High order harmonic generation from solid targets: Towards intense attosecond pulses

Experiments and computer simulations on high order harmonic generation (HOHG) from steep plasma gradients using intense femtosecond laser pulses are presented. The importance of the plasma scale length for the efficiency of HOHG is demonstrated. By changing the pump intensity and the target parameters the regime of HOHG can be switched from non-relativistic to relativistic. Simulations show that attosecond pulses should already be present in our experiments in both interaction regimes. Two-color driven harmonic generation is shown to provide a highly efficient way of attosecond pulse production.     

Spatio-temporal evolution scenarios of femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in fused silica

We investigated the evolution of femtosecond laser pulses at different wavelengths corresponding to normal, zero, and anomalous regimes of group velocity dispersion (GVD) in fused silica. The laser pulse filamentation in different GVD regimes under the same similarity parameters was first considered. It was established numerically that the scenario of the pulse filamentation depends both on temporal factors, which are determined by pulse GVD and self-phase modulation, and spatial factors associated with Kerr self-focusing and plasma defocusing. In presence of strong normal GVD the dispersive stretching causes, a pulse power decrease followed by lowering of the intensity in filament, electron density reduction in plasma channel, and suppressing of the refocusing. For zero GVD the multipeak regime of radiation propagation is realized in the filament as a result of recurring self-focusings of powerful pulse tail, which was defocused in laser plasma. When GVD is anomalous a sequence of ??light bullets?? with duration about 10 fs forms in the filament. And the peak intensity in ??light bullet?? stays the same ?? 5 × 10¹³ W/cm². In the regime of anomalous GVD power is transferred from the pulse edges to its center, where the repeated self-focusings occur and form a ??light bullet?? sequence.     

Repetition rate dependency of low-density plasma effects during femtosecond-laser-based surgery of biological tissue

Femtosecond laser based nanosurgery of biological tissue is usually done in two different regimes. Depending on the application, low kHz repetition rates above the optical breakdown threshold or high MHz repetition rates in the low-density plasma regime are used. In contrast to the well understood optical breakdown, mechanisms leading to dissection below this threshold are not well known due to the complexity of chemical effects with high numbers of interacting molecules. Furthermore, the laser repetition rate may influence their efficiency. In this paper, we present our study on low-density plasma effects in biological tissue depending on repetition rate by static exposure of porcine corneal stroma to femtosecond pulses. We observed a continuous increase of the laser-induced damage with decreasing repetition rate over two orders of magnitude at constant numbers of applied laser pulses or constant laser pulse energies. Therefore, low repetition rates in the kHz regime are advantageous to minimize the total delivered energy to biological tissue during femtosecond laser irradiation. However, due to frequent excessive damage in this regime directly above the threshold, MHz repetition rates are preferable to create nanometer-sized cuts in the low-density plasma regime.     

Non-paraxial theory of self-defocusing/focusing of a laser pulse in a multiple-ionizing gas

The self-focusing of a laser pulse through a tunnel ionizing gas (helium) has been studied in both non-relativistic and relativistic regimes, relaxing the near-axis approximation. In the non-relativistic regime, the laser pulse produces multiple ionization of the gas and faces strong defocusing due to the steep radial density gradient caused by the same. The uneven defocusing of paraxial and marginal rays leads to a beam acquiring a ring shaped intensity distribution. In the relativistic regime, the laser pulse produces fully ionized plasma within a few wave periods, subsequently the relativistic mass effect and the ponderomotive force induced electron cavitation cause periodic self-focusing. PACS 52.38.Hb; 42.65.Jx     

后向受激布里渊散射诱导的光学材料破坏机理研究

 区别于传统的受激布里渊散射(SBS)发生器和放大器，提出了一种新型的SBS模型：自供种子光模型 (self Stokes seeding，SSS)。数值求解了SBS耦合波方程组，得到了SBS诱导应力的时空分布。基于SSS建立了高功率激光辐照下光学材料破坏阈值的计算模型，研究了SBS破坏阈值与激光脉宽以及作用区长度的关系。研究发现，SBS作为一种破坏机制，表现为前表面破坏，且破坏阈值与激光脉宽以及作用区长度均成反比。     

Temporal self-action and compression of intense ultrashort laser pulses in hollow photonic-crystal waveguides

Hollow-core waveguides with a periodic (photonic-crystal) cladding are shown to allow efficient temporal compression of high-intensity ultrashort laser pulses and formation of megawatt soliton-like features in the regime of robust isolated guided modes. We numerically analyze the temporal envelope evolution and spectral transformation of the light field in air-guided modes of gas-filled hollow coaxial periodic Bragg waveguides. Based on this analysis, we define optimal compression regimes, permitting high compression ratios (of about six) and high compression efficiencies (up to 73%) to be achieved for microjoule laser pulses with an initial pulse length of 80–400 fs.     

