Laser Research Articles

Mirror-assisted light-sheet microscopy: a simple upgrade to enable bi-directional sample excitation.

Light-sheet microscopy is a powerful imaging technique that achieves optical sectioning via selective illumination of individual sample planes. However, when the sample contains opaque or scattering tissues, the incident light sheet may not be able to uniformly excite the entire sample. For example, in the context of larval zebrafish whole-brain imaging, occlusion by the eyes prevents access to a significant portion of the brain during common implementations using unidirectional illumination. We introduce mirror-assisted light-sheet microscopy (mLSM), a simple inexpensive method that can be implemented on existing digitally scanned light-sheet setups by adding a single optical element-a mirrored micro-prism. The prism is placed near the sample to generate a second excitation path for accessing previously obstructed regions. Scanning the laser beam onto the mirror generates a second, reflected illumination path that circumvents the occlusion. Online tuning of the scanning and laser power waveforms enables near uniform sample excitation with dual illumination. mLSM produces cellular-resolution images of zebrafish brain regions inaccessible to unidirectional illumination. The imaging quality in regions illuminated by the direct or reflected sheet is adjustable by translating the excitation objective. The prism does not interfere with visually guided behavior. mLSM presents an easy-to-implement, cost-effective way to upgrade an existing light-sheet system to obtain more imaging data from a biological sample.

Workpiece surface laser regulation in laser-induced plasma electrolyte jet machining: Position, shape, and energy

Laser-induced plasma electrolyte jet machining is a new hybrid machining method. This machining method utilizes the plasma impact effect and plasma to increase the inter-pole conductivity for material removal, with low laser energy loss, high material removal rate (MRR), and good surface quality. The advantages of laser machining and electrolyte jet machining are fully utilized. However, it is difficult to avoid refraction of the laser in the electrolyte column, which affects the efficient coupling of the laser to the electrolyte jet machining. In this paper, to improve the localization and MRR, a study is carried out to address the problem of energy utilization efficiency in laser-induced plasma electrolyte jet machining. A compensation model for the refraction of the laser beam in the electrolyte is proposed. Compensation improves the shape and positional accuracy of the laser beam coupled to the electrolyte beam during aluminum alloy machining. Compared before and after compensation, the MRR was improved by 30.2 %, and the groove localization was improved by 37.4 %. Realization of high energy coupling for laser electrolyte jet hybrid machining.

The Effect of Artificial Ageing on the Changes in Selected Properties of Organic Coated Sheets

This contribution presents the results of research focused on changes in selected properties of organic-coated steel sheets in a corrosive environment of salt mist. The aim of this study was to characterise coated sheets and to analyse the influence of elevated temperature on changes in their selected properties. The methodology and experiments were chosen to simulate the accelerated ageing and to evaluate the surface of organic-coated steel sheets. During the research, the effect of artificial ageing due to increased temperature on changes in mechanical properties of coated sheets was monitored, which were determined by tensile testing according to STN EN 10002-1. The fracture surface of the test samples was analysed using a SEM. The following observations were made for the evaluation of coating by cross-cut tests according to EN ISO 2409. Corrosion tests were carried out by conducting salt spray corrosion tests according to EN ISO 9227. The test specimens were artificially sectioned using a laser beam. The results of the research experiments confirmed the assumption that the utilisation of the laser beam was convenient for the creation cross–cut test of the material. After the ageing test, only small significant changes in the basic mechanical properties of the tested materials were observed. It is necessary to take into account that there were changes in the appearance of the coating. The cross-cut test confirmed the results that the plastic-coated sheets could be utilised in salt corrosion environments.

The diamond-silicon carbide composite Skeleton® as a promising material for substrates of intense X-ray beam optics.

