Pulse-amplitude equalization using a polarization-maintaining laser resonator

For the first time to our knowledge, pulse-amplitude equalization of rational-harmonically mode-locked fiber ring laser pulses has been experimentally demonstrated using a polarization-maintaining laser resonator without any additional device. The pulse-amplitude distribution of the laser pulses was controlled by the modulator driving power, and stable pulse-amplitude-equalized pulses with repetition rates of 20, 30, and 40 GHz have been obtained in the linear region of the modulator.     

在固体透明材料中利用级联四波混频方法获得宽带多色飞秒激光脉冲的研究

飞秒激光光谱学实验研究的深入与拓展对飞秒激光脉冲的要求也越来越高.比如多色抽运探测实验需要同时用到多个不同频率的超短飞秒激光脉冲.本文设计了一个更加简单紧凑的实验装置,对两束不同中心频率的入射光引入相反啁啾,在厚度为0.5 mm的CaF2晶体中利用级联四波混频获得了光谱半高全宽近100nm,支持傅里叶转换极限脉宽小于10 fs的多色飞秒激光脉冲.这一结果将为拓展飞秒激光光谱学研究和应用发挥重要作用.     

Femtosecond and picosecond near-field ablation of gold nanotriangles: nanostructuring and nanomelting

We report on recent insights into the interaction between ultra-fast laser pulses and plasmonic nanoparticles. We discuss femtosecond near-field ablation as a simple but versatile tool for the nanoscale modification of surfaces and the high-resolution measurement of a nanostructure’s near field. Two model systems are presented, illustrating the complexity of near-field distributions. Furthermore, finite difference time domain calculations in combination with absorption spectra provide a deeper insight into the factors influencing the near-field distribution. For the first time, an almost perfect agreement between the measured ablation pattern and experiment has been reached for gold triangles with a side length around 500 nm. Additionally, the results from picosecond laser irradiated plasmonic structures display a new regime of nanoscale laser material processing. We present first results showing nanometre confined melting induced by laser pulses.     

Broadband difference frequency mixing between visible and near-infrared pulses for few-cycle pulse generation with stable carrier-envelope phase

Difference frequency generation between broadband visible noncollinear optical parametric amplifier (NOPA) pulses and the fundamental pump laser pulses allows the generation of ultrashort infrared pulses with passively stabilized carrier-envelope phase. A simple prism compressor for the visible NOPA pulses is sufficient to generate few-cycle pulses in the infrared and no additional compression is needed. We theoretically investigate the concept, explain the principles, and demonstrate it for high repetition rate, long pulse durations, and various wavelengths by applying it to a Ti:sapphire and an Yb:KYW-based laser systems. For the latter sub-15 fs phase stable pulses around 1.8 μm with an energy of 100 nJ are obtained at 100 kHz repetition rate.     

Thermally assisted multiphoton photoelectric emission from tungsten

The dependence of photocurrent on laser intensity has been studied up to the damage threshold of tungsten using 30 ps pulses from a Nd:YAG laser. For intensities below ～1 GW/cm², four-photon photoelectric emission is observed. For higher intensities three-photon assisted thermionic emission dominates. A generalized Fowler-DuBridge theory accounts quantitatively for our observations. A polycrystal surface cleaned by picosecond laser pulses has a work function different from surfaces cleaned by ordinary heating methods.     

On the generation of temporally shaped laser pulses for inertial confinement

Pulse shaping of some form is likely to be essential for laser fusion. The problems encountered in amplifying such pulses in present-day laser systems are studied in a computer model. Saturation effects in the amplifiers can significantly alter the input pulse shape. This pulse shape modification sets in when the output flux in the final amplifier reaches ≈ 15% of the saturation flux. Consequently, great flexibility is required for the pulse shaping mechanism if pulses of complex shapes are to be obtained at the output of a large laser amplifier systems. The problems have been simulated and analyzed for one beam line of the University of Rochester's planned 24 beam phosphate glass laser systems.     

亚10 fs激光脉冲产生中的受激拉曼散射与四波混频效应

自行搭建的自锁模钛宝石激光器工作在下稳区的上边界附近,采用熔融石英棱镜对在激光器谐振腔的腔内和腔外同时进行群速度色散补偿.随着腔内棱镜对提供色散补偿的变化,输出激光脉冲的频谱会突然展宽至664—840nm,其空间模式也由基横模变化至衍射环状结构,这是受激拉曼散射和四波混频效应导致锁模激光脉冲频谱进一步展宽的结果.在此状态下自锁模钛宝石激光器可实现670—865nm范围的波长调谐.如此宽的频谱为钛宝石激光器产生亚10fs激光脉冲提供了必要的条件. 关键词： 飞秒激光脉冲 受激拉曼散射 四波混频 群速度色散     

Generation of shaped ultraviolet pulses at the third harmonic of titanium-sapphire femtosecond laser radiation

