Space-time considerations in the phase locking of high harmonics

The combination of several high order harmonics can produce an attosecond pulse train, provided that the harmonics are locked in phase to each other. We present calculations that evaluate the degree of phase locking that is achieved in argon and neon gases interacting with an intense, 50 fs laser pulse, for a range of macroscopic conditions. We find that phase locking depends on both the temporal and the spatial phase behavior of the harmonics, as determined by the interplay between the intrinsic dipole phase and the phase matching in the nonlinear medium. We show that, as a consequence of this, it is not possible to compensate for a lack of phase locking by purely temporal phase manipulation.     

Effects of Temporal Frequency and Contrast on Spatial Frequency Characteristics for Disparity Threshold

We measured disparity threshold for identifying the depth direction as a function of spatial frequency with various temporal frequencies and stimulus contrasts using drifting gratings. The results showed that disparity threshold depended little on temporal frequency with the exception of high temporal frequencies (≥ 10Hz) independently of stimulus contrast. Contrary to temporal frequency, contrast substantially influenced spatial frequency characteristics. The disparity threshold was approximately constant with change in spatial frequency with slight increase at high spatial frequencies for contrasts higher than 0.2 when the threshold is expressed by phase difference between the left and right eye images (phase disparity). The phase disparity threshold had a negative peak at a spatial frequency between 1 and 5c/deg (band-pass) for contrasts lower than 0.2. We discuss possible differences in the underlying mechanisms to determine disparity threshold below and above temporal frequency of 10 Hz.     

Diffraction phase microscopy with white light

We present white light diffraction phase microscopy (wDPM) as a quantitative phase imaging method that combines the single shot measurement benefit associated with off-axis methods, high temporal phase stability associated with common path geometries, and high spatial phase sensitivity due to the white light illumination. We propose a spatiotemporal filtering method that pushes the limit of the pathlength sensitivity to the subangstrom level at practical spatial and temporal bandwidths. We illustrate the utility of wDPM with measurements on red blood cell morphology and HeLa cell growth over 18 hours.     

Multiplex rotational CARS of N2, O2, and CO with excimer pumped dye lasers: Species identification and thermometry in the intermediate temperature range with high temporal and spatial resolution

Pure rotational CARS spectra of N₂, O₂, air, and CO have been obtained using excimer laser pumped dye-lasers. The combination of the folded BOXCARS phase matching geometry with the broad-band laser multiplex method allowed high spatial and temporal resolution. Species and concentration analysis as well as thermometry up to 700 K is demonstrated, and possible applications are discussed.     

Spectrally resolved maker fringes in high-order harmonic generation

We investigate macroscopic interference effects in high-order harmonic generation using a Ti:sapphire laser operating at a 100 kHz repetition rate. The structure and behavior of spectral and spatial interference fringes are explained and analytically described by transient phase matching of the long electron trajectory contribution. Time-frequency mapping due to the temporal chirp of the harmonic emission allows us to observe Maker fringes directly in the spectral domain.     

Optimizing two-photon fluorescence of Coumarin dye by combined temporal–spatial pulse shaping

Two-photon fluorescence (TPF) process is an important research subject and can be optimized by pulse shaping techniques. In addition to temporal femtosecond pulse shaping by spectral phase modulation, we take into account of spatial configuration in the shaping process. The TPF of Coumarin 500 increases 40% with this additional modulation step. This spatial modulation results in not only transverse spatial profile variation but also effect of temporal redistribution at focus. We show that this spatial modulation is an important dimension for pulse shaping and optimization for TPF.     

Quasi-periodic and random quasi-phase matching of high harmonic generation

Quasi-phase matching schemes employing quasi-periodic or random spatial modulations, previously applied to perturbative nonlinear optics, are demonstrated theoretically for the extreme nonlinear optical process of high harmonic generation. We show that quasi-periodic quasi-phase matching of high harmonic generation can be used for simultaneous enhancement of arbitrarily chosen spectral regions. We also demonstrate enhancement of a single extremely wide bandwidth using random quasi-phase matching.     

