Interaction Of Ultrashort Laser Pulses Research Articles

Interaction of intense ultrashort laser pulses with solid targets: A systematic analysis using first-principles calculations

Interaction of intense ultrashort laser pulses with solid targets: A systematic analysis using first-principles calculations

On the distribution function of electron spectra from hot laser plasmas

The emission of electrons from hot plasmas generated in the interaction of ultra-short (and ultra-high intensity) laser pulses with matter is often characterized by the so-called ‘hot electron temperature’. In this article it is shown that this number is not unambiguous. The reason is the following: to assign a temperature to an electron spectrum, it is necessary to describe the spectrum with a distribution function. However, different types of distribution functions are in use, e.g. the Boltzmann or Maxwell distribution, leading to different electron temperatures in spite of providing nearly the same form of the electron spectrum. For this reason, the main characteristics of all these distribution functions are presented in this article and compared. Depending on the distribution function used, the value of the hot electron temperature varies by up to 30% and in extreme cases by more than a factor of four. This fact should always be kept in mind when comparing values of hot electron temperatures. In addition, the reasons for using equilibrium distributions to describe the characteristics of laser-produced electrons—although probably no thermodynamic equilibrium is prevailing—are discussed.

Spatiotemporal reshaping of femtosecond laser pulses on interaction with gas sheath at ionization saturation intensity regime

Interaction of intense ultrashort laser pulse with gases generates a transient spatiotemporal electron density distribution via field ionization, which may lead to the spatiotemporal reshaping of the pulse, viz., its beam profile, pulse width, etc. Here, we present an experimental study on ultrashort laser pulse interaction with argon gas sheath in an ionization saturation intensity regime (∼1015–1017 W/cm2). The present investigation has been performed using a 6 mJ, 1 kHz, and 55−60 fs Ti:Sapphire laser pulse interaction with a ∼2.5 mm long argon sheath. After the laser gas interaction, the laser spatial profile exhibits a multi-ring structure around a central maximum spot. Laser gas interaction parameters, such as laser intensity, gas pressure, etc., affect the ring pattern significantly. Under optimum parameter conditions, the laser pulse has two rings in spatial profile, and the pulse width of the central spot is self-compressed to ∼35 fs. A theoretical calculation reveals that the laser beam’s spatiotemporal profile evolves as it propagates inside the gas sheath. The calculation also demonstrates that the gas ionization profile plays a crucial role in the spatiotemporal reshaping and self-compression of the laser beam. The calculation also shows that the generation of concentric ring patterns in the spatial profile is mainly due to the ionization of argon atoms into Ar+, Ar2+, and Ar3+ species in the interaction region. Such self-compressed laser pulses with concentric ring beam profiles may be useful for high-harmonic generation and shorter attosecond pulse trains.

Energy deposition of ultrashort laser pulses in polyvinyl chloride measured by two-color pump-probe shadowgraphy

We report on the energy deposition of ultrashort laser pulses with two different intensities of 6 TWcm-2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\hbox {TW cm}^{-2}$$\\end{document} and 143 TWcm-2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\hbox {TW cm}^{-2}$$\\end{document} in polyvinyl chloride, using two-color pump-probe shadowgraphy. The interaction is imaged during the pulse propagation into the medium and up to 200 μs\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\upmu \ extrm{s}$$\\end{document} after. The shadowgraphs show that higher-intensity pulses induce significantly more ionization of the material. Furthermore, it is shown that lower-intensity pulses propagate over the entire visible range of the shadowgraph without major losses, while higher-intensity pulses fade significantly after about 200 μs\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\upmu \ extrm{s}$$\\end{document}. After the interaction, pulses of both intensities produce a similar temperature-induced shadowgraphy pattern. The observations of the ionization process, the propagation of the pulse in the medium, and the thermalization are explained based on theory regarding ultrashort pulse laser interaction with dielectrics. Furthermore, the ablation craters produced by multiple consecutive pulses of both intensities are compared. The crater produced with lower-intensity pulses shows trails of material change significantly below the ablation crater, while these trails do not exist when using pulses with higher intensity. This is attributed to the differences in pulse propagation observed in the shadowgraphs of single pulses. This work demonstrates, for the first time, the intensity dependence of energy deposition of ultrashort laser pulses in polyvinyl chloride and its consequences for laser micromachining.

