviolet range. We review the results of recent studies of the HHG in laser-produced plasmas containing Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, Ru, GaN, BaTiO₃, and SrTiO₃ nanoparticles. The harmonics of femtosecond radiation up to the 55th order were achieved using the nanoparticle-containing plumes, when the femtosecond radiation propagated through the preformed plasma. These results are compared with the high-order harmonics generated from the plasma produced on the surface of bulk targets at different delays between the subnanosecond heating prepulse and femtosecond pulse. We discuss a six-fold enhancement of the HHG yield, which was achieved in the case of nanoparticle-containing plumes with regard to the monoparticle-containing plasmas.     

Modulation grating achieved by two interfered femtosecond laser pulses on the surface of the silica glass

Modulation grating has been achieved by two interfered femtosecond laser pulses on the surface of the silica glass. The modulation grating formed at the middle of each bulge of the common grating and was attributed to the higher-order modulation arising from second-harmonic generation (SHG) of the femtosecond laser pulse incident to the surface of silica glass. The periods and depths of the fundamental grating and the modulation grating have been observed by using an atomic force microscopy (AFM). Experimental results show that the average depth of the modulation grating is nearly a half of the depth of the fundamental grating.     

磁压对级联爆磁压缩脉冲发生器性能的影响

为了研究负载为mH量级的间接馈电两级级联柱-锥构型的爆磁压缩产生器的基本物理过程和能量转换机理，利用描述爆磁压缩物理过程的2维爆轰磁流体力学程序MFCG(Ⅴ)，以实验模型结构参数为基础模拟计算了一系列模型，分析了磁压对金属套筒径向膨胀速度及膨胀过程的影响。计算结果表明:套筒的径向膨胀速度取决于爆轰压与磁压的共同作用，在爆磁压缩过程的绝大部分时间里，向外膨胀的爆轰压都远大于向内压缩的磁压，因而套筒的径向膨胀速度主要是由爆轰压决定;但是在功率放大级的后半段，也就是发生器电流增长最快阶段，磁压也迅速增长，它的增长大大降低了套筒的径向膨胀速度；在功率放大级的后期，磁压已经超过爆轰压，它对系统设计的影响已经不能完全忽略。     

Feedback-controlled femtosecond pulse shaping

We describe the experimental implementation of feedback-optimized femtosecond laser pulse shaping. A frequency-domain phase shaper is combined with different pulse characterization methods and appropriate optimization algorithms to compensate for any phase deviation. In particular, bandwidth-limited, amplified laser pulses are achieved by maximizing the second-harmonic generation (SHG) of the shaped laser pulses with the aid of an evolutionary algorithm. Real-time measurement of the absolute phases is achieved with spectral interferometry where the reference pulse is characterized by FROG, the so-called TADPOLE method. Using the complete electric field as feedback, arbitrary laser pulse shapes can be optimally generated in two different ways. First, a local convergence algorithm can be used to apply reliable and accurate spectral chirps. Second, an evolutionary algorithm can be employed to reach specific temporal profiles.     

Cross-phase-modulation-induced instabilities and frequency shifts in a photonic-crystal fiber

Copropagating fundamental-wavelength and second-harmonic femtosecond pulses of Cr: forsterite laser radiation are used to study cross-phase-modulation-induced instabilities and frequency shifts in a photonic-crystal fiber. Parametric instability of the second-harmonic probe pulse induced through cross-phase modulation by the fundamental-wavelength pump pulse gives rise to distinct sidebands in the spectrum of the probe field transmitted through the fiber. The wavelength of these sidebands was tuned in our experiments within approximately 100 nm by varying the peak power and the delay time of the pump pulse, suggesting a convenient way of controlled parametric spectral transformation of ultrashort laser pulses.This revised version was published online in March 2005. In the previous version, the published online date was missing     

Visible femtosecond pulses by second-harmonic generation of a cw mode-locked KTP optical parametric oscillator

Efficient generation of femtosecond pulses in the wavelength range from 520 to 675 nm by external frequency doubling the signal wave of a non-critically phase-matched picosecond KTP Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) in a non-critically phase-matched temperature tuned LiB₃O₅(LBO) crystal is demonstrated. An average power of the second harmonic as high as 310 mW at 575 nm was generated. In the absence of group velocity mismatch of LBO for a wavelength of the OPO at about 1.3 µm the minimum second-harmonic pulse width was 400 fs at 645 nm.     

Engineerable femtosecond pulse shaping by second-harmonic generation with Fourier synthetic quasi-phase-matching gratings

We describe a pulse-shaping technique that uses second-harmonic generation with Fourier synthetic quasi-phase-matching gratings. We demonstrate both amplitude and phase tailoring by generating a picosecond squarelike pulse as well as trains of femtosecond pulses with a terahertz-range repetition rate from either a compressed or a chirped pump pulse.     

Second-harmonic generation with traveling-wave pulses

We experimentally studied properties of traveling-wave excitation and traveling-wave pulse compression for a Nd : glass laser system with a streak camera. These properties were extended to second-harmonic generation with a type-11 KDP crystal. We found that the second-harmonic pulse generated from the chirped-fundamental pulse also has a good chirp linearity, but the spectral bandwidth and temporal duration were reduced. We demonstrated the effective subpulse suppression in the compressed pulse with the second-harmonic generation. The pulse with tilted wave front, short wavelength and high contrast ratio can be obtained by the second-harmonic generation of traveling-wave pulse.     