Electron Acceleration in Wakefield and Supra-Bubble Regimes by Ultraintense Laser with Asymmetric Pulse

Electron acceleration in plasma driven by circularpolarized ultraintense laser with asymmetric pulse are investigatedanalytically and numerically in terms of oscillation-center Hamiltonian formalism. Studies include wakefield acceleration, which dominates in blow-out or bubble regime and snow-plow acceleration which dominates in supra-bubble regime. By a comparison with each other it is found that snow-plow acceleration has lower acceleration capability. In wakefield acceleration, there exists an obvious optimum pulse asymmetry or/and pulse lengths that leads to the high net energy gain while in snow-plow acceleration it is insensitive to the pulse lengths. Power and linear scaling laws for wakefield and snow-plow acceleration respetively are observed from the net energy gain depending on laser field amplitude. Moreover, there exists also an upper and lower limit on plasma density for an effective acceleration in both of regimes.     

Quadruple Gaussian Laser Beam Profile Dynamics in Collisionless Magnetized Plasma

This paper presents an investigation of self-focusing of a quadruple Gaussian laser beam in collisionless magnetized plasma. The nonlinearity due to ponderomotive force which arises on account of nonuniform intensity distribution of the laser beam is considered. The nonlinear partial differential equation governing the evaluation of complex envelope in the slowly varying envelope approximation is solved using a paraxial formalism. The self-focusing mechanism in magnetized plasma, in the presence of self-compression mechanism will be analyzed in contrast to the case in which it is absent. It can be observed that, in case of ponderomotive nonlinearity, the self-compression mechanism obstructs the pulse self-focusing above a certain intensity value. The effect of an external magnetic field is to generate pulses with smaller spot size and shorter compression length. The lateral separation parameter and the initial intensity of the laser beam play a crucial role on focusing and compression parameters. Also, the three-dimensional analysis of pulse propagation is presented by coupling the self-focusing equation with the self-compression one.     

Quadruple Gaussian Laser Beam Profile Dynamics in Collisionless Magnetized Plasma

This paper presents an investigation of self-focusing of a quadruple Gaussian laser beam in collisionless magnetized plasma. The nonlinearity due to ponderomotive force which arises on account of nonuniform intensity distribution of the laser beam is considered. The nonlinear partial differential equation governing the evaluation of complex envelope in the slowly varying envelope approximation is solved using a paraxial formalism. The self-focusing mechanism in magnetized plasma, in the presence of self-compression mechanism will be analyzed in contrast to the case in which it is absent. It can be observed that, in case of ponderomotive nonlinearity, the self-compression mechanism obstructs the pulse self-focusing above a certain intensity value. The effect of an external magnetic field is to generate pulses with smaller spot size and shorter compression length. The lateral separation parameter and the initial intensity of the laser beam play a crucial role on focusing and compression parameters. Also, the three-dimensional analysis of pulse propagation is presented by coupling the self-focusing equation with the self-compression one.     

Using the Steepened Plasma Profile and Wave Breaking Threshold in Laser‐Plasma Interaction

In this work we evaluate the interaction of high intense laser beam with a steepened density profile. During laser interaction with underdense plasma by freely expanding plasma regime, modification of density profile is possible. In this paper we have investigated the ultra short laser pulse interaction with nonisothermal and collisionless plasma. We consider self–focusing as an effective nonlinear phenomenon that tends to increase when the laser power is more than critical rate. By leading the expanded plasma to a preferred location near to critical density, laser reflection is obtained, so the density profile will be locally steepened. The electromagnetic fields are evaluated in this new profile. We show the amplitude and period of electrical field oscillation are increased by reducing the steepened scale length. Also our numerical results identify that by reducing the steepened scale length, the electrical field is increased to wave breaking threshold limit. This high gradient electrical field causes the effective beam loading during the wave breaking phenomenon. The wave breaking can be the initial point for other acceleration regime as cavity or channel guiding regime. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

