Generation of lower and higher harmonics in different plasma media with small <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis>

The generation of lower (third) and higher harmonics of femtosecond laser radiation in plasmas produced by laser ablation of different targets with a small atomic number Z (B, Be, Li) has been investigated. The high (10⁻³) efficiency of third-harmonic generation was observed in plasma produced on the boron surface. Efficient third-harmonic generation was also observed in beryllium plasma using femtosecond pulses of Ti:sapphire laser radiation (λ = 790 nm) and its second harmonic (395 nm). We could tune the higher harmonics generation spectrum by tuning the crystal converter when using 395-nm radiation to be converted. It is shown that, in plasmas formed on targets with small Z, the conversion efficiency and limiting generated harmonic order depend on the delay between the ablation pulse and the pulse to be converted.     

Spectral and temporal analysis of ultrashort ultraviolet pulses generated by high-intensity laser radiation in the atmosphere

We report direct spectral and temporal characterization of ultrashort ultraviolet (UV) pulses resulting from third-harmonic generation by high-intensity Ti: sapphire laser radiation in the atmosphere. The experimental technique implemented in this work enables the measurement of the pulse width and the chirp of the UV field, as well as the electron density of the plasma produced by laser pulses. The bandwidth of the third harmonic generated in our experiments by laser pulses with an initial pulse width of 45 fs supports transform-limited UV pulses as short as 30 fs.     

Harmonic generation by an intense laser pulse in neutral andionized gases

Reported are the results of a harmonic generation experiment in a simple gas (hydrogen) using 1-ps, 1-μm laser pulses with a range of intensities extending from below to far above the laser ionization saturation threshold. The scaling with intensity above saturation of the third harmonic generated by a single laser-pulse in a filled gas cell is observed not to fit with a simple model that takes into consideration volume ionization effects alone. In another experiment, a pump-probe type, an upper limit on the conversion efficiency of third-harmonic generation in a preformed plasma is determined. It is found to be in agreement with the efficiency predicted by a relativistic harmonic generation theory     

Enhancement of relativistic harmonic generation by an optically preformed periodic plasma waveguide

Enhancement of relativistic third-harmonic generation by using an optically preformed periodic plasma waveguide was achieved. Resonant dependence of harmonic intensity on plasma density and density modulation parameters was observed, which is a distinct characteristic of quasi-phase-matching. The results demonstrate the potential of a modulated plasma waveguide in high-field applications.     

超短脉冲在单块晶体中的三次谐波理论模拟

讨论了群速度失配、自相位调制和交叉相位调制、晶体厚度、基波的频率啁啾等因素对超短脉冲单块晶体的三次谐波转换效率、三倍频光脉冲形状以及频谱的影响.结果表明：群速度延迟使三倍频光脉冲展宽；自相位调制和交叉相位调制会降低转换效率,并使三倍频光脉冲形状发生畸变；晶体厚度对三倍频光脉冲频谱展宽有着较大的影响；合适的基频光频率啁啾可以减小三倍频光脉冲的畸变,并有效地提高三倍频转换效率.     

Resonant frequency-domain interferometry via third-harmonic generation

A method for measuring resonances using a combination of third-harmonic generation and frequency-domain interferometry is described and demonstrated in an index-matched dielectric material. The phase of the third-harmonic spectrum of a pulse generated from a resonant NdAlO(3) thin film and a temporally displaced sapphire substrate pulse was measured by analyzing the spectral interference pattern. The appropriate combination of substrate and film signals was obtained by translating the sample through the laser focus while observing the third-harmonic intensity.     

Method for single-shot measurement of the carrier envelope phase of a few-cycle laser pulse

The interference between different harmonics of a few-cycle optical pulse in the region of the spectral overlap is sensitive to the phase of the optical carrier inside the pulse envelope. Near-surface third-harmonic generation from Si(001) combined with second-harmonic generation in a 10-mum -thick beta-barium borate crystal produces sufficiently strong harmonic emission for single-shot measurement. We propose using this technique to measure the carrier envelope phase of high-energy 5-fs pulses.     