飞秒光参量放大中三波群速失配的补偿

为了消除群速失配对参量放大的不利影响，描述了利用脉冲波面倾斜与非共线相位匹配相结 合，完全补偿飞秒光参量放大（OPA）中三波群速失配的新方法.计算了在BBOⅠ类、Ⅱ类相 位匹配条件下， 三波实现群速匹配时，相位匹配角、脉冲波面倾斜角以及非共线角随信号 光波长的变化.并分析了三波群速匹配对空间走离长度、参量增益和参量带宽的影响.结果表 明，在BBOⅠ类、Ⅱ类相位匹配条件下，利用该方法均能实现飞秒OPA连续调谐时三波的群速 匹配，从而大大增加了三波的有效互作用长度，为能够获得高增益，窄脉宽的参量光脉冲提 供了理论依据和指导. 关键词： 群速匹配 脉冲波面倾斜 非共线相位匹配 飞秒光参量放大     

Impact of spectral phase mismatch on femtosecond coherent beam combining systems

We experimentally investigate the impact of spectral phase mismatch on the coherent beam combining of two femtosecond fiber chirped-pulse amplifiers. By measuring the differential spectral phase, both linear and nonlinear contributions are identified. An accumulated nonlinear phase as high as 6 rad has been measured, for which a combination efficiency of 91% can be obtained by symmetrizing the pump and injection powers. This also allows us to quantitatively separate the spatial and temporal contributions of the nonperfect combining efficiency.     

超短中红外参量放大过程的时空走离特性

 计算了MgO:LiNbO₃晶体中，共线与非共线相位匹配光参量放大产生超短中红外激光脉冲过程中的相位匹配曲线、有效非线性系数以及时间和空间走离情况。结果表明，采用非共线相位匹配方式，可以实现三波间群速度匹配；在抑制了泵浦光与信号光之间的空间走离的同时加大了泵浦光与闲频光之间的空间走离，但这种影响可以忽略；同时非共线角的引入使相位匹配角增大，提高了有效非线性系数。因此，非共线角的引入在不影响空间走离的情况下，有效补偿超短中红外参量放大过程中的时间走离，有利于参量放大转换效率的提高。     

Grating-assisted phase matching in extreme nonlinear optics

We propose a new technique for phase matching high harmonic generation that can be used for generating bright, tabletop, tunable, and coherent x-ray sources at keV photon energies. A weak quasi-cw counterpropagating field induces a sinusoidal modulation in the phase of the emitted harmonics that can be used for correcting the large plasma-induced phase mismatch. We develop an analytical model that describes this grating-assisted x-ray phase matching and predicts that very modest intensities (<10(10) W/cm2) of quasi-cw counterpropagating fields are required for implementation.     

初始相位对周期量级激光脉冲Thomson散射特性的影响

 用电子Thomson散射的经典理论,研究了周期量级激光脉冲作用下电子Thomson散射的特性,讨论了不同激光强度下,激光脉冲的初始相位对电子辐射的空间分布以及特定方向上频谱分布特性的影响。计算表明:对弱激光脉冲,电子辐射的空间分布类似于偶极天线的对称双叶结构,初始相位对电子的辐射几乎没有影响;而对强激光脉冲,电子辐射的空间分布出现了三叶结构,初始相位对电子的辐射影响非常显著。     

消多普勒三光子共振六波混频

研究多普勒系统中的位相共轭三光子共振六波混频(SWM).得到当入射激光为窄带线宽时，SWM频谱是消多普勒的，因此可成为一种研究原子或分子高激发态和高角动量态的高分辨相干非线性光谱学.本方法还具有位相匹配条件不严格，有良好的空间分辨率，光路配置简单等优点. 关键词： 六波混频 多普勒效应     

宽带光参量放大过程中的转换效率提升

建立了宽带光参量放大数值模拟平台,并基于此对宽带光参量放大系统的能量转换效率提升进行优化设计,根据模拟计算结果可以对实验中能够达到的最优化能量转换效率进行预判。建立了验证实验平台并进行了实验,研究并攻克了实验中遇到的参量荧光抑制、信号光,泵浦光空间精确匹配、脉宽精确匹配、时间波形整形等关键技术难点。在抑制参量荧光的同时实现了宽带光参量放大过程能量转换效率的提升,在单级宽带光参量放大过程中获得了30%的能量转换效率。     

基于BiB3O6晶体的飞秒光参量变换特性

对基于新型非线性晶体BiB₃O₆(BIBO)的飞秒光参量变换过程的参量特性进行了研究. 计算了BIBO晶体三个光学主平面内的相位匹配条件和有效非线性系数,确定了克尔透镜锁模钛宝石激光器的基频光与倍频光抽运时最佳的光学主平面和相位匹配方式,并分析了三波的时间走离和空间走离,以及信号光的参量增益和带宽. 为利用基于BIBO晶体的飞秒光参量技术获得高能量、宽调谐、窄脉宽的光源提供理论依据和实验指导. 关键词： 3O₆')" href="#">BiB₃O₆ 光参量变换 共线相位匹配 光学主平面     