脉冲压缩光栅的激光损伤机理及阈值提升技术研究进展

总结了激光辐射条件下脉冲压缩光栅的激光诱导损伤机理,探究了表面形貌、加工方式、结构缺陷以及表面污染等因素对光栅损伤造成的影响,从微观损伤机理的角度阐释了产生损伤的内在原因。在脉冲压缩光栅的激光预处理、加工工艺及表面污染物的去除等方面,分析了实现光栅损伤阈值提升的内在因素,给出了提升光栅损伤阈值的技术措施。根据影响光栅损伤阈值的因素,提出在光栅运行过程中采用多种措施组合的方式来提升光栅的激光诱导损伤阈值。脉冲压缩光栅激光损伤机理和阈值的研究对脉冲压缩光栅系统的稳定运行具有实践意义,为激光装置高能量密度的输出奠定基础。最后,提出了光栅激光诱导损伤研究的科学与技术问题,为脉冲压缩光栅激光诱导损伤阈值的提升提供新的思路,服务于重大科学装置和重要技术领域的发展。     

Laser ablation of carbon at the threshold of plasma formation

The ionization of laser-ablated vapours with lasers producing ns duration pulses at various wavelengths has been studied in order to understand the mechanisms of the vapour-plasma transition. It has been established that there are several regimes characterizing the laser-target interaction which depend on laser intensity, wavelength, and pulse duration. The range of laser intensities for optimal laser evaporation is determined by the condition of transparent vapours. The intensity range is upper-limited by the opaque plasma formation due to vapour optical breakdown. Results are given for laser evaporation of graphite with Nd:YAG laser (1.064 7m), KrF laser (248 nm) and ArF laser (193 nm). For the UV laser wavelength the regime of skin-effect interaction was proposed as the mechanism of ion acceleration, and the range of validity of the skin-effect mode was established. With UV lasers the interaction has a bimodal nature: the interaction may proceed initially in the skin effect regime, resulting in a few high-energy ions, until hydrodynamic expansion begins at a later stage. The skin-effect interaction at the initial stage of the UV laser pulse gives the first, to our knowledge, explanation for the acceleration of ions up to ~100 eV at low laser intensities of 10⁸-10⁹ W/cm² and ns-range pulse duration.     

超短脉冲激光与微小水滴相互作用中电子密度和光场的时空分布

为了研究超短激光脉冲和液滴相互作用过程中电子密度和光场的变化,基于非线性麦克斯韦方程组和电离速率方程,构建了激光等离子体非线性瞬态时域耦合模型,对飞秒激光脉冲击穿微米量级水滴时的电子密度和光场的时空分布进行了计算.结果显示水滴的击穿阈值最小可达2 TW/cm~2,为同等条件下无边界水介质击穿阈值的1/4.随着脉冲能量增强,水滴内自由电子密度峰值区域逆着激光入射方向移动,且入射光越强,水滴对光传播的屏蔽越明显.光束在水滴出射端外部汇聚,汇聚点的光功率密度可达入射光的5倍,且时域波形出现压缩和变形.另外,水滴对激光能量的吸收系数随光强增大而增大,并最终趋于饱和.     

Investigation of the dependence of the coherent dynamics of a bismuth lattice on the crystal excitation level

Fully symmetric coherent phonons in bismuth have been investigated in a wide range of pumppulse energies by the pump-probe method using femtosecond laser pulses. It has been shown that in the linear regime, which is implemented only for low pump intensities, the coherent amplitude is proportional to the pump intensity, whereas the relaxation rate of the coherent state and its frequency remain unchanged. In the nonlinear regime, which can be divided into superlinear and sublinear regions, the relaxation rate of a photoinduced lattice state can be approximated by a two-component response, where only one component depends strongly on the pump intensity. The nature of the coherence of the phonon subsystem, which is created by an ultrashort laser pulse, is discussed on the basis of the analysis of the data.     

