Advanced Laser Light Source Research Articles

Deep learning based x-ray spectrometer for high repetition rate characterization of betatron radiation

Betatron radiation produced from a laser-wakefield accelerator is a broadband, hard x-ray (>1 keV) source that has been used in a variety of applications in medicine, engineering, and fundamental science. Further development and optimization of stable, high repetition rate (HRR) (>1 Hz) betatron sources will provide a means to extend their application base to include single-shot dynamical measurements of ultrafast processes or dense materials. Recent advances in laser technology used in such experiments have enabled increases in shot-rate and system stability, providing improved statistical analysis and detailed parameter scans. However, unique challenges exist at high repetition rate, where data throughput and source optimization are now limited by diagnostic acquisition rates and analysis. Here, we present the development of a machine-learning algorithm for the real-time analysis of betatron radiation. We report on the fielding of this deep learning algorithm for online source characterization at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique's Advanced Laser Light Source. By fine-tuning an algorithm originally trained on a fully synthetic dataset using a subset of experimental data, the algorithm can predict the betatron critical energy with a percent error of 7.2 % with a reconstruction time of 1.5 ms, providing a valuable tool for real-time, multi-objective optimization at HRR.

High repetition-rate 0.5 Hz broadband neutron source driven by the Advanced Laser Light Source

Neutron beams are an essential tool to investigate material structure and perform nondestructive analysis, as they give unique access to element composition, thus ideally complementing density analysis allowed by standard x-rays investigation. Laser-driven neutron sources, though compact and cost-effective, currently have lower average flux than conventional neutron sources, due to the limited repetition rate of the lasers used so far. However, advancements in laser technology allow nowadays to address this challenge. Here, we report results obtained at the Advanced Laser Light Source characterizing stable production of broadband (0.1–2 MeV) neutrons produced at a high repetition rate (0.5 Hz). The interaction of laser pulses of 22 fs duration and 3.2 J on-target energy with 2-μm-thick tantalum targets produced protons in the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) regime up to 7.3 MeV. These protons were subsequently converted into neutrons by (p,n) reactions in lithium fluoride (LiF). Activation measurements and bubble detectors were used to characterize neutron emissions, with a neutron fluence of up to ∼1.4×105 neutrons/shot/sr and energies mainly between a few hundred of kilo-electron volt and 2 MeV. The total neutron yield was ∼5×105 neutrons/shot. This paves the way for numerous applications, e.g., in homeland security, materials science, or cultural heritage.

Recent advances in high-order harmonic generation from laser-ablated plumes at the advanced laser light source laboratory

High-order harmonic generation is a nonlinear optical frequency conversion process that occurs during intense ultrafast laser-matter interaction. At the Advanced Laser Light Source laboratory, we use ultrafast laser pulses having diverse wavelengths, spanning visible, near- and mid-infrared ranges, to generate high-order harmonics from laser-ablated plumes in the extreme ultraviolet or soft X-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The Advanced Laser Light Source Laboratory is situated within the Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Center of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. We focus on generating bright and broadband harmonics by exploiting various types of ultrafast resonances in different species within the laser-ablated plume, and use them for applications in ultrafast spectroscopy, imaging, and AMO science. We are also actively exploring previously unknown physics governing the harmonic generation from different resonances. In this review article, we provide an overview of the recent advancements made in these directions.

Stable high repetition-rate laser-driven proton beam production for multidisciplinary applications on the advanced laser light source ion beamline.

Laser-driven proton accelerators are relevant candidates for many applications such as material science or medicine. Today, there are multi-hundred-TW table-top laser systems that can generate relativistic peak intensities >1018 W/cm2 and routinely reach proton energies in the MeV range. However, for most desired applications, there is still a need to optimize the quality and stability of the laser-generated proton beam. In this work, we developed a 0.625Hz high repetition-rate setup in which a laser with 2.5% RMS energy stability is irradiating a solid target with an intensity of 1019 to 1020 W/cm2 to explore proton energy and yield variations, both with high shot statistics (up to about 400 laser shots) and using different interaction targets. Investigating the above-mentioned parameters is important for applications that rely on specific parts of the proton spectrum or a high ion flux produced over quick multi-shot irradiation. We demonstrate that the use of a stable "multi-shot mode" allows improving applications, e.g., in the detection of trace elements using laser-driven particle-induced x-ray emission.

