Coherent Light Source Research Articles

2D monochromatic x-ray imaging for beam monitoring of an x-ray free electron laser and a high-power femtosecond laser.

In pump-probe experiments with an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) and a high-power optical laser, spatial overlap of the two beams must be ensured to probe a pumped area with the x-ray beam. A beam monitoring diagnostic is particularly important in short-pulse laser experiments where a tightly focused beam is required to achieve a relativistic laser intensity for generation of energetic particles. Here, we report the demonstration of on-shot beam pointing measurements of an XFEL and a terawatt class femtosecond laser using 2D monochromatic Kα imaging at the Matter in Extreme Conditions end-station of the Linac Coherent Light Source. A thin solid titanium foil was irradiated by a 25-TW laser for fast electron isochoric heating, while a 7.0 keV XFEL beam was used to probe the laser-heated region. Using a spherical crystal imager (SCI), the beam overlap was examined by measuring 4.51 keV Kα x rays produced by laser-accelerated fast electrons and the x-ray beam. Measurements were made for XFEL-only at various focus lens positions, laser-only, and two-beam shots. Successful beam overlapping was observed on ∼58% of all two-beam shots for 10 μm thick samples. It is found that large spatial offsets of laser-induced Kα spots are attributed to imprecise target positioning rather than shot-to-shot laser pointing variations. By applying the Kα measurements to x-ray Thomson scattering measurements, we found an optimum x-ray beam spot size that maximizes scattering signals. Monochromatic x-ray imaging with the SCI could be used as an on-shot beam pointing monitor for XFEL-laser or multiple short-pulse laser experiments.

Snap-shot topography measurement via dual-VCSEL and dual wavelength digital holographic interferometry

In this paper, we propose a dual-wavelength digital holographic interferometry method based on a compact dual vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) source. The source simultaneously emits light from two highly stabilized coherent light sources with slightly different wavelengths. A highly stabilized and adjustable current source enables the application of digital holographic dual-wavelength techniques to measure the shape of an object with height steps of a few millimeters. The wavelength drift over 12 h over the entire measurement range, which was evaluated using a wavemeter, was smaller than 1 pm. In addition to the low measurement uncertainty at large height jumps, the dual-wavelength digital holographic system distinguishes itself by its robustness to environmental disturbances such as air turbulence, heat load, and/or mechanical vibrations. This is enabled via a fiber-based almost common-path single-shot digital holographic acquisition of the information of the two different wavelengths using angular multiplexing. The experimental setup and data evaluation are discussed, and we present measurements of non-cooperative objects with specular reflective and/or diffuse reflective surfaces having different colors.

The role of the three body photodissociation channel of water in the evolution of dioxygen in astrophysical applications.

A recent experiment at the Dalian Coherent Light Source (DCLS) has provided measurements of the partial cross sections for the photodissociation of water vapor over an unprecedented range of wavelengths in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) region. It was found that the three body dissociation channel, H + H + O(3P/1D), becomes prominent at wavelengths shorter than the Lyman α-line at 121.6 nm. The present work explores the kinetic consequences of this discovery for several astrophysically motivated examples. The irradiation of a dilute low-temperature gas by unscreened solar radiation, similar to early stage photochemical processing in a comet coma, shows significant increase in the production of O2-molecules at shorter times, <1 day, that might physically correspond to the photochemical reaction zone of the coma. Several examples of planetary atmospheres show increased O-atom production at high altitudes but relatively little modification of the equilibrium O2 concentrations predicted by conventional models.

Short coherent light source based on current modulation in semiconductor lasers

Short coherent light source based on current modulation in semiconductor lasers

Combinational reduction of graphene oxide via coherent and incoherent light irradiation for flexible supercapacitors

The effect of combinational reduction by coherent and incoherent light sources of graphene oxide (GO) in fabricated thin flexible film supercapacitors was studied. Coherent light irradiation produces equally divided cracks on a reduced GO (rGO) surface, followed sequentially by incoherent light irradiation from a xenon camera flashtube source that not only significantly increases the overall degree of cracking on the surface substantially but also swells the rGO sheet vertically. Combinational light irradiation composed of sequential coherent and incoherent light sources efficiently reduces GO and increases the surface area of rGO, which was investigated through Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The enlarged surface area of the cracked rGO flakes can improve the specific energy and power of the supercapacitor, which were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charging/discharging measurements. The specific energy and power of the combinational light irradiation rGO supercapacitor were approximately 1000% and 100% higher than those of solitary coherent and incoherent light irradiation rGO supercapacitors, respectively.

