Ultrafast x-ray diffraction using a streak-camera detector in averaging mode

We demonstrate an apparatus for measuring time-dependent x-ray diffraction. X-ray pulses from a synchrotron are diffracted by a pair of Si(111) crystals and detected with an x-ray streak camera that has single-shot resolution of better than 1 ps. The streak camera is driven by a photoconductive switch, which is triggered by 100-fs laser pulses at a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The laser and the streak camera are synchronized with the synchrotron pulses. In the averaging mode, trigger jitter results in 2-ps temporal resolution. We measured the duration of 5-keV pulses from the Advanced Light Source synchrotron to be 70ps.     

Picosecond X-ray plasma radiation measurements

Direct picosecond measurements of X-ray laser plasma radiation were performed with a high-speed X-ray image-converter camera (ICC). This camera operates in the single-frame mode with an exposure time ranging from 5 ns to 0.5 μs and in the streak mode with 5 × 10⁹ to 5 × 10⁷ cm/s streak velocities. Its temporal resolution in the streak mode was calculated to be about 7 ps. A plasma was created by focussing 10 ps 1 to 2 joule laser pulses onto a titanium target placed in a vacuum chamber. The halfwidth of the recorded X-ray pulses varied from 30 to 60 ps.     

The effect of pulse to pulse variation on ultrashort pulsewidth measurements

An alternate interpretation is presented for the exponential shapes of the second harmonic autocorrelation functions obtained from synchronously pumped mode locked dye laser systems. The shape is reinterpreted as being due to a weighted average of pulses of varying widths and smoothly varying pulse shapes in time. Such pulse width measurements in the past have averaged over a large number of pulses. Several pulse shapes and pulse width distributions are examined all leading to exponential shaped autocorrelation functions. This interpretation implies that the currently determined pulsewidths are shorter, possibly many times shorter than the actual average pulsewidths. A method for selectively descriminating the shortest pulses from the train to increase the time resolution of current laser systems is presented.     

Simultaneous autocorrelation and synchroscan streak camera measurement of cavity length detuning effects in a synchronously pumped cw dye laser

The cavity matching condition for optimum stable, picosecond pulse generation in a synchronously pumped c.w. mode locked dye laser has been achieved with an accuracy of 2 μm using a synchronously operated streak camera exhibiting a modest temporal resolution of 9 ps. This was possible because of the observed distinct asymmetry of the pulses generated under conditions of cavity mismatch about the zero position. Simultaneous autocorrelation measurements confirmed the streak camera observations.     

基于变脉宽光源的分布式光纤拉曼温度传感器研究

提出了在分布式光纤拉曼温度传感器中,采用可变脉宽光源实现双功能温度监测的方法.采用窄脉冲获得高空间分辨率进行峰值温度监测,再改用宽脉冲获得高温度分辨率进行平均温度监测,可以兼顾不同测温环境对高温度分辨率或高空间分辨率的不同使用要求.结果表明,与采用固定脉宽光源的传统方法相比,采用可变脉宽光源可以在获得相同温度分辨率的前提下,降低了系统进行平均温度监测的测量时间.     

Tunable picosecond transient stimulated Raman scattering in ethanol

Transient stimulated Raman scattering (TSRS) of picosecond dye laser pulses in ethanol has been investigated experimentally. In particular some temporal features of TSRS from the C-H stretching mode (2928 cm^-1) in ethanol have been studied with a Photochron II streak camera with subpicosecond time resolution. It is shown that the use of TSRS provides a simple method for producing picosecond pulses tunable over the spectral region ≈492–532 nm and 691–772 nm by tuning a passively mode-locked Rhodamine 6G dye laser from 575–630 nm.     

Characterization of a chaotic optical field using a high-gain, self-amplified free-electron laser

We report on a characterization of the chaotic optical field from a high-gain, self-amplified spontaneous-emission (SASE) free-electron laser. The temporal structure of the amplitude and phase are measured in a single-shot mode, with a resolution well below the coherence length, and the statistics over multiple pulses is determined. The measurement is in excellent quantitative agreement with the prediction based on analysis of random noise, and further verifies the chaotic nature of the SASE optical field.     

