Harmonics generation in ultra-thin nanofilms irradiated by intense nonrelativistic laser pulses

The problem of harmonics generation in nanotargets is considered at the range of parameters (a nanotarget diameter and a pump laser intensity) when the oscillation amplitude of an electron in a target is much larger than the target width. Electron motion in charged nanotargets in the presence of a laser field of different (non-relativistic) strength is considered. It is demonstarted that for lasers of infrared frequencies clusters do not possess strong enough potential to bound electrons with large oscillation amplitudes. Opposite to clusters, nanofilms were found to be very perspective targets in the problem considered. A simple analytic model and molecular dynamic simulations showed increased harmonics generation when the oscillation amplitude of electrons in a film becomes much larger, than the film width. Different regimes of generation are briefly discussed.     

Suppression of multiple ionization of atomic ions in intense ultrafast laser pulses

The interaction of an intense laser field with a beam of atomic ions has been investigated experimentally for the first time. The ionization dynamics of Ar+ ions and Ar neutrals in a 60 fs, 790 nm laser pulse have been compared and contrasted at intensities up to 10(16) W cm-2. Our results show that nonsequential ionization from an Ar+ target is strongly suppressed compared with that from the corresponding neutral target. We have also observed for the first time the strong field ionization of high lying target metastable levels in the Ar+ beam.     

强激光与等离子体相互作用中沿靶表面发射的高能超热电子

在强激光与等离子体相互作用研究中，文章作者从实验上首次观测到沿靶面方向发射的高能超热电子束．该电子束只有在等离子体电子密度标长较短的条件下才会出现。数值模拟表明，靶表面电磁场的约束作用是产生这束电子的主要原因。这一结果有助于加深对激光惯性约束聚变快点火实验中的锥靶物理过程的理解，并有潜在的应用前景。     

强激光与等离子体相互作用中沿靶表面发射的高能超热电子

在强激光与等离子体相互作用研究中,文章作者从实验上首次观测到沿靶面方向发射的高能超热电子束.该电子束只有在等离子体电子密度标长较短的条件下才会出现.数值模拟表明,靶表面电磁场的约束作用是产生这束电子的主要原因.这一结果有助于加深对激光惯性约束聚变快点火实验中的锥靶物理过程的理解,并有潜在的应用前景.     

Fast-ion energy-flux enhancement from ultrathin foils irradiated by intense and high-contrast short laser pulses

Recent significant improvements of the contrast ratio of chirped pulse amplified pulses allows us to extend the applicability domain of laser accelerated protons to very thin targets. In this framework, we propose an analytical model particularly suitable to reproducing ion laser acceleration experiments using high intensity and ultrahigh contrast pulses. The model is based on a self-consistent solution of the Poisson equation using an adiabatic approximation for laser generated fast electrons which allows one to find the target thickness maximizing the maximum proton (and ion) energies and population as a function of the laser parameters. Model furnished values show a good agreement with experimental data and 2D particle-in-cell simulation results.     

Melting of Al by ultrafast laser pulses: dynamics at the melting threshold

Using molecular-dynamics simulation, we investigate the melting of a thin Al slab by ultrafast laser irradiation. We employ a laser energy, which is just around the melting threshold. While the equilibrium electron–phonon coupling is well understood, we investigate the influence of the early (i.e., prior to electron thermalization) electron-lattice energy transfer. To this end, as a model study, we vary the fraction of the laser energy, which is directly given to lattice atoms vs. that given to the electronic system. We find that the melting process depends sensitively on the early electron-lattice heating rate. The pressure build-up within the still solid parts of the slab is identified as the main agent which delays the melting transition. The changes in the simulated structure factor data suggest that X-ray measurements of thin films performed just around the melting transition—even if performed long after electron thermalization—may provide information on the early electron-lattice energy coupling process.     

超快强激光驱动的原子分子电离

强场电离是超快强激光与物质相互作用时发生的基本物理过程。强场驱动原子分子的电离电子动力学过程发生在一个光学振荡周期以内,是在阿秒时间尺度上研究电子超快动力学的典范。不仅如此,强场驱动下的超短电子束还为探测原子分子的结构及其超快动力学提供了重要的技术手段。文章首先简要阐述了超快强光场中原子分子电离的基本物理图像,在此基础上,介绍了近年来基于强场电离电子开展的超快过程研究的几个例子,最后简要讨论了强场电离研究的未来可能发展方向。     

The study of ultrafast magnetization dynamics induced by femtosecond laser pulses in GdFeCo amorphous film

The time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr spectroscopy technique is used to study the ultrafast magnetization dynamics induced by femtosecond laser pulses in GdFeCo amorphous film. We study concretely the influence of the different pump fluence and the different external magnetic field on magnetization dynamics of ultrafast demagnetization, magnetization reversal and magnetization recovery. The pump fluence dependence magnetization dynamics shows that the degree of demagnetization, the degree of magnetization reversal and the time of magnetization recovery increase with pump fluence, which can be interpreted by the “three-temperature” model. The external magnetic field dependence magnetization dynamics shows that the rate of magnetization reversal increases with the external field, which accord with the magnetization reversal mechanism based on the reversed magnetic domain nucleation and domain-wall motion.     