The paper considers the possibility of using the diamond-silicon carbide composite Skeleton® with a technological coating of polycrystalline silicon as a substrate for X-ray mirrors used with powerful synchrotron radiation sources (third+ and fourth generation). Samples were studied after polishing to provide the following surface parameters: root-mean-square flatness ≃ 50 nm, micro-roughness on the frame 2 µm × 2 µm σ ≃ 0.15 nm. The heat capacity, thermal conductivity and coefficient of linear thermal expansion were investigated. For comparison, a monocrystalline silicon sample was studied under the same conditions using the same methods. The value of the coefficient of linear thermal expansion turned out to be higher than that of monocrystalline silicon and amounted to 4.3 × 10-6 K-1, and the values of thermal conductivity (5.0 W cm-1 K-1) and heat capacity (1.2 J K-1 g-1) also exceeded the values for Si. Thermally induced deformations of both Skeleton® and monocrystalline silicon samples under irradiation with a CO2 laser beam have also been experimentally studied. Taking into account the obtained thermophysical constants, the calculation of thermally induced deformation under irradiation with hard (20 keV) X-rays showed almost three times less deformation of the Skeleton® sample than of the monocrystalline silicon sample.

A rapid and quantitative absorption-based measurement to study the impact of antibiotics on bacterial growth

Abstract Given the global rise in antimicrobial resistance levels, there is an urgent need to obtain the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of an antibiotic as early as possible. In this paper, we present the first test results of a light-based concept where the interaction of a laser beam with the drug–bacterium sample is used to calculate MIC values within 6 h after cultivation. For this preliminary study, a total of 163 drug–bacterium pairs were tested and benchmarked with broth microdilution (BMD). The pathogen set included Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus capitis, Staphylococcus cohnii, Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Enterococcus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The selected drugs belonged to 10 different classes. The method under investigation showed a categorical concordance of 86.1% and an essential agreement of 80.3% with BMD. Due to its simplicity, the concept can be easily implemented on existing commercial platforms. This research shows promise for further studies potentially leading to a novel concept that can be employed to rapidly determine MIC values.

Optical Detection of Underwater Propeller Wake Based on a Position-Sensitive Detector

The study of underwater vehicle wake detection is of significant importance within the field of target detection, localisation, and tracking of underwater vehicles. Given that propellers are the propellers of modern ships and underwater vehicles, the propeller wake field represents the principal target source for wake detection in underwater vehicles. The objective of this paper is to propose a method for measuring the wake of an underwater propeller based on a position-sensitive detector. A theoretical model of the relationship between the laser spot displacement and the change in the refractive index of the wake field is established on the basis of the principle of laser beam deflection. A prototype experimental setup for underwater propeller wake measurement was constructed based on the aforementioned optical measurement method. Furthermore, the simulation of the propeller wake flow field with strong density stratification and linear density stratification was conducted based on the experimental setup. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to detect the flow field of a propeller wake. The experimental results indicate that the wake dissipation times of the propeller in a strong density-stratified water environment are approximately 800 s and 750 s. Following the stabilisation of the wake field density, the laser spot position is observed to be stable at 0.341 mm and 0.441 mm, respectively, with a corresponding refractive index change of 2.99 × 10−6 RIU (refractive index unit) and 3.87 × 10−6 RIU, respectively. These experimental results are found to be in general agreement with the simulation results of the propeller wake field. A comparison of the experimental wake measurements based on the device with the wake measurements based on a CTD (conductivity–temperature–depth) device reveals a consistent trend. The realisation of this detection technique is of great significance for the advancement of research in the field of optical detection of underwater vehicle wake streams.

Magnetic field enhanced laser absorption on metallic surface incorporated with shape-dependent nanostructures

Abstract This communication proposes an analytical model that investigates the nanoparticle-based nonlinear absorption phenomenon associated with an obliquely incident p-polarized laser beam on a metallic surface. In this scheme, the surface is ingrained with noble-metal spherical nanoparticles (SNPs) and cylindrical nanoparticles (CNPs) in the presence of an external static magnetic field. The absorption of laser energy in the presence of nanoparticles (NPs) is attributed to surface plasmon resonance and enhanced magnetic-field effects. The absorption phenomenon was significantly enhanced by the incorporation of nanostructures and a magnetic field. The ellipticity characterizing parameter, which significantly influences resonant frequency of different nanometric structures have also been analysed and discussed. The effects of varying the magnetic field intensity, incident angle, size, and spacing of the NP were examined to determine their influence on the anomalous absorption of the laser. Furthermore, a direct dependency was found between the absorption coefficient and transmission coefficient of the incident laser, as well as the dimensions of the NPs. Several applications have direct relevance to this study, including biosensors such as DNA sensors and immunosensors, photothermal therapy, photoacoustic imaging, optoelectronic devices, solar cells, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Second harmonic generation of high power cosh-gaussian laser beam in collisional magnetized plasma