We experimentally demonstrate a method to generate shaped femtosecond laser pulses in the ultraviolet at a central wavelength of 267 nm, the third harmonic of conventional titanium-sapphire femtosecond laser systems. Employing a 128-pixel liquid-crystal spatial light modulator, we impose variable spectral phase modulations upon the near-infrared laser pulses. By this, complex laser pulses can be shaped whose overall spectrum is still conserved. Our experiments show that it is possible to easily transfer these pulses into the ultraviolet at 267 nm via sum-frequency mixing in nonlinear crystals and to predictably generate multistructured ultraviolet femtosecond laser pulses. We analyze the temporal and spectral composition of these pulses after frequency conversion into the ultraviolet using difference-frequency cross-correlation and XFROG (cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating) techniques with an unmodulated fundamental laser pulse. The method can be employed to facilitate adaptive quantum control experiments in the ultraviolet wavelength regime, where the major absorption bands of many organic molecular systems are located. PACS 42.65.Re; 42.72.Bj; 32.80.Qk     

High power tunable picosecond green laser pulse generation by frequency doubling of an Yb-doped fiber power amplifier seeded by a gain switch laser diode

A compact tunable high power picosecond green laser pulse source based on frequency doubling of an Yb-doped fiber amplifier seeded by a gain switch laser diode has been developed. The fiber amplifier generates the picosecond infrared pulses with average power of 10.3 W, repetition rate of 1 MHz, pulse duration of 150 ps, and tunable range of 20 nm around 1064 nm. For underwater use, the tunable output infrared pulses are frequency doubled into picosecond green laser pulses, which can be tuned from 527 to 537 nm with average power of more than 1.1 W, corresponding to an overall conversion efficiency of 10.7% by a BBO nonlinear crystal. This kind of laser source will have potential application for underwater optical communication.     

Optical free induction decay (OFID) 10 μm co2 laser systems

This paper describes new unproved and reliable optical free induction decay (OFID) picosecond-pulse CO₂-10 μm laser systems, differing mainly in the pump laser and in the peak power of the generated pulses. In this context a single-mode TEA-CO₂-10 μm laser preionized by a novel surfacecorona discharge was developed. Our improved plasma shutters operate as optical switches at variable gas pressures. They are triggered either by a laser-produced surface plasma or by an electrical high voltage discharge. With respect to the first trigger scheme we found new target materials for the surface plasma generation, i.e. metallized graphites. In the second scheme the electrical discharge is initiated by the TEA-laser pulse via a new laser-triggered spark gap. Single-mode TEA-CO₂-10 μm laser, plasma shutter plus a spectral filter form the OFID laser system, which generates the picosecond pulses. An electronic control completes the system as reliable working tool. Each of the OFID laser systems developed is capable to produce 10 μm pulses with a duration of 30–300 ps.Numerical calculations are performed to estimate the influence of various parameters on pulse shape and duration. Since a direct measurement of the time variation of the short pulses by fast IR detectors is not possible, we measure the picosecond pulses by means of an optical autocorrelation method with optical second harmonic generation. For the first time this is performed with polycrystalline material, e.g. GaAs or ZnSe, instead of a single crystal, e.g. GaAs or Te.     

Nanoparticles size modifications during femtosecond laser ablation of nickel in vacuum

Nanoparticles were synthesized by irradiating a nickel target with femtosecond laser pulses in high vacuum, and subsequently analyzed. The proof-of-principle experiments aim to modify the size characteristics of the produced nanoparticles. For nickel it is found that: (i) ultraviolet laser pulses lead to a remarkable change in the nanoparticles size distribution with respect to visible laser pulses; (ii) irradiation of the femtosecond pulses induced ablation plume with a second, delayed ultraviolet laser pulse can change the size characteristics of the produced nanoparticles.     

Picosecond and subpicosecon pulse generation in synchronously pumped mode-locked cw dye lasers

Generation of tunable near-infrared picosecond and subpicosecond pulses in a synchronously pumped cw mode-locked Oxazine-1-perchlorate dye laser has been investigated for different values of the important system parameters. The experimental results confirm the predictions of a simple theoretical model which describes the steady-state pulse duration in terms of gain modulation strength, pump power, intracavity bandwidth, pump pulse length and cavity detuning. For a pump-pulse length of 100 ps and a bandwidth of more than 500 Å for the intracavity tuning element dye-laser pulses as short as 0.35 ps have been obtained. Under these conditions up to 100 mW of average output power were provided. In addition, mode-locking of an Oxazine 750 dye laser by synchronous pumping with the cw train of pulses obtained from the Oxazine-1-Perchlorate laser is reported.     

