Time resolved spectroscopy of picosecond laser pulses with the aid of optical Kerr effect photography

An extension of the transverse gating, focal plane, optical Kerr effect photographic technique has permitted the direct observation of a frequency sweep within single ≈ 10 psec duration 0.53 μ wavelength pulses derived from a mode-locked Nd: glass laser.     

Spectral broadening of picosecond laser pulses in optical fibres

Picosecond light pulses of a passively mode-locked ruby laser (pulse duration t _L35 ps) are spectrally broadened in optical fibres of core diameters from 4 m to 600 m. Combining the effects of self-phase modulation, stimulated Raman scattering, and parametric four-photon interaction in an 8-m core fibre of 4 m length with the effect of selective spectral attenuation in a ruby rod resulted in rather smooth spectra extending from 685 nm to 830 nm (spectral width 2300 cm^-1).     

非线性克尔效应对飞秒激光偏振的超快调制

研究了近红外飞秒激光的偏振在太赫兹频率的超快调制.利用抽运-探测光谱技术,通过改变两个脉冲之间的延迟时间可以控制光脉冲的旋转角.在Li：NaTb（WO₄）₂磁光晶体中观察到探测光的偏振随延迟时间变化的高速振荡,振荡信号的中心频率为0.19 THz.这种超快偏振调制现象可以解释为,抽运-探测实验构置中,前向传播的抽运光诱导的光学克尔非线性引起被晶体远端表面所反射的背向传播的探测光脉冲偏振面的额外旋转.通过改变抽运光的圆偏振旋性可以控制探测光调制信号的相位和振幅.实验结果表明,非线性光学克尔效应可以作为一种全新的手段,在磁光晶体中实现近红外飞秒激光以太赫兹频率的超快偏振调控.这将在超快磁光调制器等全光器件中得以应用.实验结果将有助于偏振依赖的超快动力学过程的研究.     

Multiphoton optical breakdown in water under picosecond laser pulses

The phenomenon of optical breakdown in highly purified (free of external impurities and bubstons) water under picosecond laser excitation was experimentally investigated. Narrow-band UV flashes were revealed. This effectmakes it possible to distinguish themodes of optical breakdown occurring either through multiphoton ionization of water molecules or via impact ionization at heterogeneous seeds.     

Observation of light filaments induced in air by visible picosecond laser pulses

We report the observation of light filaments produced by a picosecond laser pulse in the visible. The pulse trapped in the filamentary mode experiences large-scale self-phase modulation, with almost 100-fold spectral broadening along with apparent shortening of the leading edge. Spatial-temporal properties of the light filament reveal rather complex propagation dynamics. Received: 7 August 2002 / Revised version: 12 September 2002 / Published online: 11 December 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +370-2/3660-06, E-mail: audrius.dubietis@ff.vu.lt     

Long plasma channels and high-voltage discharges induced by strong picosecond laser pulses

The formation of long plasma channels and laser-induced high-voltage discharges are demonstrated by focusing infrared picosecond laser pulses in air. Based on measurements of the channel conductivity, the maximum electron density in excess of 1014cm-3is estimated. The plasma channels are good conductors, through which long-air-gap high-voltage discharges are triggered. The breakdown voltages show large drops but the discharging paths are not well guided: in this, the plasma spots distributed along the channel might play an important role.     

Generator of picosecond laser pulses

The design of the generator of picosecond laser pulses and the results on semiconductor target (ZnSe, CdS, and others) excitation by electric field and electron beam pulses are presented. The maximum power of laser radiation reached 10 kW at pulse durations of 100–200 ps.     

