Few‐optical‐cycle light pulses with passive carrier‐envelope phase stabilization

One of the most advanced frontiers of ultrafast optics is the control of carrier‐envelope phase (CEP) ϕ of light pulses, which enables the generation of optical waveforms with reproducible electric field profile. Such control is important for pulses with few‐optical‐cycle duration, for which a CEP variation produces a strong change in the waveform, so that strongly nonlinear optical phenomena, such as multiphoton absorption, above‐threshold ionization and high‐harmonic generation become CEP‐dependent. In particular, CEP control is the prerequisite for the production of isolated attosecond pulses. Standard laser systems generate pulses that are CEP unstable; the CEP can be stabilized using either active or passive methods. Passive, all‐optical schemes rely on difference‐frequency generation (DFG) between two pulses sharing the same CEP: in this process the phases of the two pulses add up with opposite signs, leading to cancellation of the shot‐to‐shot CEP fluctuations. This paper presents an overview of passive CEP stabilization schemes, starting from the basic concepts and progressing to the details of the practical implementations of the idea. The passive approach allows the generation of CEP‐controlled few‐optical‐cycle pulses covering a very broad range of parameters in terms of carrier frequency (from visible to mid‐IR), energy (up to several mJs) and repetition rate (up to hundreds of kHz)     

晶体环境下高次谐波谱的截止频率分析

通过数值求解中红外飞秒光脉冲与一维单电子多阱势相互作用的含时薛定谔方程, 研究了晶体环境下的高次谐波发射光谱, 发现了晶体谐波谱的截止位置公式.研究发现, 不同于气体环境下的谐波谱截止频率规律, 晶体谐波谱的截止频率与激光电场的峰值振幅及晶格参数成线性关系. 鉴于准经典力学的三步模型对于气体谐波截止频率的解释, 进一步采用准经典力学方法验证了晶体谐波截止位置规律的正确性. 关键词： 中红外飞秒光脉冲 晶体 高次谐波 截止频率     

载波相位对超短脉冲谐波谱的影响

数值计算了线偏振的超短激光脉冲(脉冲持续时间为两个光学周期)与一维模型原子相互作用产生的高次谐波发射功率谱. 研究表明,当载波相位发生变化时,超短脉冲谐波谱的截止频率也随之改变,而且在特定相位下,谐波谱出现了明显的双平台结构. 对此,采用半经典的“三步”模型给出了合理解释,并利用小波时频分析方法证实“三步”模型可以准确预言超短脉冲谐波谱的截止频率. 关键词： 高次谐波 超短脉冲 载波相位     

圆偏振激光附加太赫兹场作用下的高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生

本文通过数值求解二维含时薛定谔方程,研究了圆偏振激光和太赫兹组合场作用下,H+2的高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒(1 as=10-18s)脉冲的产生.研究发现,无论在圆偏振激光场的x或y方向附加一个太赫兹场,都可以产生一个比较平滑的连续谐波谱.通过时频分析我们发现,高次谐波的贡献主要来自于短轨道.适当选取一些级次的连续谐波进行叠加,可以得到129 as或83 as的孤立阿秒脉冲.     

圆偏振激光附加太赫兹场作用下的高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生

本文通过数值求解二维含时薛定谔方程,研究了圆偏振激光和太赫兹组合场作用下,H2+的高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生。研究发现,无论在圆偏振激光场的 或 方向附加一个太赫兹场,都可以产生一个比较平滑的连续谐波谱。通过时频分析我们发现,高次谐波的贡献主要来自于短轨道。适当选取一些级次的连续谐波进行叠加,可以得到129 as或83 as的孤立阿秒脉冲。     

靶源位置对强场高次谐波相位匹配的影响

为提高强激光场与惰性气体靶作用产生的孤立阿秒激光脉冲的能量,给出了一种实现高次谐波过程中最佳谐波相位匹配的定量实验方法。研究了气体靶源与高斯型驱动激光场聚焦点相对空间位置对谐波相位匹配及谐波产率的影响,得出了其最佳相位匹配位置始终位于驱动激光场聚焦点后3~5 mm,而在聚焦点之前的位置区域,严重的高次谐波相位失配导致谐波产率非常低。同时,在最佳相位匹配条件下,高次谐波场与驱动场具有相类似的空间强度分布特性,该结果印证了目前通常采用的高次谐波场为高斯光束的假设。     

Carrier envelope phase effect on the spatial distribution of high-order harmonic generation in asymmetric molecule

The spatial distribution in high-order harmonic generation(HHG) from the asymmetric diatomic molecule He H~(2+) is investigated by numerically solving the non-Born–Oppenheimer time-dependent Schr?dinger equation(TDSE). The spatial distribution of the HHG spectra shows that there is little contribution in HHG around the geometric center of two nuclei(z = 1.17 a.u.) and the equilibrium internuclear position of the H nucleus(z = 3.11 a.u.). We demonstrate the carrier envelope phase(CEP) effect on the spatial distribution of HHG in a few-cycle laser pulse. The HHG process is investigated by the time evolution of the electronic density distribution. The time–frequency analysis of HHG from two nuclei in HeH~(2+) is presented to further explain the underlying physical mechanism.     