Far infrared laser, millimeter-wave and microwave Microwave stark, millimeter wave, far infrared, infrared and far infrared laser spectroscopy of methanol-OD ([formula omitted]): Precise dipole moment and millimeter-wave atlas of astrophysical significance

In this report accurate microwave (MW) Stark effect measurements have been performed to obtain precise dipole moment and precise zero-field microwave frequencies of singly deuterated quasi symmetric CH3OD methanol species. This species is of significance to radio astronomers to study the hydrogen-deuterium exchange in interstellar space in cold clouds to study basic chemical processes in other worlds. The telescope facilities at Atacama Large millimeter Array (ALMA), the facilities at Institute for Radio Astronomy in the Millimeter Range (IRAM), and the NASA's floating Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), etc. routinely gauge the sky in the millimeter-wave (MMW) to infrared spectral (IR) regions (Drozdovskaya et al., 2019; Faure et al., 2015; Neill et al., 2013; Peng et al., 2012; Taquet et al., 2011; Whittet et al., 2011; Parise et al., 2004, 2002, 2002, 2002, 2003, 2003, 2003; Johns et al., 1998; Charnley et al., 1997). The laboratory back up of the millimeter region of CH3OD is of importance to astronomers for such studies as the determination of column densities and the deuteration process. In the present study, the MMW spectra previously recorded with unprecedented accuracy (Mukhopadhyay and Bo Duan, 2000; Mukhopadhyay et al., 1997; Wang et al., 2001; Mukhopadhyay, 1999; Mukhopadhyay and Bo Duan, 2000; Walsh et al., 2000) are presented at atlas form with minute details to aid such detection. The dipole results also should aid to find the strength of individual lines. In the IR region, the off-axis deuteration pushes the of the absorption bands of the molecule to the lower region, particularly the increased asymmetry of the molecule spreads the COD- bending and CO stretching bands in a wide frequency range making them more accessible to strong CO2 lasers resulting in preferential population transfer to excited states of the molecule. Thus making this species a prolific source of coherent laser emission radiation in the scarce FIR region (Landsberg, 1980; Gastaud et al., 1980; Kon et al., 1984; Pereira et al., 1994; Telles et al., 1999; Lundsgaard et al., 1968; Dijkerman and Ruitenberg, 1969; Amano, 1981; Lees et al., 2013; Petersen, 2020). In this work, a large number of CO2 laser pump/FIR laser systems have been identified with specific quantum numbers and predict many new lines. Schematic diagrams have been presented for the emission and prediction process along with important experimental diagnostic information about relative polarization. The assignments will aid the optimization of laser output and the predictions will enable new coherent light sources in the FIR region.

Photonic Crystal Optical Parametric Oscillator.

We report a new class of Optical Parametric Oscillators, based on a 20μm-long semiconductor Photonic Crystal Cavity and operating at Telecom wavelengths. Because the confinement results from Bragg scattering, the optical cavity contains a few modes, approximately equispaced in frequency. Parametric oscillation is reached when these high Q modes are thermally tuned into a triply resonant configuration, whereas any other parametric interaction is strongly suppressed. The lowest pump power threshold is estimated to 50 - 70μW. This source behaves as an ideal degenerate Optical Parametric Oscillator addressing the needs in the field of quantum optical circuits, paving the way to the dense integration of highly efficient nonlinear sources of squeezed light or entangled photons pairs.

Refractive Guide Switching a Regenerative Amplifier Free-Electron Laser for High Peak and Average Power Hard X Rays.

