Multi-mJ carrier envelope phase stabilized few-cycle pulses generated by a tabletop laser system

A compact system for the generation of few-cycle multi-mJ Carrier Envelope Phase (CEP) stabilized pulses is presented. At the output 1.9?mJ, 5.7?fs pulses were achieved after hollow fiber compression (HFC) of 5?mJ, 25?fs circularly-polarized pulses from a Ti:sapphire multipass chirped pulse amplifier (CPA). Polarization control of the generated pulses was done using all reflective phase retarders which can be nearly arbitrarily scaled for increasing energies. The CEP noise from the amplifier system is shown to be 190?mrad rms over a period of more than 7?hours. The full system, i.e., oscillator, amplifier, CEP stabilization, and HFC is compact enough to fit on a standard optical table.     

Nonsequential double ionization with few-cycle laser pulses

We investigate differential electron momentum distributions in nonsequential double ionization with linearly polarized, few-cycle pulses, using a classical model based on a laser-assisted inelastic (e(-),2e(-)) rescattering mechanism. These yields, as functions of the momentum components parallel to the laser polarization, are highly asymmetric and strongly influenced by the phase difference between the pulse envelope and its carrier oscillation, radically changing their sign around a critical phase. This behavior provides a powerful tool for absolute-phase measurements.     

Carrier-envelope-phase effect in nonsequential double ionization of Ar atoms by few-cycle laser pulses

A classical ensemble method is used to investigate nonsequential double ionization(NSDI) of Ar atoms irradiated by linearly polarized few-cycle laser pulses. The correlated-electron momentum distribution(CMD) exhibits a strong dependence on the carrier-envelope phase(CEP). When the pulse duration is four cycles, the CMD shows a cross-like structure, which is consistent with experimental results. The CEP dependence is more notable when the laser pulse duration is decreased to two cycles and a special L-shaped structure appears in CMD. Recollision time of returning electrons greatly depends on CEP, which plays a significant role in accounting for the appearance of this structure.     

低强度周期量级脉冲驱动排列分子的非次序双电离

本文利用三维经典系综模型研究了低强度周期量级脉冲驱动排列分子的非次序双电离. 结果表明, 电子对的关联特性强烈地依赖于分子的排列方向和激光脉冲的载波包络相位; 垂直分子反关联电子对的比例总是高于平行分子反关联电子对的比例; 当载波包络相位从0到π 逐渐增加时, 反关联电子对的数目先增加再减少; 对于平行分子, 电子对的释放总是以正关联为主; 而垂直分子的主导关联模式则依赖于激光脉冲的载波包络相位, 当载波包络相位为0.3π-0.7π之间时, 电子对以反关联释放为主, 其他相位下以正关联为主. 本文利用分子势能曲线和电子返回能量很好地解释了电子关联特性对分子排列方向和载波包络相位的依赖关系.     

少周期激光脉冲与气体作用产生的离化电流和THz波辐射

本文通过理论和数值模拟,研究少周期激光脉冲电离气体原子产生的离化电流 以及相应的THz波辐射.研究表明,少周期激光脉冲离化气体后能产生较大的离化电流, 因而可以产生较强的THz辐射.不同的少周期激光脉冲相位导致电离出的 电子初始速度和电离起始时刻不同,从而产生的离化电流有所不同, 辐射的THz波随激光脉冲的相位成周期性变化.该理论得到一维PIC数值模拟的验证. 对于给定的激光脉冲相位,离化电流和THz辐射振幅并没有随入射激光振幅的增加而单调增加, 而是存在一些极值点.与均匀分布气体相比,当气体分布具有一定梯度时, 辐射表现相似的规律,但频谱会发生一定的变化.     

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.     

Generation of high-energy few-cycle laser pulses by using the ionization-induced self-compression effect

A mechanism behind the ionization-induced self-compression effect for ultrashort laser pulses propagating in gas-filled capillaries is proposed. It is shown that as a result of excitation of the nonlinear-plasma waveguide laser pulses producing gas ionization can be self-compressed to few-cycle duration. This effect is used for high-energy laser pulses and its scalability to J-level energies is demonstrated.     