强场超快激光驱动的液体高次谐波研究

强场超快激光与自然界四种物态(气体、固体、液体、等离子体)的物质非线性相互作用,均可辐射出光子能量为基频光几十甚至上百倍的电磁波,即高次谐波。高次谐波是强场物理领域一个非常重要的研究方向,是阿秒科学的基石。目前,气体、固体和等离子体高次谐波的研究已比较深入,其产生的实验条件和相关的物理机制较为清楚,而液体高次谐波的发展较为缓慢。由于液体体系的复杂性,实验和理论研究都具有很大的挑战性。文章将回顾液体高次谐波领域的实验进展,并从统计学的角度出发,介绍作者在相关物理机制的理论探索方面的结果,展望液体高次谐波领域未来的发展前景。     

脉冲形状和静电场对电离率和高次谐波的影响

采用数值方法研究静电场和不同的激光脉冲对氢原子的电离率和高次谐波的影响.结果表明脉冲形状和电离率之间有着确定的关系,电离率反过来又影响了谐波谱的性质;另外,随着所加的静电场强度的增大,电离率呈上升的趋势,而谐波谱出现一个双平台的结构.     

Probing subcycle spectral structures and dynamics of high-order harmonic generation in crystals

Subcycle spectral structures and dynamics of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) processes of atoms and molecules driven by intense laser fields on the attosecond time scale have been originally studied theoretically and experimentally. However, the time scale of HHG dynamics in crystals is in the order of sub-femtosecond, and the carrier dynamics of HHG in crystals driven by subcycle laser pulses are largely unexplored. Here we perform a theoretical study of subcycle structures, spectra, and dynamics of HHG of crystals in mid-infrared laser fields subject to excitation by a subcycle laser pulse with a time delay. The HHG spectra as a function of time delay between two laser fields are calculated by using a single-band model for the intra-band carrier dynamics in crystal momentum space and by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in velocity gauge for the treatment of multi-band crystal systems. The results exhibit a complex time-delay-dependent oscillatory pattern, and the enhancement and suppression of the HHG related to subcycle pulse are observed at the given time delay in either single-band or multi-band crystal systems. To understand oscillation structures with respect to the dependence for the subcycle laser fields, the time-frequency characteristics of the HHG as well as the probability density distribution of the radiation are analyzed in detail.     

Nonresonant third harmonic generation in thallium vapour

Feasibility of nonresonant third harmonic generation in thallium is investigated. The third order susceptibility, for driving frequencies in the visible region, is calculated and the phase matching with Ar as buffer gas is investigated. Other related quantities like coherence length, minimum pulse lengths required to get phase matching and power input requirements to achieve 50% conversion are also calculated.     

On‐axis shaping of second‐harmonic beams

We report complete spatial shaping (both phase and amplitude) of the second‐harmonic beam generated in a nonlinear photonic crystal. Using a collinear second‐order process in a nonlinear computer generated hologram imprinted on the crystal, the desired beam is generated on‐axis and in the near field. This enables compact and efficient one‐dimensional beam shaping in comparison to previously demonstrated off‐axis Fourier holograms. We experimentally demonstrate the second‐harmonic generation of high‐order Hermite–Gauss, top hats and arbitrary skyline‐shaped beams.

     

啁啾激光与半周期脉冲形成的组合场驱动原子产生单个阿秒脉冲

提出了由波长为800 nm、脉冲宽度为5 fs的啁啾激光与半周期脉冲形成组合场,并利用这种组合场驱动一维模型氦原子获得单个阿秒脉冲. 通过数值求解一维氦原子的含时薛定谔方程,发现氦原子在组合场驱动下高次谐波谱的截止位置可以扩展到I_p+21.6U_p. 对第二平台区域不同范围内高次谐波的叠加都能得到单个阿秒脉冲,最短可达37 as,特别是对平台区域的前端进行叠加不仅能够得到较短的单个阿秒脉冲,而且与截止位置附近高次谐波构造的阿秒脉冲相比,强度提高了3个数量级. 关键词： 啁啾激光场 半周期脉冲 高次谐波 阿秒脉冲     

Transverse and longitudinal phase-matching in third harmonic generation induced by the Bessel beams

Influence of transverse and longitudinal phase matching on the spectral and intensity properties of third harmonic generation induced by the Bessel pump beams has been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Transverse phase matching, revealing itself as a ring pattern in the third harmonic intensity angular spectrum was demonstrated in both the normally and anomalously dispersive media. The conditions were found for the optimization of this conical third harmonic signal.     