Three-dimensional optical storage in fused silica using modulated femtosecond pulses

Three-dimensional bitwise optical recording with a density of 500 Gb/cm3 in fused silica using a Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser modulated by binary digits is demonstrated. Laser pulses modulation is realized by modulating two circuits of trigger pulses signal which are used to control laser pulses trapping and switching out from cavity, respectively. Bits are optically readout in both a parallel reading (phase-contrast) and a serial reading (confocal-type) methods. The method for modulating laser pulses can also be used in all of pulsed laser systems which operate in cavity-dumping configuration.     

On the repetitive operation of a self-switched transversely excited atmosphere CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> laser

The repetition rate capability of self-switched transversely excited atmosphere (TEA) CO₂ laser was studied for different gas flow configurations. For an optimized gas flow configuration, repetitive operation was achieved at a much smaller gas replenishment factor between two successive pulses when compared with repetitive systems energized by conventional pulsers.     

一维势场中电子对强激光场的非线性散射

数值求解一维势场中电子对强激光场的非线性散射问题，比较了不同形状和深度的势场中电子对不同频率和强度的激光脉冲非线性散射的影响。结果发现：（１）对一定强度和频率的激光脉冲，紧束缚的势场抑制高次谐波的产生；（２）一定势场中，电子对高频场（与低频场强度相同）的散射更易表现出谐波行为，但级次不高。     

Surface ablation оf aluminum and silicon by ultrashort laser pulses of variable width

Single-shot thresholds of surface ablation of aluminum and silicon via spallative ablation by infrared (IR) and visible ultrashort laser pulses of variable width τ_las (0.2–12 ps) have been measured by optical microscopy. For increasing laser pulse width τ_las < 3 ps, a drastic (threefold) drop of the ablation threshold of aluminum has been observed for visible pulses compared to an almost negligible threshold variation for IR pulses. In contrast, the ablation threshold in silicon increases threefold with increasing τ_las for IR pulses, while the corresponding thresholds for visible pulses remained almost constant. In aluminum, such a width-dependent decrease in ablation thresholds has been related to strongly diminished temperature gradients for pulse widths exceeding the characteristic electron-phonon thermalization time. In silicon, the observed increase in ablation thresholds has been ascribed to two-photon IR excitation, while in the visible range linear absorption of the material results in almost constant thresholds.     

Plasma-mediated ablation of brain tissue with picosecond laser pulses

Plasma-mediated ablations of brain tissue have been performed using picosecond laser pulses obtained from a Nd:YLF oscillator/regenerative amplifier system. The laser pulses had a pulse duration of 35 ps at a wavelength of 1.053 µm. The pulse energy varied from 90 µJ to 550 µJ at a repetition rate of 400 Hz. The energy density at the ablation threshold was measured to be 20 J/cm². Comparisons have been made to 19 ps laser pulses at 1.68 µm and 2.92 µm from an OPG/OPA system and to microsecond pulse trains at 2.94 µm from a free running Er:YAG laser. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were performed to judge the depth and the quality of the ablated cavities. No thermal damage was induced by either of the picosecond laser systems. The Er:YAG laser, on the other hand, showed 20 µm wide lateral damage zones due to the longer pulse durations and the higher pulse energies.     

High repetition rate laser pulses amplified by Nd/Cr:YAG ceramic amplifier under CW arc-lamp-light pumping

Laser pulses with high repetitive rate generated from a Q-switch microchip Nd:YAG oscillator were amplified by Active mirror composed of Nd/Cr:YAG ceramic pumped by CW arc-lamp. The laser pulses were amplified, and saturation of averaged output laser power was observed. Repetitive ratio of injected laser pulses was changed from 20 to 100 kHz. Averaged output laser power and gain were measured, and gain coefficient and power-extraction efficiency were evaluated. Output laser power was calculated and compared to experimentally measured one, and the calculated results are consistent with the experimental ones. For amplification of laser pulses with high repetitive ratio, this laser material can realize very high laser gain with low pumping power density and high optical-optical conversion efficiency under CW-lamp-light pumping.     

一维势场中电子对强激光场的非线性散射

数值求解一维势场中电子对强激光场的非线性散射问题,比较了不同形状和深度的势场中电子对不同频率和强度的激光脉冲非线性散射的影响。结果发现：（1）对一定强度和频率的激光脉冲,紧束缚的势场抑制高次谐波的产生;（2）一定势场中,电子对高频场（与低频场强度相同）的散射更易表现出谐波行为,但级次不高。     

Atomistic simulation of laser ablation of gold: Effect of pressure relaxation

The process of ablation of a gold target by femto- and picosecond laser radiation pulses has been studied by numerical simulations using an atomistic model with allowance for the electron subsystem and the dependence of the ion-ion interaction potential on the electron temperature. Using this potential, it is possible to take into account the change in the physical properties of the ion subsystem as a result of heating of the electron subsystem. The results of simulations reveal a significant difference between the characteristics of metal ablation by laser pulses of various durations. For ablation with subpicosecond pulses, two mechanisms of metal fracture related to the evolution of electronic pressure in the system are established.