Deuterium-deuterium fusion by an activated precursor

Summary A general scheme is proposed for the interpretation of the phenomena involving low-energy hydrogen-isotope fusion. This scheme is especially developed for the interpretation of the fusion rate observed after the impact of heavy-water clusters (D₂O) _n , 25≲n≲1350, onto targets of titanium deuteride TiD. It is shown that 1) the impinging energy of large clusters or molecules is equiparted among a lot of target atoms which are brought in collective motion; 2) data can conveniently be represented in an Arrhenius plot; 3) this plot suggests that fusion is a thermally activated process from a metastable precursor; 4) the activation energy for the precursor formation isE ^*≃2E ₀ (E ₀ being the electron binding energy in the hydrogen atom), and 5) the activated precursor can reasonably be identified with the metastable binuclear heliumlike (D⁺D⁺)2e⁻ atom.     

Generation of single intense short optical pulses by ultrafast molecular phase modulation

Pulses with durations below 4 fs have been generated using the method of ultrafast molecular phase modulation. A laser pulse shorter than the molecular vibrational or rotational period obtains spectral broadening during propagation along a hollow waveguide filled with previously impulsively excited Raman active gases. The induced time dependent phase, frequency, and frequency chirp are controllable by changing the delay between excitation and probe pulse within the molecular vibrational period.     

Photonuclear reactions induced by intense short laser pulses

A measurement of the decay in time of nuclei excited by an intense short laser pulse of energy E₀$E_0$ yields the Fourier transform of the autocorrelation function of the associated scattering matrix. We determine the optimal length (in time) of the pulse and evaluate the time-decay function using random-matrix theory. That function is shown to contain information not otherwise available. We approximate that function in a manner that is useful for the analysis of data. For E₀$E_0$ below the threshold energy En$E_n$ of the first neutron channel, the time-decay function is exponential in time t while it is the product of an exponential and a power in t   for E₀>En$E_0>E_n$. The comparison of the measured decay functions in both energy domains yields an unambiguous and novel test of random-matrix theory in nuclei.     

强激光辐照下光电探测器响应性能的研究

 响应度R是反映探测器性能的一项重要指标,当探测器被强激光损伤后,光电探测器的响应度将发生改变。设计了一套实时测量探测器响应度的装置,用能量逐渐增加的Nd∶YAG激光辐照PIN光电探测器,获得了探测器响应度与入射强激光功率密度的变化关系。从实验数据可知,探测器被功率密度低于7.6×105W/cm2的激光辐照后不会发生损伤,探测器对532nm参考光的响应度不变;当激光的功率密度超过1.27×106W/cm2时,激光辐照后,探测器对532nm参考光的响应度开始下降,当探测器被功率密度为6.01×106W/cm2的激光辐照后,响应度迅速下降,PN结遭到破坏是探测器响应度下降的根本原因,扫描电镜的结果与我们的分析相一致。     

Systematic study of spatiotemporal dynamics of intense femtosecond laser pulses in BK-7 glass

In this paper we present a systematic study of the spatial and temporal effects of intense femtosecond laser pulses in BK-7 over a broad range of input powers, 1–1000 times the critical power for self-focusing (P _cr) by numerically solving the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS). Most numerical studies have not been extended to such high powers. A clear-cut classification of spatio-temporal dynamics up to very high powers into three regimes — the group-velocity dispersion (GVD) regime, the ionization regime and the dominant plasma regime — as done here, is a significant step towards a better understanding. Further, we examine in detail the role of GVD in channel formation by comparing BK-7 to an ‘artificial’ medium. Our investigations bring forth the important observation that diffraction plays a minimal role in the formation of multiple cones and that plasma plays a diffraction-like role at very high powers. A detailed study of the spatio-temporal dynamics in any condensed medium over this range of powers has not been reported hitherto, to the best of our knowledge. We also suggest appropriate operational powers for various applications employing BK-7 on the basis of our results.     

快电子发散角的实验测量

采用飞秒激光辐照铜靶,利用电子角分布仪和LiF热释光探测器测量了快电子发射的发散角.实验结果显示,快电子的发散角与激光入射角密切相关,随着激光入射角增加,快电子的发散角逐渐减小.在相同入射角条件下,加上预脉冲将导致快电子的发散角变小.这个结果为获取较小发散角的快电子束提供了实验参考.