We present an x-ray regenerative amplifier free-electron laser design capable of producing fully coherent hard x-ray pulses across a broad tuning range at a high steady state repetition rate. The scheme leverages a strong undulator taper and an apertured diamond output-coupling cavity crystal to produce both high peak and average spectral brightness radiation that is 2 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than conventional single-pass self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser amplifiers. Refractive guiding in the postsaturation regime is found to play a key role in passively controlling the stored cavity power. The scheme is explored both analytically and numerically in the context of the Linac Coherent Light Source II High Energy upgrade.

Wavefront control through multi-layer scattering media using single-pixel detector for high-PSNR optical transmission

We propose a new approach for optical analog-signal transmission through multi-layer scattering media using single-pixel detector to achieve high peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and analog signals can be experimentally received with high PSNR through multi-layer scattering media. The proposed approach, experimental observation and optical experimental results are presented that intensity of the propagating wave recorded by using single-pixel detector can directly produce high-PSNR signals through multi-layer scattering media using coherent light source at the receiving end. In our optical experiments, high-PSNR optical transmission is realized in different wave propagation environments, e.g., multi-layer scattering media. The observed phenomenon and the proposed approach provide a new and interesting insight about optical analog-signal transmission through multi-layer scattering media. @ Elsevier.

High-Fidelity Optical Transmission Around the Corner

It is a great challenge to use visible and coherent light source to realize high-fidelity optical transmission in free space around the corner where blockade, reflection and scattering occur, and quality of the information retrieved at the receiving end is significantly affected. In this Letter, we propose a novel method to solve the problems encountered in data transmission in free space around the corner when visible and coherent light source is applied. The proposed method is highly robust to coherent light diffraction, multiple scattering effect and environmental noise, which can make it promising for practical applications. A number of optical experiments have been conducted to successfully transmit different types of signals (e.g., analog) in free space around the corner to achieve high fidelity. The proposed method could lead to a development in many relevant applications, e.g., optical transmission in free space, information propagation in free space, telecommunication, and optical security.

Room Temperature Polariton Lasing in Ladder‐Type Oligo(p‐Phenylene)s with Different π‐Conjugation Lengths

Polariton lasing is coherent emission that originates from macroscopic accumulation of polariton population in the ground state and is a promising route toward efficient coherent light sources as population inversion is not necessary. Unlike most Wannier–Mott excitons in inorganic semiconductors, Frenkel excitons created in organic semiconductors have high oscillator strength and high exciton binding energy, which sustain stable exciton–polaritons at room temperature. Herein, room temperature polariton lasing from a novel class of ladder‐type oligo(p‐phenylene)s is demonstrated. The polariton lasers exhibit a nonlinear increase of their spectrally integrated emission, a reduction in spectral linewidth, blueshift of emission peaks, and long‐range spatial coherence when the pump fluence is increased above threshold. By tuning the π‐conjugation length of the molecular structure, the polariton lasing wavelength can be changed from 430 to 457 nm. Optically pumped thresholds of 12 and 17 μJ cm−2 are observed, which are among the lowest values reported for polariton lasing in organic semiconductors.

Diffraction data from aerosolized Coliphage PR772 virus particles imaged with the Linac Coherent Light Source

Single Particle Imaging (SPI) with intense coherent X-ray pulses from X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has the potential to produce molecular structures without the need for crystallization or freezing. Here we present a dataset of 285,944 diffraction patterns from aerosolized Coliphage PR772 virus particles injected into the femtosecond X-ray pulses of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Additional exposures with background information are also deposited. The diffraction data were collected at the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Science Instrument (AMO) of the LCLS in 4 experimental beam times during a period of four years. The photon energy was either 1.2 or 1.7 keV and the pulse energy was between 2 and 4 mJ in a focal spot of about 1.3 μm x 1.7 μm full width at half maximum (FWHM). The X-ray laser pulses captured the particles in random orientations. The data offer insight into aerosolised virus particles in the gas phase, contain information relevant to improving experimental parameters, and provide a basis for developing algorithms for image analysis and reconstruction.

Consistent approach for electrical resistivity within Ziman's theory from solid state to hot dense plasma: Application to aluminum.