X-ray generation by fs-laser processing of biological material.

The use of ultrashort pulse lasers in medical treatments is increasing and is already an essential tool, particularly in the treatment of eyes, bones and skin. One of the main advantages of laser treatment is that it is fast and minimally invasive. Due to the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with matter, X-rays can be generated during the laser ablation process. This is important not only for the safety of the patient, but also for the practitioner to ensure that the legally permissible dose is not exceeded. Although our results do not raise safety concerns for existing clinical applications, they might impact future developments at higher peak powers. In order to provide guidance to laser users in the medical field, this paper examines the X-ray emission spectra and dose of several biological materials and describes their dependence on the laser pulse energy.

Destruction of a magnesium alloy film in the condensed state by an ultrashort laser-driven shock wave

Laser-driven shock wave phenomena in a sub-micrometer Mg–4Al–2Zn alloy film are studied using spectral interferometry with spatial and temporal (1 ps) resolution. Upon irradiating the film through a glass substrate by 500 fs laser pulses, the ultrashort elastic compression pulses with the peak stress up to 4.6 GPa at a propagation distance of 0.5 μm were generated. Depending on the laser fluence, either spall fracture near the rear surface in the solid state or cavitation near the metal–glass interface in the liquid state was observed. The spall strength of the solid Mg alloy and the upper limit of the cavitation threshold in the melt at the strain rate of ∼109 s−1 were extracted from the free surface velocity history. The depth of fracture initiation was retrieved from the instant of the spall pulse exit, and the thickness of the molten layer was estimated to be 100–160 nm depending on laser fluence. The investigation of the residual morphology by scanning electron and atomic force microscopies revealed the presence of melting and nucleation within the irradiated area. The experimental findings are of interest for predicting the behavior of magnesium alloys in the condensed state at extremely high strain rates, for studying the physics of metastable states and for simulating the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with thin film materials.

Interactions of ultrashort laser pulses with hemoglobin: Photophysical aspects and potential applications

Hemoglobin (Hb), a life-sustaining and highly abundant erythrocyte protein, is not readily fluorescent. A few studies have already reported Two-Photon Excited Fluorescence (TPEF) of Hb, however, the mechanisms through which Hb becomes fluorescent upon interaction with ultrashort laser pulses are not completely understood. Here, we characterized photophysically this interaction on Hb thin film and erythrocytes using fluorescence spectroscopy upon single-photon/two-photon absorption, and UV-VIS single-photon absorption spectroscopy. A gradual increase of the fluorescence intensity, ending up with saturation, is observed upon prolonged exposure of Hb thin layer and erythrocytes to ultrashort laser pulses at 730 nm. When compared to protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and oxidized Hb by H2O2, TPEF spectra from a thin Hb film and erythrocytes showed good mutual agreement, broad peaking at 550 nm, supporting hemoglobin undergoes degradation and that same fluorescent specie(s) originating from the heme moiety are generated. The uniform square shaped patterns of the fluorescent photoproduct exhibited the same level of the fluorescence intensity even after 12 weeks from the formation, indicating high photoproduct stability. We finally demonstrated the full potential of the formed Hb photoproduct with TPEF scanning microscopy towards spatiotemporally controlled micropatterning in HTF and single human erythrocyte labelling and tracking in the whole blood.

Enhanced target normal sheath acceleration with a grooved hydrocarbon target

The interaction of a high-intensity ultrashort laser pulse with a few micrometers-thick hydrocarbon target is known to accelerate protons/ions to multi-MeV, on the rear side of the target, via the mechanism of target normal sheath acceleration. Micro-structuring the target front is one of the promising approaches to enhance the cutoff energy as well as to reduce the divergence of accelerated protons/ions. In this paper, the interaction of a normally incident intense laser pulse with targets having single micrometer-sized grooves, at their front side, of semi-circular, triangular, and rectangular shapes has been studied by using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It is observed that as compared to a flat target for targets with a rectangular groove at the front side the focused hot electron beam at the rear side results in an approximately fourfold increase in the cutoff energy of accelerated protons. For triangular and semi-circular groove targets, the cutoff energy remains comparatively lower (higher than the flat target though). The angular divergence of the accelerated protons/ions is also found to be relatively much lower in the case of a rectangular groove.

