Modal phase-matching second harmonic generation in Bragg fiber

Modal phase-matching second harmonic generation in uniformly poled Bragg fiber is theoretically proposed. The very low group velocity of the modes in Bragg fiber near the in-band cutoff frequencies leads to high nonlinear conversion efficiency comparable to that of the periodically poled conversional fiber. The subsequence phase-matched bandwidth reduction by slow light can be retrieved in a certain degree through structure parameters optimization.     

Performance study of a soft X-ray harmonic generation FEL seeded with an EUV laser pulse

The performance of a free electron laser (FEL) using a low-power extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pulse as an input seed is investigated. The parameters are appropriate for 30 nm seeds produced from high-power Ti:Sapphire pulses using high harmonic generation schemes. It is found that, for reasonable beam parameters, robust FEL performance can be obtained. Both time-independent and time-dependent simulations are performed for varying system parameters using the GENESIS simulation code. A comparison is made with a two-stage harmonic FEL that is seeded by a high-power Ti:Sapphire pulse.     

A simple method for timing an XFEL source to high-power lasers

We propose a technique for timing an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) to a high-power conventional laser with femtosecond accuracy, yielding the relative jitter between pump and X-ray probe, and allowing sorting of experimental results over a certain time window. The same electron bunch is used to produce both an XFEL pulse and an ultrashort optical pulse by means of an optical radiator downstream of the X-ray undulator. Being produced by the same electron bunch, these pulses are perfectly synchronized. Cross-correlation techniques will allow to determine relative jitter between the optical pulse (and, thus, the XFEL pulse) and a pulse from an external pump-laser. Technical realization of the proposed timing scheme uses an optical-replica synthesizer setup to be installed after the final bunch-compression stage of the XFEL for electron bunch diagnostics purposes. A number of critical issues are quantitatively analyzed.     

Spatial coherence in the transition radiation spectrum

The formal expression of the spectral distribution of the transition radiation intensity will be here derived in the case of a relativistic three-dimensional charged beam. Charged beams with a particle density such as is typically encountered in a particle accelerator will be considered. In particular, a sufficiently high particle density will be supposed so that a continuous spatial distribution function can be reliably attributed to the charged bunch. The formula of the spectral distribution of the transition radiation intensity originated by a relativistic three-dimensional charged beam - already presented in a previous work - will be here submitted to a formal check and interpreted in the physical consequences. The present work contains an additional mathematical derivation of the radiation energy spectrum consisting in a different method to implement the continuous limit in the distribution function of the particle coordinates. In the former derivation of the formula, the average operation with respect to the continuous distribution function of the particle coordinates was applied to the radiation intensity of a N electron bunch. In the present one, it is applied to the radiation electric field of a N electron bunch. The comparison of the two alternative but in any case equivalent formal routes to the spectral distribution of the transition radiation intensity will offer the possibility to directly cross-check the mathematical self-consistency of the presented results within the limits of applicability of the continuous limit approximation. According to such results, both the flux and the angular distribution of the photons emitted at a given wavelength - even shorter than the longitudinal length of the bunch - are expected to undergo a modification as the beam transverse size is varied with respect to the observed wavelength. As a function of the beam transverse size the spatial coherence degree of the transition radiation source is thus expected to change. The physical consistency of such an effect occurring in the transition radiation emission by a charged beam can be argued on the basis of a compatibility criterion with other similar relativistic electromagnetic radiative phenomena and interpreted in the framework of the temporal causality and the Huygens-Fresnel principles. Finally, the aspect of the applicability of the continuous limit approximation to the case of a charged beam in a particle accelerator is treated in terms of a practical quantitative criterion.     

Exact solution of the Landau-Lifshitz equations for a radiating charged particle in the Coulomb potential

We solve exactly the classical non-relativistic Landau-Lifshitz equations of motion for a charged particle moving in a Coulomb potential, including radiation damping. The general solution involves the Painlevè transcendent of type II. It confirms our physical intuition that a negatively charged classical particle will spiral into the nucleus, supporting the validity of the Landau-Lifshitz equation.     

Coherent harmonic generation on UVSOR-II storage ring

Among the attractive coherent light sources resulting from the interaction between femtosecond lasers and relativistic electron beams, simultaneous Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) in the THz region, slicing and UV-VUV Coherent Harmonic Generation (CHG) can be achieved on synchrotron radiation facilities. Recently, a Ti:Sa laser at high repetition rate (1 kHz) has been seeded in the optical klystron of the Free Electron Laser at UVSOR-II (Okazaki, Japan). In this paper, the experimental set-up allowing delivery of sub picosecond UV pulses from CHG, and TeraHertz radiation from CSR is described. We further focus on the third coherent harmonic (266 nm) generated. The expected typical characteristics of this radiation, predicted by both numerical and analytical models recalled here, are experimentally verified and several studies of the influence of the seed laser on the output CHG intensity are reported. Such experiment enables UVSOR-II facility to produce in parallel short pulses at two different colors, synchronized at high repetition rate with one single infrared laser: a unique set-up of great interest for the facility users.     