The approach presented in this work allows a consistent calculation of electrical conductivity of dense matter from the solid state to the hot plasma using the same procedure, consisting in dropping elastic scattering contributions to solid's and liquid's structure factors in the framework of the Ziman theory. The solid's structure factor was computed using a multiphonon expansion. The elastic part is the zero-phonon term and corresponds to Bragg peaks, thermally damped by Debye-Waller attenuation factors. For the liquid, a similar elastic contribution to the structure factor results from a long-range order persisting during the characteristic electron-ion scattering time. All the quantities required for the calculation of the resistivities are obtained from our average-atom model, including the total hypernetted-chain structure factor used from the liquid state to the plasma. No interpolation between two limiting structure factors is required. We derive the correction to apply to the resistivity in order to account for the transient long-range order in the liquid and show that it improves considerably the agreement with quantum-molecular dynamics simulations and experimental aluminum's isochoric and isobaric conductivities. Our results suggest that the long-range order in liquid aluminum could be a slightly compressed fcc one. Two series of ultrafast experiments performed on aluminum were also considered, the first one by Milchberg etal. using short laser pulses and the second one by Sperling etal. involving x-ray heating and carried out on the Linac Coherent Light Source facility. Our attempts to explain the latter assuming an initial liquid state at an ion temperature much smaller than the electron one suggest that the actual initial state before main heating is neither perfectly solid nor a normal liquid.

Small-wedge synchrotron and serial XFEL datasets for Cysteinyl leukotriene GPCRs

Structural studies of challenging targets such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have accelerated during the last several years due to the development of new approaches, including small-wedge and serial crystallography. Here, we describe the deposition of seven datasets consisting of X-ray diffraction images acquired from lipidic cubic phase (LCP) grown microcrystals of two human GPCRs, Cysteinyl leukotriene receptors 1 and 2 (CysLT1R and CysLT2R), in complex with various antagonists. Five datasets were collected using small-wedge synchrotron crystallography (SWSX) at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility with multiple crystals under cryo-conditions. Two datasets were collected using X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) at the Linac Coherent Light Source, with microcrystals delivered at room temperature into the beam within LCP matrix by a viscous media microextrusion injector. All seven datasets have been deposited in the open-access databases Zenodo and CXIDB. Here, we describe sample preparation and annotate crystallization conditions for each partial and full datasets. We also document full processing pipelines and provide wrapper scripts for SWSX and SFX data processing.A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-00759-w

Fabrication of Thin Films from Powdered Cesium Lead Bromide (CsPbBr3) Perovskite Quantum Dots for Coherent Green Light Emission.

High-quality thin films were obtained directly by spin-coating glass substrates with suspensions of powdered cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) perovskite quantum dots (PQDs). The structural properties of the films were characterized via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The crystal structure of the CsPbBr3 PQDs was unique. The optical behavior of the CsPbBr3 PQDs, including absorption and emission, was then investigated to determine the absorption coefficient and band gap of the material. The CsPbBr3 PQDs were evaluated as active lasing media and irradiated with a pulsed laser under ambient conditions. The PQDs were laser-active when subjected to optical pumping for pulse durations of 70–80 ps at 15 Hz. Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) by the CsPbBr3 PQD thin films was observed, and a narrow ASE band (∼5 nm) was generated at a low threshold energy of 22.25 μJ cm–2. The estimated ASE threshold carrier density (nth) was ∼7.06 × 1018 cm–3. Band-gap renormalization (BGR) was indicated by an ASE red shift and a BGR constant of ∼27.10 × 10–8 eV. A large optical absorption coefficient, photoluminescence (PL), and a substantial optical gain indicated that the CsPbBr3 PQD thin films could be embedded in a wide variety of cavity resonators to fabricate unique on-chip coherent light sources.

On-Chip Mid-Infrared Supercontinuum Generation from 3 to 13 μm Wavelength.