High-order harmonic generation by self-guided femtosecond laser pulses in argon

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) with 40 fs laser pulse in a quasistatic gas cell filled with argon gas was studied. Experiment results in several aspects were given and analyzed. As a result of balancing diffraction and plasma defocusing, and a large harmonic-generation cross-section, the spatial quality of the 23rd harmonic is successfully optimized with a divergence angle of 0.38 mrad. The modulation of spectral spatial divergence angle by the gas pressure was given, which was explained by the formation of plasma channel. The effect of initial laser pulse chirp on the harmonic generation and the harmonic spectral blueshift under different gas pressure were given and analyzed.     

Ultraviolet-light generation in nitrogen-doped silica fiber

Nonlinear light transformations were observed in a nitrogen-doped silica fiber pumped with a Nd:YAG laser (lambda=1.06 microm) . Light generation in the spectral range 355-430nm was obtained with an efficiency of up to 2x10(-4) . The UV light was found to be the result of third-harmonic generation, stimulated Raman scattering of the third harmonic, and third-harmonic generation from the Stokes components of the pump light. Lasing based on the color centers of nitrogen-doped silica was observed in the range 380-430nm.     

Supercontinuum generation of ultrashort laser pulses in air at different central wavelengths

Supercontinuum generation by femtosecond filaments in air is investigated for different laser wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to infrared. Particular attention is paid on the role of third-harmonic generation and temporal steepening effects, which enlarge the blue part of the spectrum. A unidirectional pulse propagation model and nonlinear evolution equations are numerically integrated and their results are compared. Apart from the choice of the central wavelength, we emphasize the importance of the clamped intensity reached by self-guided pulses, together with their temporal duration and propagation length as key players acting on both supercontinuum generation of the pump wave and emergence of the third harmonic. Maximal broadening is observed for large wavelengths and long filamentation ranges.     

Resonant third harmonic generation of a short pulse laser in plasma by applying a wiggler magnetic field

We examine the effect of wiggler magnetic field on pulse slippage of short pulse laser-induced third harmonic generation in plasma. The process of third harmonic generation of an intense short pulse laser in plasma is resonantly enhanced by the application of a magnetic wiggler. The laser exerts a ponderomotive force at second harmonic driving density oscillations. The second harmonic oscillations coupled with electron velocity at the laser frequency, produces a non-linear current, driving the third harmonic. Third harmonic pulse generates in the fundamental pulse domain. However, the group velocity of the third harmonic wave is greater than the fundamental wave. Hence, the third harmonic pulse saturates strongly and moves forward from the fundamental pulse at shorter distance than the second harmonic pulse.     

Spatial control of high-harmonic generation in hollow fibers

We demonstrate the control of high-harmonic generation in a hollow fiber by shaping the spatial structure of the generating laser pulse. We use a liquid-crystal-based two-dimensional spatial light modulator to control the spatial phase of the driver pulse. An evolutionary algorithm finds the spatial laser phase distribution that is optimal for reaching maximum total harmonic yield and for selectively enhancing the cutoff region of the spectrum. We show that enhacement of harmonic generation is related to coupling into a single fiber mode. Our results directly show that spatial properties of the laser are important parameters in fully controlling the high-harmonic spectrum. It is thus not possible to derive the controllability of the high-harmonic generation from the single-atom response only.     

Long-range spectrally and spatially resolved radiation from filaments in air

The distance-resolved spectral intensity distribution of the backscattered light from long filaments generated in air using ultra-short and intense laser pulses is presented. A clean fluorescence spectrum from N₂ molecules and ions, which is produced by the high peak intensity inside the plasma filament of the fundamental pulse, was clearly resolved from the backscattered supercontinuum. The supercontinuum generated by both the fundamental and the third-harmonic pulses developed progressively and became fully developed only at the end of the filamentation.     