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering imaging with a laser source delivered by a photonic crystal fiber

We demonstrate laser-scanning coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging with two excitation laser beams delivered by a large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber. The group-velocity dispersion and self-phase modulation effects are largely suppressed due to the large mode area of the fiber and the use of picosecond pulses. The fiber delivery preserves the signal level and image spatial resolution well. High-quality images of live spinal cord tissues are acquired using the fiber-delivered laser source. Our method provides a basic platform for developing a flexible and compact CARS imaging system.     

Coherent control of phonons probed by time-resolved x-ray diffraction

Time-resolved x-ray diffraction with picosecond temporal resolution is used to probe the product state of a coherent control experiment in which a single acoustic mode in a bulk semiconductor is driven to large amplitude or canceled out. It is demonstrated that by shaping ultrafast acoustic pulses one can coherently control the x-ray diffraction efficiency of a crystal on the time scale of a vibrational period, with application to coherent switching of x-ray beams.     

Diode-pumped regenerative amplifier delivering 100-mJ single-mode laser pulses

We report on a side-pumped Nd:phosphate laser regenerative amplifier that delivers laser pulses of as much as 100 mJ in a single TEM mode. The laser beam is mode matched to the amplification medium by an intracavity fused-silica phase plate for mode shaping and a telescope for adjustment of the beam mode to the amplification rod section such that most of the energy stored in the rod is transferred to the laser pulses. As a result of the good overlap and the low loss, an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of as much as 10% was measured for a pumping current of 80 A and greater than 100-mJ output pulses.     

Pump−probe experiments at the TEMPO beamline using the low‐α operation mode of Synchrotron SOLEIL

The SOLEIL synchrotron radiation source is regularly operated in special filling modes dedicated to pump–probe experiments. Among others, the low‐α mode operation is characterized by shorter pulse duration and represents the natural bridge between 50 ps synchrotron pulses and femtosecond experiments. Here, the capabilities in low‐α mode of the experimental set‐ups developed at the TEMPO beamline to perform pump–probe experiments with soft X‐rays based on photoelectron or photon detection are presented. A 282 kHz repetition‐rate femtosecond laser is synchronized with the synchrotron radiation time structure to induce fast electronic and/or magnetic excitations. Detection is performed using a two‐dimensional space resolution plus time resolution detector based on microchannel plates equipped with a delay line. Results of time‐resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, circular dichroism and magnetic scattering experiments are reported, and their respective advantages and limitations in the framework of high‐time‐resolution pump–probe experiments compared and discussed.     

Timing jitter in a kilohertz regenerative amplifier of a femtosecond-pulse Ti:Al(2)O(3) laser

We measure the timing error of femtosecond pulses amplified by a Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier at a 1-kHz repetition rate by use of a modified cross-correlation technique. Linearly frequency-chirped amplified pulses are frequency mixed with transform-limited oscillator pulses. A shift in the sum frequency corresponds to the timing error of each amplified pulse relative to the oscillator pulses. The timing error was measured every 6 ms with approximately 1-fs resolution over a measurable range of 400 fs.     

Hollow-tip scanning photoelectron microscopy

A new type of microscopy based on scanning in vacuum by a beam of charged particles transmitted through a hollow probe has been implemented. This approach provides controllable motion of spatially localized ion, electron, molecular (atomic), and soft X-ray beams and investigation of the surface in the shear force mode. In the photoelectron mode, in which electrons are transmitted through a 2-μm quartz capillary, a surface profile of gadolinium irradiated by 400-nm femtosecond laser pulses has been visualized with a subwave spatial resolution. The new method of microscopy opens an opportunity of investigations in the field of nanometer local photodesorption of molecular ions (one of the last ideas of V.S. Letokhov).     

Sodium D2 resonance radiation in single-pass sum-frequency generation with actively mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers

We report on a sodium D(2) resonance coherent light source achieved in single-pass sum-frequency generation in periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate with actively mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers. Mode-locked pulses at 1064 and 1319 nm are synchronized with a time resolution of 37 ps with the phase adjustment of the radio frequencies fed to acousto-optic mode lockers. An output power of 4.6 W at 589.1586 nm is obtained, and beam quality near the diffraction limit is also achieved in a simple design.     