High-Precision PCB Topologies Formation by Selective Laser Micromachining

The paper considers possibility of using laser radiation to form and correct printed circuit topology boards through micromachining. Processes arising from the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with processed thin-film coatings are considered. The dependence of the effect of a variable sequence of laser pulses on the quality of the formed holes in coating is presented. Experimental data on the selection of optimal exposure modes of femtosecond radiation on a multilayer coating for selective ablation are presented. Femtosecond laser micromachining allows the precision formation of topological contours, regardless of treated coating type, its thermal and electric conductive properties.

Experimental Study of Terahertz Radiation Generation in the Interaction of Ultrashort Laser Pulse with Gas Targets

Experimental Study of Terahertz Radiation Generation in the Interaction of Ultrashort Laser Pulse with Gas Targets

Polarization-Sensitive Nonlinear Optical Interaction of Ultrashort Laser Pulses with HPHT Diamond

The filamentation of focused 300 fs laser pulses with variable polarization azimuth in bulk of synthetic HPHT diamond demonstrates the possibility of polarization-dependent bandgap control for crystal dielectric photoexcitation. This directly affects the value of the filamentation threshold power, which exhibits the distinct dependence on the polarization azimuth angle. The nonlinear photoluminescence yield, when focusing ultrashort laser pulses with variable polarization in bulk of the synthetic diamond, indicates different polarization-dependent regimes in the dynamics of electron-hole plasma formation, arising due to different processes of photoexcitation and recombination of free carriers during the filamentation process. Thus, at the onset of the filamentation process, at relatively low intensities, the photoluminescence yield rate depends on polarization azimuth controlling bandgap, while at high intensities the resulting dense absorbing plasma exhibits isotropy with respect to laser radiation polarization, and photoluminescence yield weakly depends on polarization azimuth.

Ab initio simulations of ultrashort laser pulse interaction with Cl-Si(100): implications for atomic layer etching.

Due to the remarkable resistance of SiCl against photo-induced desorption, achieving atomic layer etching (ALE) of Cl-Si(100) through a laser-based method has remained a formidable challenge. In this study, we investigate the interaction between ultrashort laser pulses and the Cl-Si(100) surface via ab initio simulations that combine real-time time-dependent density functional theory and molecular dynamics. Our results demonstrate the direct desorption of the stubborn SiCl layer through the application of appropriate femtosecond laser pulses. Notably, the desorption process is enhanced by pulses with higher laser intensity, shorter wavelength, and longer pulse duration. There is a threshold intensity beyond which the SiCl can be directly desorbed under laser pulses with a wavelength of 488 nm and a pulse duration of 40 ℏ eV-1 (26.3 fs). Analysis of electron localization function reveals a critical bond breaking length of 2.98 Å between Si-Si, connecting SiCl to the bulk material. The time evolution of bond lengths and forces reveals that the desorption of SiCl is primarily driven by repulsive forces generated within the Si-Si bond. Furthermore, electron density difference analysis and Keldysh factor calculations indicate that these repulsive forces arise from multiphoton ionization. This study provides crucial atomic-level insights into the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with Cl-Si(100), thereby propelling the advancement of laser-induced atomic layer etching techniques.

Theoretical Approach for Electron Dynamics and Ultrafast Spectroscopy (EDUS).

In this manuscript, we present a theoretical framework and its numerical implementation to simulate the out-of-equilibrium electron dynamics induced by the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses in condensed-matter systems. Our approach is based on evolving in real time the density matrix of the system in reciprocal space. It considers excitonic and nonperturbative light-matter interactions. We show some relevant examples that illustrate the efficiency and flexibility of the approach to describe realistic ultrafast spectroscopy experiments. Our approach is suitable for modeling the promising and emerging ultrafast studies at the attosecond time scale that aim at capturing the electron dynamics and the dynamical electron-electron correlations via X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Powerful laser-produced quasi-half-cycle THz pulses.