Autoelectronic emission of metallic films induced by picosecond pulses of infrared laser radiation

The well-known defects of the surface of a solid, microscopic projections and spikes, play a decisive role in electron emission induced by an electric field. If there are mobile electrons of holes in the solid, then the electric field is enhanced by a factor of 10–100 at the tip of a microscopic projection. This effect was discovered in electrostatics more than a century ago. In turn, the probability of tunnel emission of an electron from a metal into a vacuum is an exponential function of the electric field strength. Correspondingly the electron emission current density at the tip of a microscopic spike can be larger than that on a smooth surface by an astronomical factor. This effect is particularly strikingly manifested when picosecond pulses of infrared laser radiation of moderate power are used to initiate autoelectronic emission. Relative to a smooth surface, the emission current density is enhanced by hundreds of orders of magnitude. These experimental conditions can be used to scan the surface of a conducting material with a laser beam and to detect all the microscopic projections, in order to male detailed observations with subpicosecond time resolution of the phase transition from autoelectronic emission to explosive emission. Polytechnic University, Tomsk. Institute of Electrophysics, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. French National Scientific Center, Saclay, France. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchenbnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 42–44, November, 1997.     

Heating of opaque surfaces by picosecond laser pulses

Received: 5 June 1997/Accepted: 13 June 1997     

Generation of rayleigh waves by picosecond laser pulses

In this paper we present the fundamental mechanism which we hold responsible for generation of high frequency Rayleigh waves by picosecond laser pulses on a single crystal surface of Silicon. These Rayleigh waves have been recorded as ripples frozen out on the surface of the crystal upon irradiation with a focused cw mode-locked laser.     

Nonlinear optical properties of an azo-based dye irradiated by picosecond and nanosecond laser pulses

The nonlinear optical properties of an azo-based dye were investigated using Z-scan technique employing 38 ps pulses at 532 and 1064 nm, and 6 ns laser pulses at 532 nm. Large nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction were observed at both ps and ns 532 nm in the azoic dye. When excited at ps 1064 nm, this dye displayed a large two-photon absorption cross-section (σ₂=1810 GM). Meanwhile, the optical nonlinearity mechanism was discussed in terms of molecular structure, excitation wavelength, and pulse width.     

Amplification of picosecond dye laser pulses

Small signal and saturated gains of picosecond pulses in Rhodamine dye amplifiers have been measured. A 17 cm amplifier produces a maximum small signal gain of ≈20, and with three amplifiers in series, peak pulse powers of > 3 GW are obtained. Mode-locking of Rhodamine 6G in the spectral range 575–600 nm is improved by employing DQOCI as saturable absorber.     

Influence of optical field emission on the nonlinear photoelectric effect induced by ultrashort laser pulses

A decrease in the order of nonlinearity of photoelectron emission from a metal cathode was found experimentally with mode-locked laser pulses at sufficiently high intensities. This phenomenon is interpreted as due to the theoretically predicted appearance of optical field emission.     

Controlling the width of picosecond laser pulses

The relaxation time τ_R of the saturable dye used to mode-lock a Nd: YAG laser has been changed using different dyes or dye solvent mixtures and the laser bandwidth Δω changed by the insertion of an etalon. The pulse duration τ_p was approximately transform-limited for τ_R<2π/Δω but increased to about twice this value when 2π/Δω<τ_p<τ_R. No significant increase in pulse duration was observed for τ_R?2π/Δω but multiple pulses were generated within each round-trip-transit-time.     

Spatial photorefractive solitons with picosecond laser pulses

We report on the formation of spatial optical solitons in photorefractive media using picosecond laser pulses. Solitons are generated with laser pulses in the visible and infrared wavelength region using photorefractive strontium barium niobate. The dynamics of the soliton formation and the region of existence is studied in detail.     

大芯径石英光纤中皮秒脉冲激光的自聚焦

本文报道了对大芯径石英光纤中皮秒脉冲激光自聚焦现象的实验研究和理论分析.文中测量了自聚焦先场的近场光强轮廓,研究了自聚焦光场的时域和频域性质,并对环形自聚焦光场的成因进行了解释.     

Direct ninth harmonic conversion of picosecond laser pulses

Direct ninth harmonic conversion of picosecond laser pulses is obtained for the first time. Using sodium vapor, phase- matched ten-photon process by Nd³⁺: glass laser pumping is realized. Effective ninth-order nonlinear susceptibility of the order of x⁽⁹⁾_eff ～ 10^-64 ESU is estimated.