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Intense Short Gaussian Laser Pulses in Weakly Relativistic Magnetized Plasma

The weakly relativistic regime of propagation of a short and intense laser pulse in the magnetized plasma is investigated. By considering relativistic nonlinearity and using non‐linear Schrödinger equation with paraxial approximation, two second‐order coupled differential equations are obtained for the longitudinal pulse width parameter (in time) and for the transverse pulse width parameter (in space). The simultaneous evolution of spot size and length of a relativistic Gaussian laser pulse in a magnetized plasma can be calculated by the numerical solution of the equations. The effect of magnetic field is investigated. It is observed that in the presence of magnetic field both the self‐compression and the self‐focusing can be enhanced. Furthermore, the interplay between the longitudinal self‐compression and the transverse self‐focusing in a magnetized plasma is investigated. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

利用群速度匹配的级联二阶非线性实现超短激光脉冲压缩

提出了一种采用倾斜脉冲的级联二阶非线性来实现超短激光脉冲压缩的方法. 对基于单块BBO晶体中基频光与倍频光群速度匹配的级联二阶非线性的脉冲压缩方案进行了理论分析. 对比研究了群速度匹配与失配情况下利用级联二阶非线性进行脉冲压缩的效果, 并模拟分析了基频光与倍频光的位相失配量、非线性晶体长度、 基频光初始峰值光强和初始脉宽等因素对脉冲压缩效果的影响. 结果表明, 基频光与倍频光的群速度匹配将会大幅度改善压缩脉冲的时间波形和频谱分布. 通过对位相失配量、晶体长度、初始光强等参数的优化和选取可获得较理想的压缩效果. 采用倾斜脉冲的级联二阶非线性的脉宽压缩方法, 针对中心波长800 nm、脉宽100 fs, 峰值光强为50 GW/cm²的基频光脉冲, 采用25 mm厚BBO晶体, 当基频光与倍频光位相失配量Δk=60 mm^-1(对应失谐角1.98°), 晶体外部脉冲前沿倾斜角γ₀=74°时, 计算获得了质量较好的20 fs剩余基频光, 并同时产生了14 fs的倍频光. 关键词： 倾斜波 级联二阶非线性 群速度失配 脉冲压缩     

High-energy ion generation in interaction. of short laser pulse with high-density plasma

Multi-MeV ion production from the interaction of a short laser pulse with a high-density plasma, accompanied by an underdense preplasma, has been studied with a particle-in-cell simulation and good agreement is found with experiment. The mechanism primarily responsible for the acceleration of ions is identified. Comparison with experiments sheds light on the ion-energy dependence on laser intensity, preplasma scale length, and relative ion energies for a multi-species plasma. Two regimes of maximum ion-energy dependence on laser intensity, I, have been identified: subrelativistic, ∝I; and relativistic, ∝. Simulations show that the energy of the accelerated ions versus the preplasma scale length increases linearly and then saturates. In contrast, the ion energy decreases with the thickness of the solid-density plasma. Received: 13 December 2001 / Published online: 7 February 2002     

电子等离子体波对超短脉冲激光传播过程的作用

提出等离子体波对光脉冲产生相位调制的观点,把光脉冲在背景等离子体波中传播时的频率移动与脉宽压缩效应统一起来。给出了脉宽演化的方程,它类似于在势阱中运动的经典粒子的能量守恒方程;估算了脉宽压缩对应的等离子体波振幅阈值。数值计算进一步证实这些结论。最后指出实验上用等离子体波压缩短脉冲激光脉宽的可能性。 关键词：     

Impact of dispersion on pulse dynamics in chirped-pulse fiber lasers

We report on a systematic study of an environmentally stable mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser operating in the chirped-pulse regime. The linear cavity chirped-pulse fiber laser is constructed with a saturable absorber mirror as nonlinear mode-locking mechanism and a nonlinearity-free transmission-grating-based stretcher/compressor for dispersion management. Mode-locked operation and pulse dynamics from strong normal to strong anomalous total cavity dispersion in the range of +2.5 to ?1.6 ps² is experimentally studied. Strongly positively chirped pulses from 4.3?ps (0.01?ps²) to 39?ps (2.5?ps²) are obtained at normal net-cavity dispersion. In the anomalous dispersion regime, the laser generates average soliton feature negatively chirped pulses with autocorrelation pulse durations from 0.8?ps (?0.07 ps²) to 3.9?ps (?1.6 ps²). The lowered peak power due to the pulse stretching allows one to increase the double pulse threshold. Based on the numerical simulation, different regimes of mode locking are obtained by varying the intra-cavity dispersion, and the characteristics of average soliton, stretched-pulse, wave-breaking-free and chirped-pulse regimes are discussed.