The Maxwell equations-based 3D-analytical solution for the terahertz (THz) half-cycle electromagnetic wave transition radiation pulse has been found. This solution describes generation and propagation of transition radiation into free space from laser-produced relativistic electron bunch which crosses a target-vacuum interface as a result of ultrashort laser pulse interaction with a thin high-conductivity target. The analytical solution found complements the theory of laser initiated transition radiation. It describes the THz wave half-cycle pulse at the arbitrary distance from a target surface including near-field zone rather than its standard far-field characterization. The analytical research has also been supplemented with the 3D simulations using the finite-difference time-domain method, which makes it possible for description of much wider spatial domain as compared to that from the particle-in-cell approach. The presented result sheds light fundamentally on the interference of the electron bunch field and the generated THz field of broadband transition radiation from laser-plasma interaction. The latter is studied for a long time in the experiments with solid density plasma and the theory developed may inspire to targeted measurements and investigations of unique super intense half-cycle THz radiation waves near the laser target.

Optical resonance in the inversion [formula omitted] channel of a silicon MOS structure

The features of the manifestation of the self-induced transparency (SIT) effect at intersubband resonance in the inversion n− layer of silicon semiconductor systems (in field-effect transistors (100)Si−MOSFET) are analyzed. The course of the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with the quantum states of the inversion layer of the MOS structure varies, depending on the concentration of the induced charge, by changing the voltage across the metal gate. The evolution of a pulse in the transient stage of deformation as it propagates in a resonant medium of an inversion channel is discussed. Possible consequences for a non-degenerate one-photon resonance are considered, with controlled changes in the detuning between a fixed pulse frequency and the resonant energy of the intersubband transition, caused by changes in the charge density. The parametric dependence on the concentration of the induced charges in the “area theorem” for the propagation process in the inversion channel is revealed.

Intense Laser Pulse Interaction With Graphene and Graphene Ribbons.

In this work we investigate quantum mechanically the interaction of an intense ultrashort laser pulse with the graphene monolayer as well as with the armchair graphene ribbons of different widths. We consider a tight binding (TB) Hamiltonian of the monolayer graphene and give two rules for deriving the dispersion relations of the armchair graphene ribbons of any width, N, from the TB eigenvalues of the monolayer. The band structure of the monolayer and the armchair ribbons of different widths are discussed with illustrations. The time-dependent wavefunctions of the systems and the expectation values of interest are determined by solving the coupled equations of the band amplitudes “exactly” (numerically). First, simulations are made for the population excitation in the conduction band (CB) from the valence band (BV), the VB-CB interband correlation (or “coherence”), the intraband, the interband and the total currents in the monolayer graphene. The graphene currents are compared with the corresponding currents induced in an armchair ribbon (width, N = 3). The change from the 2D monolayer to the 1D ribbon shows a remarkable transition of the dominance of the intraband current that leads to a near steady total current in the monolayer, to a dominance of the interband current in the ribbon that induces an oscillatory current in the ribbon beyond the pulse duration. The difference observed might be a combined effect of the “confinement” in one dimention and a finite band-gap minimum in the case of the ribbon. However, this transition should be further investigated for better clarity. A brief comparison of the radiation spectra emitted from the monolayer and from the ribbon is also made. They show a grossly similar structure and a relative insensitivity with respect to the detailed structure of the targets chosen. This might be due to the dominance of virtual continuum-continuum transitions, to and from the bands states, that lie behind the fundamental quantum process of high harmonic emissions. Lastly, the dependence of the charge currents, induced in a ribbon of unit width (N = 1), on the carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) of the incident laser pulse is investigated. It is seen that the shape of the main part of the current produced in the ribbon can be fully reversed by changing the CEP of the ultrashort laser pulse from 0 to π. More generally, it is suggested that the pulse shape of the charge carriers in the ribbon could be designed by similarly tailoring the form of the vector potential of the incident laser pulse.