Fourier treatment of near-field synchrotron radiation theory

In this paper, we couple synchrotron radiation (SR) theory with a branch of physical optics, namely laser beam optics. We show that the theory of laser beams is successful in characterizing radiation fields associated with any SR source. Both radiation beam generated by an ultra-relativistic electron in a magnetic device and laser beam are solutions of the wave equation based on paraxial approximation. It follows that they are similar in all aspects. In the space-frequency domain SR beams appear as laser beams whose transverse extents are large compared with the wavelength. In practical situations (e.g. undulator, bending magnet sources), radiation beams exhibit a virtual “waist” where the wavefront is often plane. Remarkably, the field distribution of a SR beam across the waist turns out to be strictly related with the inverse Fourier transform of the far-field angle distribution. Then, we take advantage of standard Fourier Optics techniques and apply the Fresnel propagation formula to characterize the SR beam. Altogether, we show that it is possible to reconstruct the near-field distribution of the SR beam outside the magnetic setup from the knowledge of the far-field pattern. The general theory of SR in the near-zone developed in this paper is illustrated for the special cases of undulator radiation. Using known analytical formulas for the far-field pattern and its inverse Fourier transform we find analytical expressions for near-field distributions in terms of far-field distributions.     

Transmission second harmonic generation in CdTe at 1.064 μm

Transmission geometry measurements of the efficiency of second harmonic generation in various thicknesses of CdTe samples were made to determine the conversion efficiency dependence on material thickness. Neglecting pump depletion, it is found that for samples of well-defined symmetry, the second harmonic conversion efficiency scales with film thickness, with no observed enhancement owing to coherence length effects. The angular dependence of the observed second harmonic light in films of well-defined symmetry is consistent with second harmonic generation originating in the bulk.     

Millimeter-wave pulse generation based on pulse reshaping using superstructure fiber Bragg grating

A novel optical approach is proposed to generate millimeter wave (MMW) pulse signal based on the pulse reshaping of superstructure fiber Bragg grating (SSFBG). In our scheme, one input pico-second Gaussian pulse is transformed into n Gaussian pulses by the SSFBG reshaping firstly, and then the pulse train is replicated to form a required frequency modulation MMW optical pulse envelope by the linear chirped fiber Bragg grating (LCFBG) or other highly dispersive element. The high-speed photodetector (PD) and band-pass filter can transform the MMW optical pulse into an MMW pulse signal ultimately. Depending on this scheme, MMW signals with frequency up to 10 GHz can be easily generated by the completed fiber components.     

Studies of interfacial regions by sum-frequency generation with a free-electron laser

The use of a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) allows the study of (non)linear optical properties of materials over unsurpassed large spectral intervals. As an example, we report on the use of a FEL as the infrared source in spectroscopic infrared-visible Sum-Frequency Generation (SFG). Employing the extremely wide tunability of the Free-Electron Laser for Infrared eXperiments (FELIX) at Rijnhuizen, we have studied the frequency dependence of the nonlinear susceptibility for sumfrequency generation in gallium phosphide between 20 and 32 m in great detail. We have developed a shortpulse visible laser system that is highly synchronous with FELIX thereby creating a two-color setup that can be broadly applied. Resonantly enhanced SFG in alphaquartz has been used to study the relative timing stability of FELIX and the synchronized picosecond-laser system.Paper presented at the 129th WE-Hearaeus-Seminar on Surface studies by Nonlinear Laser Spectroscopies, Kassel, Germany, May 30 to June 1, 1994     

Exact solution to the problem of nonlinear pulse propagation through random layered media and its connection with number triangles

An energy pulse refers to a spatially compact energy bundle. In nonlinear pulse propagation, the nonlinearity of the relevant dynamical equations could lead to pulse propagation that is nondispersive or weakly dispersive in space and time. Nonlinear pulse propagation through layered media with widely varying pulse transmission properties is not wave-like and a problem of broad interest in many areas such as optics, geophysics, atmospheric physics and ocean sciences. We study nonlinear pulse propagation through a semi-infinite sequence of layers where the layers can have arbitrary energy transmission properties. By assuming that the layers are rigid, we are able to develop exact expressions for the backscattered energy received at the surface layer. The present study is likely to be relevant in the context of energy transport through soil and similar complex media. Our study reveals a surprising connection between the problem of pulse propagation and the number patterns in the well known Pascal’s and Catalan’s triangles and hence provides an analytic benchmark in a challenging problem of broad interest. We close with comments on the relationship between this study and the vast body of literature on the problem of wave localization in disordered systems.     