Midinfrared spectroscopy is a universal way to identify chemical and biological substances. Indeed, when interacting with a light beam, most molecules are responsible for absorption at specific wavelengths in the mid-IR spectrum, allowing to detect and quantify small traces of substances. On-chip broadband light sources in the mid-infrared are thus of significant interest for compact sensing devices. In that regard, supercontinuum generation offers a mean to efficiently perform coherent light conversion over an ultrawide spectral range, in a single and compact device. This work reports the experimental demonstration of on-chip two-octave supercontinuum generation in the mid-infrared wavelength, ranging from 3 to 13 μm (that is larger than 2500 cm–1) and covering almost the full transparency window of germanium. Such an ultrawide spectrum is achieved thanks to the unique features of Ge-rich graded SiGe waveguides, which allow second-order dispersion tailoring and low propagation losses over a wide wavelength range. The influence of the pump wavelength and power on the supercontinuum spectra has been studied. A good agreement between the numerical simulations and the experimental results is reported. Furthermore, a very high coherence is predicted in the entire spectrum. These results pave the way for wideband, coherent, and compact mid-infrared light sources by using a single device and compatible with large-scale fabrication processes.

Experimental evaluation of the impact of the light source on the measurement of short-term average crosstalk in homogeneous single-mode multi-core fibers.

This work compares the random time-varying crosstalk in homogeneous multi-core fibers measured using different types of light sources with linewidths ranging from 100 Hz to 2.5 MHz. We show that the frequency stability of the light source plays a significant role on the quality of short-term average crosstalk measurements with no observable impact from laser linewidth. We also compare the use of filtered amplified spontaneous emission noise and coherent light sources for crosstalk measurements. The former are shown to enable average crosstalk measurements in short time periods. In contrast, measurements using coherent light sources require long measurement periods to reach similar results.

Probing the Electronic Structure of Warm Dense Nickel via Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering.

The development of bright free-electron lasers (FEL) has revolutionized our ability to create and study matter in the high-energy-density (HED) regime. Current diagnostic techniques have been successful in yielding information on fundamental thermodynamic plasma properties, but provide only limited or indirect information on the detailed quantum structure of these systems, and on how it is affected by ionization dynamics. Here we show how the valence electronic structure of solid-density nickel, heated to temperatures of around 10 of eV on femtosecond timescales, can be probed by single-shot resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Linac Coherent Light Source FEL. The RIXS spectrum provides a wealth of information on the HED system that goes well beyond what can be extracted from x-ray absorption or emission spectroscopy alone, and is particularly well suited to time-resolved studies of electronic-structure dynamics.

All-optical adaptive control of quantum cascade random lasers

Spectral fingerprints of molecules are mostly accessible in the terahertz (THz) and mid-infrared ranges, such that efficient molecular-detection technologies rely on broadband coherent light sources at such frequencies. If THz Quantum Cascade Lasers can achieve octave-spanning bandwidth, their tunability and wavelength selectivity are often constrained by the geometry of their cavity. Here we introduce an adaptive control scheme for the generation of THz light in Quantum Cascade Random Lasers, whose emission spectra are reshaped by applying an optical field that restructures the permittivity of the active medium. Using a spatial light modulator combined with an optimization procedure, a beam in the near infrared (NIR) is spatially patterned to transform an initially multi-mode THz random laser into a tunable single-mode source. Moreover, we show that local NIR illumination can be used to spatially sense complex near-field interactions amongst modes. Our approach provides access to new degrees of freedom that can be harnessed to create broadly-tunable sources with interesting potential for applications like self-referenced spectroscopy.

Light source optimization for partially coherent holographic displays with consideration of speckle contrast, resolution, and depth of field

Speckle reduction is an important topic in holographic displays as speckles not only reduce signal-to-noise ratio but also possess an eye-safety issue. Despite thorough exploration of speckle reduction methods using partially coherent light sources, the trade-off involved by the partial coherence has not been thoroughly discussed. Here, we introduce theoretical models that quantify the effects of partial coherence on the resolution and the speckle contrast. The theoretical models allow us to find an optimal light source that maximizes the speckle reduction while minimizing the decline of the other terms. We implement benchtop prototypes of partially coherent holographic displays using the optimal light source, and verify the theoretical models via simulation and experiment. We also present a criterion to evaluate the depth of field in partially coherent holographic displays. We conclude with a discussion about approximations and limitations inherent in the theoretical models.