On the effect of stimulated raman scattering on THz radiation in the laser plasma interactions

In present study, two-dimensional Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulations are used to investigate the interaction of ultrashort high-power laser pulses with an under-dense plasma medium. The results of the numerical simulations are followed by some mathematical procedures to obtain the terahertz electric field and the growth rates of the Stimulated Raman Forward (RFS) and Backward Scattering (RBS). The influences of incident laser pulse intensity and initial plasma density are examined on RFS and RBS instabilities and their consequent effects on the characteristics of THz radiation generation. It is seen that at the lower initial plasma densities i.e. 0.0001nc, the larger laser intensities will lead to more broadband and intense THz signals. Where nc=1.74 × 1027m−3 is known as critical plasma density corresponding to the laser pulse frequency. On the other hand, at the higher plasma densities, i.e., 0.0026nc, due to the instabilities growth, the effects of higher laser pulse intensities on the THz emission are insignificant. While for all the considered plasma densities and incident laser intensities, RBS inevitably affects the THz generation, RFS starts to grow for the initial plasma densities of n0=0.0026nc at the incident laser intensities higher than 1 × 1015Wcm−2. Hence, a higher bound is established on the pump intensity which is based on the RFS growth initiation. Thus, to achieve a stable THz signal for the initial plasma density of n0=0.0026nc (4.5 × 1018 cm−3), the incident laser intensity needs to be less than 1 × 1016Wcm−2.

Specificity of scattering of ultrashort laser pulses by molecules with polyatomic structure

The theory of scattering of ultrashort laser pulses (USP) is the basis of diffraction analysis of matter using modern USP sources. At present, the peculiarities of interaction of USP with complex structures are not well developed. In general, the research focuses on the features of the interaction of USP with simple systems, these are atoms and simple molecules. Here we present a theory of scattering of ultrashort laser pulses on molecules with a multi-atomic structure, taking into account the specifics of the interaction of USP with such a substance. The simplicity of the obtained expressions allows them to be used in diffraction analysis. As an example, the scattering spectra of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are presented. It is shown that the theory developed here is more general in the scattering theory and passes into the previously known one if we consider the duration of the USP to be sufficiently long.

Optimized laser ion acceleration at the relativistic critical density surface

An effort to achieve high-energetic ion beams from the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with a plasma, volumetric acceleration mechanisms beyond target normal sheath acceleration have gained attention. A relativistically intense laser can turn a near critical density plasma slowly transparent, facilitating a synchronized acceleration of ions at the moving relativistic critical density front. While simulations promise extremely high ion energies in this regime, the challenge resides in the realization of a synchronized movement of the ultra-relativistic laser pulse ( 30) driven reflective relativistic electron front and the fastest ions, which imposes a narrow parameter range on the laser and plasma parameters. We present an analytic model for the relevant processes, confirmed by a broad parameter simulation study in 1D- and 3D-geometry. By tailoring the pulse length and plasma density profiles at the front side, we can optimize the proton acceleration performance and extend the regions in parameter space of efficient ion acceleration at the relativistic density surface.

Laser energy absorption and x-ray generation in nanowire arrays irradiated by relativistically intense ultra-high contrast femtosecond laser pulses

We report here on the results of comparative experimental measurements of laser energy absorption in a bulk and different morphology nanowire arrays interacting with relativistically intense, ultra-high temporal contrast femtosecond laser pulses. We compare polished, flat bulk samples with vertically and randomly oriented nanowires made of ZnO semiconductor material. The optical absorption of the 45° incident laser pulses of ∼40 fs duration with a central wavelength of 400 nm at intensities above 1019Wcm2 was determined using an integrating Ulbricht sphere. We demonstrate an almost twofold enhancement of absorption in both nanowire morphologies with an average of (79.6±1.9)% in comparison to the flat bulk sample of (45.8±1.9)%. The observed substantially enhanced absorption in nanowire arrays is also confirmed by high-resolution x-ray emission spectroscopy. The spectral analysis of the K-shell x-ray emission lines revealed that the He-like resonance line emission from highly ionized Zn (Zn28+) is only present in the case of nanowire arrays, whereas, for the flat bulk samples, only neutral and low charge states were observed. Our numerical simulations, based on radiative-collisional kinetic code FLYCHK, well reproduce the measured He-like emission spectrum and suggest that high charge state observed in nanowire arrays is due to substantially higher plasma temperature. Our results, which were measured for the first time with femtosecond laser pulses, can be used to benchmark theoretical models and numerical codes for the relativistic interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with nanowires.