Intense Few-Cycle Infrared Laser Pulses at the Advanced Laser Light Source

To push the generation of isolated attosecond pulses towards shorter XUV wavelengths (0.3 to 1 keV), intense few-cycle driving pulses are required whose center frequency is significantly red shifted compared to established Ti-Sa technology. A simple route for generating these pulses is demonstrated using an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). Its infrared (IR) multi-cycle laser pulses with millijoule of energy are spectrally broadened by nonlinear propagation in a hollow-core fiber (HCF) filled with Argon. For the OPA Signal wavelength (λ = 1:4 micron), chirped mirrors were used for dispersion compensation with a resulting pulse duration of 13.1 fs. For the OPA Idler wavelength at 1.8 micron, a new compression scheme has been developed with which 11.2 fs laser pulses have been characterized (1 cycle = 6 fs). Here, pulse compression is achieved through the combined effects of self-steepening during nonlinear propagation in the HCF followed by anomalous dispersion during linear propagation in fused silica.

Comparing Coulomb explosion dynamics of multiply charged triatomic molecules after ionization by highly charged ion impact and few cycle femtosecond laser pulses

Recent experiments using highly charged ions (HCI) at Tokyo Metropolitan University and few cycle laser pulses at the advanced laser light source have centered on multiply ionizing carbonyl sulfide to form charge states from 3 + to 7 + . By measuring the kinetic energy release during subsequent break up and comparing with previous results from HCI impact on CO2 we can see a pattern emerging which implies that shorter laser pulses than the current sub 7 fs standard could lead to higher kinetic energy release than expected from Coulomb explosion.

Direct Electron Acceleration with Radially Polarized Laser Beams

In the past years, there has been a growing interest in innovative applications of radially polarized laser beams. Among them, the particular field of laser-driven electron acceleration has received much attention. Recent developments in high-power infrared laser sources at the INRS Advanced Laser Light Source (Varennes, Qc, Canada) allowed the experimental observation of a quasi-monoenergetic 23-keV electron beam produced by a radially polarized laser pulse tightly focused into a low density gas. Theoretical analyses suggest that the production of collimated attosecond electron pulses is within reach of the actual technology. Such an ultrashort electron pulse source would be a unique tool for fundamental and applied research. In this paper, we propose an overview of this emerging topic and expose some of the challenges to meet in the future.

Time-Resolved Terahertz Spectroscopy of Free Carrier Nonlinear Dynamics in Semiconductors

Nonlinear dynamics of free carriers in direct bandgap semiconductors at terahertz (THz) frequencies is studied using the intense few-cycle source available at the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS). Techniques such as Z-scan and optical-pump/THz-probe are employed to explore nonlinear interactions in an n-doped InGaAs thin film and a photoexcited GaAs sample, respectively. The physical mechanism that gives rise to such interactions is found to be intervalley scattering. A simple Drude-based mathematical model that incorporates the intervalley scattering process is developed and agrees well with the THz response of free carriers in semiconductors.

THz imaging and spectroscopy using intense THz sources at the advanced laser light source

There has recently been a surge of new laser-based techniques for generating intense, few-cycle terahertz (THz) pulses, thus opening new applications, such as studying the nonlinear optical properties of various materials at THz frequencies. Simultaneously, innovative solutions for broadband THz detection were found, allowing one to sense matter in the THz range with high temporal resolution. In this paper, we will review the properties and characteristics of recently developed intense THz sources, with a particular eye on their potential applications, such as ultrafast THz nonlinear spectroscopy.

Laser beam wavefront correction for ultra high intensities with the 200 TW laser system at the advanced laser light source

We successfully implemented laser beam wavefront correction on the 200 TW laser system at the Advanced Laser Light Source. Ultra high intensities in excess of 10(20) W/cm(2) have been demonstrated. This system is, to our knowledge, the first 100 TW class laser to combine simultaneously ultra high intensity, 10(9) laser pulse contrast ratio and 10 Hz high repetition rate.

Extending the capabilities of ablation harmonics to shorter wavelengths and higher intensity

AbstractWe study the generation of high-order harmonics from plasma plume, by using the 20 TW, 10 Hz laser of the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS). We perform detailed studies on enhancement of single high-order harmonics generated in laser plasma using the fundamental and second harmonic of the ALLS beam line. Quasi-monochromatic harmonics are observed for Mn, Cr, Sb, Sn, and In plasmas. We identify most of the ionic/neutral transitions responsible for the enhancement, which all have strong oscillator strengths. Intensity enhancements of the 13th, 17th, 21st, 29th, and 33rd harmonics from these targets are demonstrated using the 800 nm pump laser and varying its chirp. We also observed harmonic enhancement from some targets for 400 nm pump laser. Using Mn plume, we demonstrated the highest harmonic photon energy (52.9 eV) at which enhancement has been observed (17th order, λ = 23.5 nm).