Processing of metals by double pulses with short laser pulses

Experimental results related to the influence of time delayed pulses for ablation efficiency with short multi pulses (pulse duration of 5 ps) are reported. A significant improvement of the micro structuring quality at relatively high fluence regime in metals is obtained. Less removed or recast matter is observed and the processed surface appears to be smoother with better roughness. Ablation depths and burr heights are compared for single pulses and double pulses in steel, Al and Cu as a function of scans number. Best results are obtained for weak time delays, typically less than 1 ps. PACS 79.20.Ds; 42.62.Cf; 81.65.Cf     

Theoretical model of terahertz radiation generation by laser pulses with tilted wave fronts

A theoretical model is proposed for terahertz radiation generation by femtosecond laser pulses with tilted wave fronts. Self-consistent evolution of the optical and terahertz pulses is investigated. The red shift of the pumping pulse spectrum and the formation of short-long-wave quasi-solitons are examined.     

A method for producing controllable double pulses from a Q-switched laser

A method is described for producing two controllable pulses from a Q-switched solid state laser, the time separation of the pulses being variable from about 30 nsec to a few microseconds. The technique involves Q-switching the system with a time variant loss which has two steps, the application of the first step only partially depleting the population inversion. The method has been demonstrated with an electro-optically Q-switched Nd:CaWO₄ laser.     

A simple non-perturbative approach of atom ionisation by intense and ultra-short laser pulses

A simple theoretical approach based on Coulomb-Volkov states is introduced to predict ionisation of atoms by intense laser pulses in cases where the effective interaction time does not exceed one or two optical cycles [M. Nisoli et al., Opt. Lett. 22, 522 (1997)]. Under these conditions, the energy distributions of ejected electrons predicted by this non-perturbative approach are in very good agreement with “exact" results obtained by a full numerical treatment. The agreement is all the better that the principal quantum number of the initial state is high. For very strong fields, most electrons are ejected at an energy which is close to the classical kinetic energy that would be transferred to free electrons by the electromagnetic field during the pulse. The power of the present approach appears when keV. In this region, full numerical treatments become very lengthy and finally do not converge. However, the present Coulomb-Volkov theory still makes reliable predictions in very short computer times. Received 19 November 1999 and Received in final form 19 January 2000     

Synthesis of oxides and determination of uranium concentration in uranyl nitrate compounds using irradiation by double laser pulses

Spectroscopic studies of the surface of a porous solid containing micro amounts of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate using irradiation by two sequential pulses with pulse-to-pulse intervals in the range 4–12 μs have shown that laser chemical synthesis of uranium and uranium oxide nanoclusters within the interior of a porous solid is a promising technique, with the possibility at the same time of determining the uranium content with good sensitivity (~10^–10 g).     

Optimization of highly efficient terahertz generation in lithium niobate driven by Ti:sapphire laser pulses with 30 fs pulse duration

We systematically study the optimization of highly efficient terahertz(THz) generation in lithium niobate(LN)crystal pumped by 800 nm laser pulses with 30 fs pulse duration. At room temperature, we obtain a record optical-to-THz energy conversion efficiency of 0.43% by chirping the pump laser pulses. Our method provides a new technique for producing millijoule THz radiation in LN via optical rectification driven by joule-level Ti:sapphire laser systems, which deliver sub-50-fs pulse durations.     

A model for the interaction of near-infrared laser pulses with metal powders in selective laser sintering

A thermal model of the interaction of pulsed near-infrared laser radiation from a Nd:YAG laser was made, taking the measured powder properties such as reflectance, optical penetration depth and thermal conductivity into account. It allows an estimation of the evolution of two different temperatures: the average temperature of the powder (taken over the grains in a volume given by the laser beam diameter and the optical penetration depth) and the temperature distinction within a single grain. It showed that in pulsed mode consolidation can be achieved at much lower average power as the surface of the powder particles are molten but their cores remain at nearly room temperature. This leads to a much lower average temperature and therefore a dramatic decrease in residual thermal stresses in the finished piece. The results of the model were experimentally tested and confirmed. Received: 26 July 2001 / Accepted: 23 November 2001 / Published online: 23 January 2002     

Enhanced frequency conversion of nonadiabatic pulses in a double Λ system driven by two pumps with and without carrier beams