Pulse shaping and its characterization of mid-infrared femtosecond pulses: Toward coherent control of molecules in the ground electronic states

We have examined a technique of complex shaping of mid-infrared femtosecond laser pulses towards accurate and precise control of rovibrational wave packets of molecules in the ground electronic state. A Germanium acousto-optics modulator was used as a device for the pulse shaping. In order to characterize the shaped pulses precisely, sum-frequency cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating was introduced for the analysis of both amplitude and phase of the electric fields. The mid-infrared pulses were shaped and characterized with a frequency resolution better than 4.5 cm⁻¹. Such a resolution is supposed to be sufficient for the realization of quantum gate operations with high fidelity, which is one of the most challenging applications of rovibrational wave packet manipulation of molecules. In order to demonstrate the precision of our method of shaping and its characterization, we have generated shaped pulses that will realize Hadamard and NOT quantum gates with rovibrational states of a CO molecule.     

核爆与雷电电磁脉冲识别

用经验模态分解和分形分析相结合的方法对核爆和雷电电磁脉冲信号进行了识别研究。计算了核爆和雷电电磁脉冲原始信号的盒维数,以及原始信号经验模态分解后前4阶固有模态分量（IMF）的盒维数。用最近邻法对核爆和雷电进行了识别,实验结果表明:原始信号经验模态分解后一阶、二阶IMF盒维数的识别率要略高于三阶、四阶IMF盒维数的识别率;原始信号盒维数的识别率高于经验模态分解后各阶IMF盒维数的识别率;二维和三维特征的识别率要高于一维特征的识别率,另外二维和三维特征的识别率更加趋于稳定,并且三维特征的识别率都在90%以上。     

The propagation in metal tubing of ultrasonic wave modes equivalent to Lamb waves

The generation of ultrasonic wave modes in thin-walled metal tubing has been investigated experimentally using piezoelectric ultrasonic probes. It is shown that the L(0, 1) mode, which is comparable to the A₀ Lamb wave mode in flat plate, can be generated with acceptable efficiency. The L(0, 2) mode (compare the S₀ Lamb wave mode) is generated rather less efficiently, while its greater group velocity tends to enhance the resolution problems so caused.The initial probe designs were inefficient in that a considerable amount of ultrasonic ‘noise’ was also present which could mask ultrasonic pulses of interest. This would be especially so for short range operation. An improved probe design reduced this background noise to a more acceptable level.The propagation of the L(0, 1) mode around a length of bent (U-form) tubing has also been investigated and it is shown that the ultrasonic pulse is both attenuated and lengthened, while structure has also been introduced. The theoretical implications of this are discussed. Finally a small amount of work is presented on the interaction of both modes with artificial defects.     

Picosecond pulse generation and detection in the wavelength range 1200–1600 nm

Optical pulses of 1.5–5 ps duration tunable in the wavelength range 1200–1600 nm are generated by difference-frequency mixing mode-locked dye laser pulses in a lithium iodate crystal. The IR pulses are detected with picosecond resolution after transmission through long lengths of optical fibre, allowing the study of linear and nonlinear pulse propagation.     

Efficient and tunable diode-pumped femtosecond Yb:glass lasers

Diode-pumped Yb:phosphate and Yb:silicate glass lasers have been passively mode locked for the first time to the authors' knowledge. Reliable self-starting mode locking without critical cavity alignment has been achieved with intracavity semiconductor saturable-absorber mirrors and soliton mode locking. We generated pulses as short as 58 fs with the Yb:phosphate laser and 61 fs with the Yb:silicate laser at average output powers of 65 and 53 mW, respectively. The pulse repetition rate was 112 MHz. Additionally, we demonstrated tunability of femtosecond pulses from 1025 to 1065 nm for the Yb:phosphate and from 1030 to 1082 nm for the Yb:silicate glasses. The highest mode-locked output power was 405 mW, with 183-fs pulses from the phosphate glass. The diode pump power was 1.68 W, corresponding to 24% optical-to-optical efficiency. The highest cw output power was 510 mW at the same incident pump power.     

单模光纤中超短脉冲的前向四波混频

给出了一组在单模光纤中超短脉冲前向四波混频的耦合波方程。利用这组方程所作的数值研究表明：在低转换和脉冲的走离远小于脉冲宽度的条件下,越短脉冲前向四波混凝的转换效率对相位失配的关系与连续波四波混频情况基本相同,不存在使增益为零的Δｋ（ｋ为不考虑非线性折射率时模的波数）的取值区间,蛤峰值条件应该是Δｋ＝０（ｋ为计及非线性折射率时模的波数）,而不是Δｋ＝０;窄脉冲的转换效率略低且峰值位置与Δｋ＝０稍有偏