Second harmonic generation of high power cosh-gaussian laser beam in collisional magnetized plasma

A method to resolve thermal and electronic contributions to the nolinear optical response

This paper presents the study and implementation of a modified Z-scan technique using a chopper to change the thermal load of the sample, while keeping the input peak irradiance constant. It was verified numerically and experimentally that by changing the frequency of the chopper and keeping the power of the laser beam constant, it is possible to vary the thermal load on the sample. This technique is illustrated under the study of the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of nucleated Au–Pt metallic nanoparticles (NPs) by ion implantation. The nonlinear optical response was studied using the Z-scan. technique using a Ti:Sapphire laser with femtosecond pulses at a wavelength of 800 nm and a repetition rate of 76 MHz. By scanning the sample using the Z-scan technique it was It is possible to determine the refractive and absorbing contributions to the nonlinear response, in this case as a consequence of a high pulse repetition rate, cumulative pulse-to-pulse thermal effects occurred. Because of this, a modification of the Z-scan technique allowed to separate the resolution of the electronic and thermal contributions on the sample.

Structural analysis of selective laser melted copper-tin alloy

Additively manufactured complex geometries from copper alloys with high thermal and mechanical properties have drawn the attention of researchers. The present contribution explores the additive manufacturing (AM) of copper-based alloys from powder particles intended for heat sink and heat exchange applications. Selective laser melting (SLM) parameters featuring low laser beam power (160 W), moderate scanning speed (320 mm/s), and high energy density (200 J/mm³) were employed to fabricate dense components from CuSn10 particles. The present work deal with structural analysis and precision investigation of microfabrication, particularly in Struts, Tubes, and Fins. Mechanical properties (compression and hardness) for Strut structure, differential pressure evaluations for Tube structure, and analyses of thermal and electrical conductivities for Fin structure were investigated. The results showed an improvement in strength compared to those of pure copper, facilitating ease of AM. The obtained results affirm the feasibility of AM, demonstrating the successful creation of complex and combined solid-porous structures using SLM process from Cu alloys. A comprehensive structural investigation and characterization of the Cu–Sn alloy is presented here, aiming to establish a standardized approach for analysing Cu alloys. The results indicate that small-scaled structures fabricated via CuSn10 alloy exhibits a thermal conductivity of 34.3 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, an electrical conductivity of 4.72×10⁶ S/m, a hardness of 119 HV-50, a uniform surface roughness of 6 µm, and can withstand a force loading of 1 kN.

Attosecond vortex pulse trains

The landscape of ultrafast structured light pulses has significantly advanced thanks to the ability of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) to translate the spatial properties of infrared laser beams to the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range. In particular, the up-conversion of orbital angular momentum (OAM) has enabled the generation of high-order harmonics whose OAM scales linearly with the harmonic order and the topological charge of the driving field. Having a well-defined OAM, each harmonic is emitted as an EUV femtosecond vortex pulse. However, the order-dependent OAM across the harmonic comb precludes the synthesis of attosecond vortex pulses. Here we demonstrate a method for generating attosecond vortex pulse trains, i.e., a succession of attosecond pulses with a helical wavefront, resulting from the coherent superposition of a comb of EUV high-order harmonics with the same OAM. By driving HHG with a polarization tilt-angle fork grating, two spatially separated circularly polarized high-order harmonic beams with order-independent OAM are created. Our work opens the route towards attosecond-resolved light-matter interactions with two extra degrees of freedom, spin and OAM, which are particularly interesting for probing chiral systems and magnetic materials.