We show that nonadiabatic, resonant amplitude- and phase-modulated pulses can be frequency converted with greater efficiency than adiabatic resonant pulses in a double Λ system, interacting with two strong cw beams on one side of the system, and a weak pulsed probe on the other. Indeed, in this double EIT (electromagnetically induced transparency) configuration, conversion efficiencies close to unity, similar to those achieved using highly detuned pulses, can be obtained using highly nonadiabatic resonant pulses. The distance at which the maximum conversion occurs is shorter than in a coherently-prepared Λ system. This counteracts the increased absorption that occurs in the double EIT configuration, so that both produce similar conversion efficiencies. The absorption experienced by matched nonadiabatic pulses in the double EIT system, at all propagation distances, can be overcome by superimposing the nonadiabatic pulses as amplitude modulations on carrier fields. Thus we demonstrate the formation of adiabatons in the double EIT system, and of diabatons in both the coherently-prepared Λ system and the double EIT system. Both the diabatons and adiabatons satisfy pulse-matching conditions. In addition, the asymptotic amplitude of the complementary amplitude modulations is proportional to the ratio of the pump to probe carrier Rabi frequencies, and is the same in each of the configurations.     

Developing methods for observing processes induced by femtosecond laser pulses with high spatiotemporal resolution

A combination of femtosecond laser techniques and nanomicroscopy creates promising new possibilities for studying both matter and a whole number of ultrafast physical processes. The results obtained at the Institute for Spectroscopy as a result of developing a new area of femtosecond nanomicroscopy are presented.     

A diagnostic complex for studying terahertz surface plasmon polaritons generated by the Novosibirsk free electron laser

A diagnostic complex for studying surface plasmon polaritons generated by the monochromatic radiation of the Novosibirsk terahertz Free Electron Laser (FEL) is described. The complex contains three detection systems: an uncooled microbolometer focal plane array conjugated with a collecting lens, a Golay cell, and a superconducting hot-electron bolometer. Examples of experiments demonstrating the operation of this complex are presented.     

A double wavelength DFB laser with an identical active area for CWDM

A novel distribute feedback (DFB) laser which gave two different wavelengths under two distinct work conditions was fabricated. The laser consists of two Bragg gratings with different periods corresponding to wavelength spacing of 20 nm in an identical active area. When driving current was injected into one of the different sections separately, two different wavelengths at 1542.4 and 1562.5 nm were realized. The side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 45 dB or more both for the two Bragg wavelengths were achieved. The fabricating process of the laser was just the same as that of traditional DFB laser diode. This device can be potentially used in coarse wavelength division multiplexer (CWDM) as a promising light source and the technology idea can be used to enlarge the transmission capacity in metro area network (MAN).     

A double wavelength DFB laser with an identical active area for CWDM

A novel distribute feedback (DFB) laser which gave two different wavelengths under two distinct work conditions was fabricated. The laser consists of two Bragg gratings with different periods corresponding to wavelength spacing of 20 nm in an identical active area. When driving current was injected into one of the different sections separately, two different wavelengths at 1542.4 and 1562.5 nm were realized. The side mode suppression ratio (SMSR) of 45 dB or more both for the two Bragg wavelengths were achieved. The fabricating process of the laser was just the samp as that of traditional DFB laser diode. This device can be potentially used in coarse wavelength division multiplexer (CWDM) as a promising light source and the technology idea can be used to enlarge the transmission capacity in metro area network (MAN).     

Investigation of laser scribing of a-Si:H from the film side for solar modules using a UV laser with ns pulses

This paper investigates laser scribing of a-Si:H layers from the film side with a ns pulsed UV laser for thin-film solar modules. We compared the contact resistance for several scribing methods and find that a low contact resistance is only achieved for double scribing methods (i.e. scribing the same line twice). Furthermore, we find that for such double scribing methods the alignment between the laser spots of the first and second sub-scribes is critical for good-quality contacts. In order to analyze these results in more detail, we examined the morphology and chemical composition at the surface of the laser lines using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. From this analysis, we conclude that a good alignment between the first and second scribes results in less re-deposition of silicon in the form of SiO₂ on the surface, which explains differences in contact resistance found for the various scribing methods. As a good alignment between the two sub-scribes is difficult to obtain, these double scribing methods are not attractive for industrial application. We developed a new scribing method for which alignment between the two scribes is not critical, and demonstrate that we can obtain high-quality contacts with this method.