Self-and cross-phase modulation accompanying third-harmonic generation in a hollow waveguide

The influence of self-and cross-phase modulation on third-harmonic generation in a hollow waveguide is investigated. Analytic solutions of the coupled equations for the slowly varying amplitudes of the pump pulse and the third harmonic in a gas-filled hollow waveguide are obtained with consideration of self-and cross-phase modulation and first-order dispersion effects. The possibility of controlling the nonlinear phase trajectory of the third harmonic by cross-phase modulation is demonstrated. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 1561–1579 (May 1999)     

Modulation of third-harmonic generation conversion in the presence of a rotational wave packet

We report a modulation of third-harmonic generation (THG) owing to a rotational coherence in CO(2). The variation in conversion efficiency is mostly attributed to the dependence of chi(3)(tau) on the molecular alignment. THG via type I processes mainly depends on chi(3)(tau), while type II processes are influenced by the wave packet owing to both chi(3)(tau) and Delta k(tau). Observation of the generated third harmonic also shows significant changes of the polarization state owing to the birefringence induced by the rotational wave packet. Numerical modeling shows good qualitative agreement with the experimental data.     

Pulse Slippage of Resonant Third Harmonic Generation in Electron-Hole Plasma

Effect of pulse slippage on resonant third harmonic generation of a short pulse laser in electron-hole plasma in the presence of wiggler magnetic field has been investigated. The group velocity mismatch of the third harmonic pulse and the fundamental pulse is significant in electron hole plasma. As the third harmonic pulse has higher group velocity than that of fundamental pulse, therefore, it moves faster than the fundamental pulse. It gets slipped out of the domain of fundamental pulse and its amplitude saturates. Phase matching condition is satisfied by applying wiggler magnetic field,which provides additional angular momentum to the third harmonic photon to make the process resonant. Enhancement in the efficiency of third harmonic generation of an intense short pulse laser in electron-hole plasma embedded with a magnetic wiggler is seen.     

Effect of pulse slippage on density transition-based resonant third-harmonic generation of short-pulse laser in plasma

The resonant third-harmonic generation of a self-focusing laser in plasma with a density transition was investigated. Because of self-focusing of the fundamental laser pulse, a transverse intensity gradient was created, which generated a plasma wave at the fundamental wave frequency. Phase matching was satisfied by using a Wiggler magnetic field, which provided additional angular momentum to the third-harmonic photon to make the process resonant. An enhancement was observed in the resonant third-harmonic generation of an intense short-pulse laser in plasma embedded with a magnetic Wiggler with a density transition. A plasma density ramp played an important role in the self-focusing, enhancing the third-harmonic generation in plasma. We also examined the effect of the Wiggler magnetic field on the pulse slippage of the third-harmonic pulse in plasma. The pulse slippage was due to the group-velocity mismatch between the fundamental and third-harmonic pulses.     

基于角色散的非共线匹配宽带三倍频技术

宽带光打靶可以有效降低激光等离子体相互作用过程中非线性效应。提出一种基于角色散的非共线匹配宽带三倍频方案,利用宽带基频与窄带二倍频的非共线和频产生宽带三倍频,和频过程中通过特殊设计的渐变光栅实现不同频率的基频光束以特定角度入射,补偿了波长差异引入的位相失配使得全波段满足位相匹配条件。理论模拟表明,采用KDP晶体Ⅱ类位相匹配,将中心波长为1058 nm、带宽10 nm的宽带基频光与526.5 nm的二倍频光进行非共线匹配和频,可以实现高效宽带三倍频转换。     

Third-harmonic generation in relative-phase-controlled two-color laser field

We experimentally demonstrate third-harmonic generation (THG) by intense femtosecond laser pulse at a central wavelength of ??800?nm superposed by its second harmonic in air. The third-harmonic signal shows a periodic modulation with a period of ??0.67?fs when the delay between fundamental and second-harmonic wave is continuously changed. The periodic modulation of THG can be attributed to the interference of third-harmonic signals generated from a direct THG channel (3??=??+??+??) and a four-wave mixing (FWM) channel (3??=2??+2?????). With high pump intensity, the fitting of the measured TH spectrum as a function of delay implies that the pump pulse undergoes a strong pulse splitting and self-phase modulation at the focus.