The formation control and microstructure evolution of macrosegregation in laser offset welding on steel-nickel dissimilar alloy

To precisely control the melting of two base metals, laser offset welding is an effective method for managing the interfacial microstructure in dissimilar metal welds. Macrosegregation exhibits a markedly different morphology near the steel-nickel fusion line, which plays an important role in premature creep failure. In this study, it was found that an offset of the laser beam towards the nickel correlated with an increase in macrosegregation. When the laser beam was biased towards the steel, the partially mixed zone (PMZ) and transition zone (TZ) of 9Cr steel were identifiable within the macrosegregation, displaying a distinct solidification mode. Lath martensite and fine austenite formed in the PMZ, with alternating distributions of martensite and austenite observed in the TZ. Conversely, when the laser beam was biased towards the nickel, the unmixed zone (UMZ) of 9Cr steel was observed within the macrosegregation. Nanoindentation tests revealed that the maximum nanohardness in macrosegregation reached 5.90GPa in the PMZ due to the formation of lath martensite, while the minimum nanohardness was 1.30GPa in the TZ due to reduced martensite formation. Additionally, the TZ exhibited a significant reduction in resistance to plastic deformation. The various microstructures of macrosegregation were attributed to the solidification process and the dilution rate of 9Cr steel. When the liquidus temperature of WM exceeded 1455℃, a wide TZ formed in the macrosegregation due to adequate mixing. In contrast, when the WM had a significantly lower liquidus temperature than the 9Cr steel, only UMZ and PMZ formed in the macrosegregation due to preferential solidification and insufficient mixing. To minimize macrosegregation and eliminate the softening TZ, a laser beam offset towards the steel between 0.1mm and 0.2mm is recommended.

Investigation of self-focusing of Gaussian laser beams within magnetized plasma via source-dependent expansion method

Self-focusing emerges as a nonlinear optical phenomenon resulting from an intense laser field and plasma interaction. This study investigates the self-focusing behavior of Gaussian laser beams within magnetized plasma environments utilizing a novel approach, source-dependent expansion. By employing source-dependent expansion, we explore the intricate dynamics of laser beam propagation, considering the influence of plasma density and external magnetic fields. The interplay between the beam's Gaussian profile and the self-focusing mechanism through rigorous mathematical analysis and numerical simulations, particularly in the presence of plasma-induced nonlinearities, is elucidated here. Our findings reveal crucial insight into the evolution of laser beams under diverse parameters, including the ponderomotive force, relativistic factors, plasma frequency, polarization states, external magnetic field, wavelength, and laser intensity. This research not only contributes to advancing our fundamental understanding of laser–plasma interactions but also holds promise for optimizing laser-driven applications.

Refractive channeling of heating wave driven by laser beam interaction with plasma of subcritical density

Refractive channeling of heating wave driven by laser beam interaction with plasma of subcritical density

Improved precision at high-spatial resolution of strontium isotope analysis in apatite and apatite inclusions by LA-MC-ICP-MS with 1013 Ω amplifiers

Recent advancements in in situ analytical techniques have generated new interest in measuring strontium (Sr) isotopes in rock-forming apatite and apatite inclusions in zircon, because they can bring new insights into the primary signatures of magmatic sources. This paper introduces a novel approach based on laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS), which allows to achieve higher precision in situ analysis of Sr isotopes in small volumes of samples. The use of 1013 Ω current amplifiers for the acquisition of the signal on m/z 83, 83.5, 84, 85, 85.5, 86, 86.5, 87 and 88, along with a specific data reduction protocol, enhance both the internal precision and the external reproducibility of the 87Sr/86Sr ratio by a factor of four, presenting a significant improvement over the conventional use of 1011 Ω amplifiers. An internal precision better than 0.45‰ (i.e. 450 ppm; 2 s.e.) on the 87Sr/86Sr ratio can be achieved on the Durango apatite standard with a 13 μm square-shaped laser beam and a laser ablation pit of 60 μm depth. With a 5 μm beam, the precision is 2.2‰ on average with a 10 μm ablation pit depth for this standard. This analytical procedure was applied to investigate Sr isotopes in apatite and apatite inclusions within zircons from seven high BaSr magmatic rocks in the Northern Highland Terrane, Scotland. For these well-characterised, geochemically undisturbed samples, the data reveals similar Sr isotope compositions between apatite inclusions armoured in zircon, matrix apatites, and the bulk rock. This highlights the ability of apatite inclusions to faithfully record primary signatures of host magmas, elucidating their utility as reliable indicators in petrological studies of ancient samples.

Measurement of Gaussian laser beam radius using nanosecond-pulse laser etching of titanium film

A method for measuring the Gaussian laser beam radius based on nanosecond-pulse laser etching (NPLE) was proposed. The NPLE method has the advantages of simple operation, low cost and high accuracy. It can be used to directly measure the laser beam size in the range of 0.25 ∼ 6 W without attenuating the laser energy. In the experiments, 1064 nm pulsed laser beam was used to etch titanium film, the size and position of the laser beam waist were measured. The experimental results are consistent with the calibration values of the CCD method, it indicates that the NPLE method is feasible.