Absorption and second harmonic emission from interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with microspherical droplets

In this paper, the interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with droplets microplasma at the intensity of 10¹⁶ W/cm² is theoretically studied. Laser absorption, suprathermal electron generation, and second harmonic generation are discussed. Using an analytical model and a 2D particle-in-cell code, we find that the dominated mechanism is resonant absorption in the interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with droplets for the misrospherical geometry.     

Influence of transverse fields on surface and bulk polaritons in antiferromagnetic films

We study the behavior of surface and bulk polaritons in thin antiferromagnetic films when a dc magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the easy axis. Dispersion relations are obtained for magnetostatic modes, as well as for retarded polaritons. It is shown that, the dispersion relations of localized modes exhibit reciprocity, i.e. but they are non equivalent since they are localized in different regions. The non reciprocal character of surface modes in a semi infinite sample is regained for very thick films.     

Enhancing the yield in surface sum-frequency generation by the use of surface polaritons

Received: 23 December 1998     

Structural phase transitions and sodium ordering in Na0.5CoO2: a combined electron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy study

The nonstoichiometric Na_xCoO₂ system exhibits extraordinary physical properties that correlate with temperature and Na concentration in its layered lattice without evident long-range structure modification when conventional crystallographic techniques are applied. For instance, Na_0.7CoO₂, a thermodynamically stable phase, shows large thermoelectric power; water-intercalated Na_0.33CoO₂·1.3H₂O is a newly discovered superconductor with T_c∼4 K, and Na_0.5CoO₂ exhibits an unexpected charge ordering transition at around T_co∼55 K. Recent studies suggest that the transport and magnetic properties in the Na_xCoO₂ system strongly depend on the charge carrier density and local structural properties. Here we report a combined variable temperature transmission electron microscopy and Raman scattering investigation on structural transformations in Na_0.5CoO₂ single crystals. A series of structural phase transitions in the temperature range from 80 to 1000 K are directly identified and the observed superstructures and modulated phases can be interpreted by Na-ordering. The Raman scattering measurements reveal phase separation and a systematic evolution of active modes along with phase transitions. Our work demonstrates that the high mobility and ordering of sodium cations among the CoO₂ layers are a key factor for the presence of complex structural properties in Na_xCoO₂ materials, and also demonstrate that the combination of electron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy measurements is an efficient way for studying the cation ordering and phase transitions in related systems.     

Characteristic and non-characteristic X-ray yields produced from thick Ti element by sub-relativistic electrons

Measurements are performed to study the electron impact energy dependence of doubly differential bremsstrahlung yields (DDBY) and of characteristic Ti K_α line yields produced from sub-relativistic electrons (10–25 keV) colliding with a thick Ti (Z = 22) target. The emitted radiation is detected by a Si-PIN photo-diode detector with energy resolution (FWHM) of 180 eV at 5.9 keV. The measured data of DDBY are compared with the results predicted by Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations using the general purpose PENELOPE code. A reasonable agreement is found between experimental and simulation results within the experimental uncertainty of measurements of 12%. Characteristic Ti K_α yields are obtained for the considered impact energy range and they are compared with the existing theoretical results. A good agreement is found between the present measurements and the theoretical calculations. Furthermore, data are presented for impact energy dependence of the ratio K_α/(K_α+ K_β) of a thick Ti target under impact of 10–25 keV electrons. The ratio shows a very weak dependence on impact energy in the studied range. The average value of the ratio is found to be 0.881 ± 0.003.     

A novel β→α phase transition of PbF2 at ambient condition driven by fluoride ions

We first qualitatively studied β→α irreversible phase transition of PbF₂ driven by fluoride ions and found that the speed of phase transition was strongly dependent on the concentration of fluoride ions in MeOH solution. These processes were traced by X-ray diffraction analysis. Possible mechanism of phase transition is discussed.     

Optical second harmonic generation from Pt nanowires

We have measured optical second harmonic intensity from arrays of Pt nanowires of 20 nm and 9 nm average widths, as a function of the incident and output light polarizations, the azimuthal angle, and the excitation photon energy. The nanowires were fabricated through shadow deposition on self-organized NaCl(1 1 0) faceted templates. The anisotropy of the SH intensity from the Pt nanowires was found to be stronger than that from the Au nanowires reported previously. The effective nonlinear susceptibility element , with the suffix 2 indicating the direction , was observed for Pt nanowires, although it was not observed for Au nanowires. This difference is suggested to be due to the weaker suppression of the incident fundamental fields by the depolarization field in the Pt nanowires and the larger anisotropy in the nonlinearity of Pt nanowires due to the thinner widths.