正交偏振双色激光场作用下高次谐波的椭偏特性研究

通过数值求解二维含时薛定谔方程,理论研究了正交偏振双色激光场作用下H2+分子高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生. 数值结果显示,改变激光场的强度比,可以调控高次谐波强度以及谐波椭偏率. 结果表明随着场强比的增加,y方向的谐波强度不断提高. 当场强比为1:2.5时,x方向和y方向分别仅有奇次谐波和偶次谐波产生,并且偶次谐波的强度比奇次谐波强度高2-3个数量级. 此时,奇次谐波的椭偏率最大可以达到0.3,偶次谐波的椭偏率接近于0. 此外,通过改变分子的准直角可以控制谐波的椭偏率,基于这一现象,利用椭圆偏振高次谐波的平台区合成了椭偏率为0.05的椭圆偏振阿秒脉冲链.     

High-order harmonic generation of pulses with multiple timescales: selection rules,carrier envelope phase and cutoff energy

ABSTRACT

High harmonic generation (HHG) is sensitive to the carrier envelope phase (CEP) of its driving laser field if it is a sufficiently short pulse (several-cycle pulse). Here we show that strong CEP effects can also be found in HHG from long duration multi-cycle pulses (up to 200?fs at 800?nm central wavelength). We find that HHG from multi-cycle pulses may be CEP dependent when the driving pulse exhibits two distinct timescales (multi-timescale pulse): (i) a short timescale associated with the average frequency, and (ii) a long timescale associated with the pulse’s temporal periodicity. The interplay of these timescales results in significant changes to both the cutoff frequency, and the appearance of symmetry allowed harmonics in the spectrum as function of CEP, similar to HHG from several-cycle pulses. We relate this effect to the multi-timescale intensity variations in the driving pulse, and construct an analytical condition to access the phenomenon. Lastly, we numerically demonstrate reconstruction of the CEP through HHG from long duration multi-timescale pulses. Our work may be useful in several areas of strong-field physics and attosecond science, for example, allowing spectroscopy of multi-timescale processes (e.g. HHG from vibrationally active media), and paving the way towards CEP characterisation using long pulses.     

Non‐centrosymmetric plasmonic crystals for second‐harmonic generation with controlled anisotropy and enhancement

Rectangular arrays of pyramidal recesses coated by silver film are investigated by means of polarization‐resolved nonlinear microscopy at 900 nm fundamental wavelength, demonstrating strong dependence of the dipole‐allowed SHG upon the lattice parameters. The plasmonic band gap causes nearly complete SHG suppression in arrays of 650 nm periodicity, whereas a sharp resonance at 550 nm periodicity is observed due to excitation of band edge Bloch states at fundamental frequency, accompanied by symmetry‐constrained interactions with similar modes at the second‐harmonic frequency. Additionally, coupling with modes at the bottom side of the silver film may lead to extraordinary optical transmission, opening a channel for SHG from the highly nonlinear GaAs substrate. Changing the lattice geometry enables SHG intensity modulation over three orders of magnitude, while the effective nonlinear anisotropy can be continuously switched between the two lattice directions, reaching values as high as ±0.96.

     

原子在红外激光场中产生高次谐波及阿秒脉冲随波长的变化规律

利用强场近似理论,研究了在长波红外激光场(波长800—2000 nm)驱动下氢原子产生的高次谐波,分析了在截止位置附近高次谐波的转换效率随激光波长的变化规律.发现在截止位置附近原子发射高次谐波的转换效率比平台区域的转换效率低,但获得的阿秒脉冲的宽度会随波长的增大而缩短. 关键词： 强场近似 高次谐波 阿秒脉冲     

激光与二维多势阱系统相互作用下的谐波发射

采用二维渐近边界条件和辛算法数值求解了激光和二维多势阱系统互作用的二维含时Schrödinger方程的无穷空间初值问题。计算了二维多势阱系统分别在线偏振激光和圆偏振激光作用下的谐波发射,得到不同模型发射谐波谱的特点,说明多势阱环境有利于高次谐波的发射。     

Nonlinear optics in spheres: from second harmonic scattering to quasi‐phase matched generation in whispering gallery modes

Over the last fifteen years, a series of theoretical and experimental investigations have demonstrated the usefulness of circular geometries to tailor second‐order nonlinear optical effects. However, until recently, such effects have remained rather weak, calling for their enhancement. In parallel, developments in the field of high quality factor spherical or ring resonators have shown that many different types of light‐matter interactions can be dramatically amplified when light is coupled in the whispering gallery modes of such resonators. In high‐quality spherical micro‐resonators, close to one million interactions can occur between a nonlinear molecule and a circulating light pulse. Recent research on nonlinear optics in spherical geometry is reviewed, from micrometer‐size spheres to whispering gallery mode resonators.