To measure chirped ultrashort laser pulse by the Talbot effect of a grating

We study the Fresnel diffraction of a phase grating under the illumination of a chirped femtosecond laser pulse. Using spatial spectrum theory, first we extract the central wavelength signal from the diffraction wave of the chirped pulse through a diaphragm. Then the central wavelength waves are directed to interfere in remote regions by two reflectors. The interference stripes at different distance will be exactly the same in interference region. Since the intensity distribution of the stripes is related to the chirp parameter of the femtosecond pulse, through measuring the stripe intensity distribution, we can indirectly detect the chirp parameter of the femtosecond pulse.     

Ultrafast strain-induced current in a GaAs Schottky diode

Picosecond acoustic pulses generated by femtosecond laser excitation of a metal film induce a transient current with subnanosecond rise time in a GaAs/Au Schottky diode. The signal consists of components due to the strain pulse crossing the edge of the depletion layer in the GaAs and also the GaAs/Au interface. A theoretical model is presented for the former and is shown to be in very good agreement with the experiment.     

Measuring the electric charge in cloud droplets by use of second-harmonic generation

We report on the observation of second-harmonic generation (SHG) from electrically charged microdroplets while they are excited with femtosecond laser pulses. The intense SHG emission results from chi(3) coupling between two photons of the incident laser pulse and the electrostatic field induced by the surface charges. For Iinc= 2 x 10(12) W/cm2, we estimate the second-harmonic emission to be ISHG= 2.5 x 10(3) photons per droplet and per pulse. The possibility of using SHG to measure remotely the electric charge of water droplets in thunderclouds is discussed.     

One-off writing of multimicrogratings on glass by two interfered femtosecond laser pulses

Multimicrogratings are one-off written on silicate glass by two interfered femtosecond pulsed laser beams with the aid of a mask. The period and depth of the multimicrogratings are revealed by optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The depth is dependent on both the colliding angle between the two interfered laser beams and the laser pulse energy, but the period relies on the colliding angle only. We also observe a series of grooves formed at the middle of each bulge of the multimicrogratings and attribute it to the higher-order modulation arising from second-harmonic generation of the femtosecond laser pulse during the one-off writing processes.     

Near-field second-harmonic microscopy of thin ferroelectric films

We present a near-field optical technique for second-harmonic imaging by use of tapered optical fiber tips externally illuminated with femtosecond laser pulses. Enhancement of the electric field at the tip of the fiber results in enhanced second-harmonic (SH) generation from the sample region near the tip. This SH emission is collected by the same tapered fiber. The spatial distribution and polarization properties of SH generation from thin ferroelectric films and a poled single crystal of BaTiO(3) have been studied. A spatial resolution of the order of 80 nm was achieved. Symmetry properties of the near-field SH signal allow us to recover the local poling direction of individual ferroelectric domains in the film. Thus the technique provides a novel tool for nanometer-scale crystal analysis of polycrystalline samples.     

Generation of second-harmonic radiations of a self-focusing laser from a plasma with density-transition

A Gaussian laser-beam resonantly generates a second-harmonic wave in a plasma in the presence of a wiggler magnetic-field of suitable period. The self-focusing of the fundamental pulse enhances the intensity of the second-harmonic pulse. An introduction of an upward plasma-density ramp strongly enhances the self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse. The laser pulse attains a minimum spot size and propagates up to several Rayleigh lengths without divergence. Due to the strong self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse, the second-harmonic intensity enhances significantly. A considerable enhancement of the intensity of the second-harmonic is observed from the proposed mechanism.     

Influence of cascading phenomena on a type I second-harmonic wave generated by an intense femtosecond pulse: application to the measurement of the effective second-order coefficient

We have studied the influence of cascaded second-order effects on the spectral density of a second-harmonic pulse generated in thin KDP and beta-barium borate crystals by an intense femtosecond pulse. A noticeable evolution of spectral density is recorded for any value of phase mismatch. This evolution is in good agreement with the solution of the nonlinear propagation equation and allows a simple direct measurement of the effective susceptibility of the studied crystals.     

Femtosecond fiber lasers with pulse energies above 10 nJ

A series of experiments aimed at determining the maximum pulse energy that can be produced by a femtosecond fiber laser is reported. Exploiting modes of pulse propagation that avoid wave breaking in a Yb fiber laser allows pulse energies up to 14 nJ to be achieved. The pulses can be dechirped to sub-100-fs duration to produce peak powers that reach 100 kW. The limitations to the maximum pulse energy are discussed.     

Generation of dual-wavelength pulses by frequency doubling with quasi-phase-matching gratings

We demonstrate generation of two synchronized picosecond pulses at different wavelengths near 778 nm by frequency doubling of a femtosecond pulse. We use nonlinear frequency filtering with quasi-phase-matching gratings, which allow us to obtain second-harmonic spectral intensities that are higher than the spectral intensities of the pump.