Microwave guiding in air by a cylindrical filament array waveguide

Microwave guiding was demonstrated over 16cm in air using a large diameter hollow plasma waveguide. The waveguide was generated with the 100TW femtosecond laser system at the Advanced Laser Light Source facility. A deformable mirror was used to spatially shape the intense laser pulses in order to generate hundreds of filaments judiciously distributed in a cylindrical shape, creating a cylindrical plasma wall that acts as a microwave waveguide. The microwaves were confined for about 10ns, which corresponds to the free electron plasma wall recombination time. The characteristics of the plasma waveguide and the results of microwave guiding are presented.

High repetition rate laser produced soft x-ray source for ultrafast x-ray absorption near edge structure measurements

Recent progress in high intensity ultrafast laser systems provides the opportunity to produce laser plasma x-ray sources exhibiting broad spectrum and high average x-ray flux that are well adapted to x-ray absorption measurements. In this paper, the development of a laser based x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) beamline exhibiting high repetition rate by using the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS) facility 100 Hz laser system (100 mJ, 35 fs at 800 nm) is presented. This system is based on a broadband tantalum solid target soft x-ray source and a grazing incidence grating spectrometer in the 1-5 nm wavelength range. To demonstrate the high potential of this laser based XANES technique in condensed matter physics, material science, or biology, measurements realized with several samples are presented: VO2 vanadium L edge, Si3N4 nitrogen K edge, and BPDA/PPD polyimide carbon K edge. The characteristics of this laser based beamline are discussed in terms of brightness, signal to noise ratio, and compared to conventional synchrotron broadband x-ray sources which allow achieving similar measurements. Apart from the very compact size and the relative low cost, the main advantages of such a laser based soft x-ray source are the picosecond pulse duration and the perfect synchronization between this x-ray probe and a laser pulse excitation which open the way to the realization of time resolved x-ray absorption measurements with picosecond range time resolution to study the dynamics of ultrafast processes and phase transition.

Intense harmonic generation from silver ablation

We perform systematic investigation of a new method for generating high-order harmonics, using ablation as the nonlinear medium. We place emphasis on clarifying the pump laser conditions for optimum harmonic yield. For this purpose, we use the Ti:Sapphire laser beams of the advanced laser light source (800 nm wavelength, 360 mJ total energy). We have independently varied the intensity of the prepulse (which creates the plasma ablation) and the intensity of the main pulse (which generates the harmonics), and studied their influence on the harmonic intensity. We show here that the presence of doubly ionized atoms in the ablation, created either by a strong prepulse intensity or by irradiating the main pulse, will suppress harmonic generation.

Influence of the main pulse and prepulse intensity on high-order harmonic generation in silver plasma ablation

We present experimental studies of high-order harmonic generation in silver plasma ablation performed with the Ti:sapphire laser beams of the Advanced Laser Light Source ($800\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$ wavelength, $360\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mJ}$ total energy). We have independently varied the intensity of the prepulse (which creates the plasma ablation) and the intensity of the main pulse (which generates the harmonics), and studied their influence on the harmonic spectrum. We show here that the presence of doubly ionized atoms in the ablation, created either by a strong prepulse intensity or with the irradiation of the main pulse, is ineffective for the generation of harmonics.

Experimental prospects at the Canadian advanced laser light source facility

We describe here the present status of the Advanced Laser Light Source (ALLS) facility, a state-of-the-art multi-beam Ti:sapphire laser system presently under construction in Canada. ALLS is a national user facility to be commissioned in 2005 at the INRS campus near Montreal. The 25 fs ALLS multi-beam laser system has three components, each with different repetition rate and output energy. These multiple laser beams will be used to generate a “rainbow” of femtosecond pulses from the far infrared to hard X-rays, which can be combined to perform unique experiments, such as dynamic molecular imaging. In this paper, we describe two examples of experiments that are planned by our group with the ALLS facility. The first is the highly efficient generation of high-order harmonics using ablation medium. We demonstrate the generation of up to the 53rd harmonics (λ = 15 nm) of a Ti:sapphire laser pulse (150 fs, 10 mJ), using pre-pulse (210 ps, 24 mJ) produced boron ablation as the nonlinear medium. The second example is the demonstration of in-line phase-contrast imaging with an ultrafast (300 fs) laser-based hard X-ray source (Mo K-α line). Images of biological samples have shown great enhancement of contrast due to this technique, distinguishing details that are barely observable or even undetectable in absorption images.