Design of an Optimized Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy System Pumped by a 30 W Yb:KGW Source at a 100 kHz Repetition Rate with 245 fs Pulse Duration

Ytterbium laser sources are state-of-the-art systems that are increasingly replacing Ti:Sapphire lasers in most applications requiring high repetition rate pulse trains. However, extending these laser sources to THz Time-Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) poses several challenges not encountered in conventional, lower-power systems. These challenges include pump rejection, thermal lensing in nonlinear media, and pulse durations exceeding 100 fs, which consequently limit the detection bandwidth in TDS applications. In this article, we describe our design of a THz-TDS beamline that seeks to address these issues. We report on the effectiveness of temperature controlling the Gallium Phosphide (GaP) used to generate the THz radiation and its impact on increasing the generation efficiency and aiding pump rejection while avoiding thermal distortions of the residual pump laser beam. We detail our approach to pump rejection, which can be implemented with off-the-shelf products and minimal customization. Finally, we describe our solution based on a commercial optical parametric amplifier to obtain a temporally compressed probe pulse of 55 fs duration. Our study will prove useful to the increasing number of laboratories seeking to move from the high-energy, low-power THz time-domain spectroscopy systems based on Ti:Sapphire lasers, to medium-energy, high-power systems driven by Yb-doped lasers.

Optimizing the Size of a Moving Annular Hollow Laser Heat Source

The physical phenomenon of the annular hollow laser surface treatment process is complex, and the internal mechanism involves multiple disciplines and fields. In addition to the general parameters of laser beams, such as laser power and scanning speed, an annular hollow laser beam exhibits unique physical characteristics, including hollow ratio and hollow area. The selection of the inner and outer annular radii of the laser plays a critical role in the study of metal surface heat treatment. From the point of view of heat transfer, the entransy dissipation theory is introduced in the metal surface treatment process with an annular hollow heat source. Firstly, using the principle of the extreme value of the entransy dissipation rate, under a constant heat flux boundary condition, the entransy dissipation rate is obtained through the temperature field distribution in the calculation area by numerical simulation. Secondly, the selection of the inner and outer ring radii of the annular laser is explored, and the average temperature difference of the heating surface is minimized to reduce the thermal stresses of the material. This paper seeks new insights into the geometric parameters of the inner and outer radii of the annular heat source.

Spatially Variable Ripple and Groove Formation on Gallium Arsenide Using Linear, Radial, and Azimuthal Polarizations of Laser Beam

We demonstrated the linear, radial, and annular ripple formation on the surface of GaAs. The formation of linear ripples was optimized by the number of shots and the fluence of 30 ps, 532 nm pulses. The radial and annular nanoripples were produced under the ablation using doughnut-like beams possessing azimuthal and radial polarizations, respectively. We compare the ripples and grooves formed by a linearly polarized Gaussian beam relative to an annular vector beam. The joint overlap of sub-wavelength grooves with ripples formed by azimuthally and radially polarized beams was reported. The conditions under which the shape of radial and ring-like nano- or micro-relief on the GaAs surface can be modified by modulating the polarization of laser pulse were determined. The resultant surface processing of GaAs using a laser beam with different polarization modes is useful for exploring valuable insights and benefits in different applications.

Multipass Faraday rotators and isolators

Faraday isolators are usually limited to Faraday materials with strong Verdet constants. We present a method to reach the 45° polarization rotation angle needed for optical isolators with materials exhibiting a weak Faraday effect. The Faraday effect is enhanced by passing the incident radiation multiple times through the Faraday medium while the rotation angle accumulates after each pass. Materials having excellent thermo-optical properties in the ultraviolet and mid-infrared range become available for optical isolators. Herriott-type multipass cells offer a simple and compact way to realize the desired propagation length in usual optical materials of standard sizes. A proof-of-principle experiment was carried out, demonstrating polarization rotation of a 532 nm laser beam by an angle of 45° in anti-reflection-coated fused silica surrounded by a standard neodymium ring magnet.