纳米分辨相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射显微成像

采用附加探测光声子耗尽法来实现超衍射极限相干反斯托克斯拉曼散射显微成像. 此方法引入一束环形分布的附加探测光来消耗点扩展函数周边的相干声子, 实现点扩展函数的改造, 从而达到超越衍射极限的空间分辨率. 为了获得更高的空间分辨率和更佳的相位匹配条件, 通常需采用高数值孔径物镜对抽运光、斯托克斯光和探测光进行聚焦, 此时标量衍射理论不再成立. 基于矢量衍射理论, 分析了线偏振光、圆偏振光先后经过螺旋相位片和高数值孔径物镜后的光强分布, 结果表明: 圆偏振光在高数值孔径物镜后焦平面的光强分布呈中心对称状, 较线偏振环形光更适合作为附加探测光. 此外, 采用全量子理论分析了附加探测光声子耗尽法. 结果表明: 当附加探测光与探测光强度比为80时, 成像系统的横向空间分辨率可以达到45 nm; 继续提高附加探测光强度, 空间分辨将进一步提高.     

Rabi oscillations of optical modes in a waveguide with dynamic modulation

We investigate the optical Rabi oscillations in a dual-mode slab waveguide that undergoes a spatial–temporal refractive index modulation. Frequency conversion is induced during Rabi oscillations since dynamic modulation is employed. We also show that the contrast of Rabi oscillations can be controlled by the initial phase of dynamic modulation, which can be tuned arbitrarily from zero to unity as the phase varies. The contrast of zero corresponds to the dynamic supermodes and unity refers to complete Rabi oscillations. It suggests that the phase can be a new degree of freedom to control optical Rabi oscillations. This study may find applications in optical sensors, switches and mode converters.     

Simultaneous collinear and non-collinear parametric generation in 1D single grating periodically poled lithium tantalate

We report a detailed study of multiple wavelengths optical parametric generation in a single grating one-dimensional periodically poled lithium tantalate crystal. Simultaneous collinear and non-collinear generations are observed around the pump collinear direction. Similar spectra are found in continuous spatial positions symmetrical to the collinear direction, with decreasing signal and increasing idler wavelengths, associated with decreasing powers when the far-field angle increases. A phase matching scheme is proposed to describe these interactions. Numerical simulations emphasize the agreement of our phase matching scheme with the experimental results. Single-pass gain and high pump power density are very likely at the origin of the simultaneous collinear and non-collinear QPM interactions.     

Communication techniques and coding for atmospheric turbulence channels

In free-space optical communication links, atmospheric turbulence causes fluctuations in both the intensity and the phase of the received light signal, impairing link performance. In this paper, we describe several communication techniques to mitigate turbulence-induced intensity fluctuations, i.e., signal fading. These techniques are applicable in the regime in which the receiver aperture is smaller than the correlation length of the fading, and the observation interval is shorter than the correlation time of the fading. We assume that the receiver has no knowledge of the instantaneous fading state. The techniques we consider are based on the statistical properties of fading, as functions of both temporal and spatial coordinates. Our approaches can be divided into two categories: temporal domain techniques and spatial domain techniques. In the spatial domain techniques, one must employ at least two receivers to collect the signal light at different positions or from different spatial angles. Spatial diversity reception with multiple receivers can be used to overcome turbulence-induced fading. When it is not possible to place the receivers sufficiently far apart, the fading at different receivers is correlated, reducing the diversity gain. We describe a ML detection technique to reduce the diversity gain penalty caused by such fading correlation. In the temporal domain techniques, one employs a single receiver. When the receiver knows only the marginal statistics of the fading, a symbol-by-symbol ML detector can be used to optimize performance. When the receiver also knows the temporal correlation of the fading, maximum-likelihood sequence detection (MLSD) can be employed, yielding a further performance improvement, but at the cost of very high complexity. We describe two reduced-complexity implementations of the MLSD, which make use of a single-step Markov chain model for the fading correlation in conjunction with per-survivor processing. Next, we also investigate the performance of using error-control coding and pilot symbol-assisted detection schemes through atmospheric turbulence channels.