Low Laser Intensity Research Articles

Spatially and temporally discontinuous two-plasmon decay with relatively low laser irradiance

The direct-drive inertial confinement fusion scheme with a gradually increasing intensity nanosecond pulse needs to avoid fuel preheating during the low-temperature implosion stage, in which the occurrence and characteristics of two-plasmon decay with low laser intensity is worthy of attention as it produces hot electrons that preheat the fuel. In this paper, we present experimental results regarding the occurrence and characteristics of two-plasmon decay inferred from the observation of three-halves harmonic light under an irradiance of ∼1 × 1013 W cm−2, with which three plasma density scale-lengths were obtained using different laser pulses. Spatial and temporal discontinuities of the laterally emitting three-halves harmonic light in both the parallel and the perpendicular directions with respect to the target surface were observed, which are interpreted by laser filamentation analyses based on plasma parameters calculated from the measured spectra and interferograms, and supported by radiation hydrodynamics and particle-in-cell simulations. From the perspective of filamentation, suppression methods of the observed phenomena under such conditions are discussed.

Imaging adult C. elegans live using light-sheet microscopy.

SummaryLive observation of biological phenomena in the context of living organisms can provide important insights in the mechanisms of these phenomena. However, the spatially complex and dynamic physiology of multicellular organisms can be a challenging environment to make observations with fluorescence microscopy. Due to the illumination of out‐of‐focus planes, confocal and particularly widefield fluorescence microscopy suffer from low signal‐to‐background ratio (SBR), photo toxicity and bleaching of fluorescent probes. In light‐sheet microscopy (LSM), solely the focal plane of the detection objective is illuminated, minimising out‐of‐focus fluorescence and photobleaching, thereby enhancing SBR, allowing for low laser intensities and longer acquisition periods. Here we present a straightforward light‐sheet microscope with a 1.0‐NA detection objective and a fast sample‐positioning stage that allows for four degrees of freedom. By imaging the sensory cilia and nervous system of living young adult C. elegans, we demonstrate that the instrument is well suited for relatively fast, volumetric imaging of larger (hundreds of micrometres cubed) living samples. These experiments demonstrate that such an instrument provides a valuable addition to commonly used widefield and confocal fluorescence microscopes.Lay descriptionIn fluorescence microscopy, sharp images can only be obtained when the light obtained from the section of the image that is in focus is not overwhelmed by light emerging from elsewhere. In this paper, we present a light‐sheet fluorescence microscope, based on the OpenSPIM initiative, with a magnification of 90× and a sensitive sample positioning stage that allows for fast controlled linear movement and rotation. In a light‐sheet microscope (LSM), the sample is illuminated from the side, compared to the direction of detection, limiting illumination only to the part of the sample that is imaged in the focal plane (general resources: Wikipedia or MicroscopyU). This does not only limit background noise, but also reduces damage to the sample due to phototoxicity. This makes a LSM particularly suitable for imaging living samples at high resolution, in three dimensions, over long periods of time.Our instrument was specifically designed for imaging adult C. elegans nematodes. We show here how the instrument compares to a standard epifluorescence microscope, imaging neuronal structures in the animals. The instrument proved well suited for fast volumetric imaging of larger cellular structures such as C. elegans neuronal cell bodies. Our experiments show that the instrument provides a valuable addition to widefield and confocal fluorescence microscopes commonly used to image adult C. elegans.

Influence of laser shock peening on the surface energy and tribocorrosion properties of an AZ31B Mg alloy

The present study investigates the influence of laser shock peening (LSP) on surface energy (SE) of AZ31B Magnesium alloy and its resilience to corrosion and tribocorrosion. AZ31B alloy was treated at different laser intensities. The SE and its interfacial components of treated surfaces were analyzed. The SE was found to be least at low laser intensity LSP. Lower interfacial SE showed decreased wettability, providing enhanced tribocorrosion resistance with respect to untreated surface. However, higher laser intensities increased the surface roughening effect, causing an increase in the interfacial SE and wettability of the surfaces, decreasing the tribocorrosion resistance. The study finds LSP can enhance tribological properties and mitigate the effects of corrosion and tribocorrosion.

Natural Melanin/Polyurethane Composites as Highly Efficient Near-Infrared-Photoresponsive Shape Memory Implants.

Natural melanin is recognized as a biocompatible photothermal agent because of its biologically derived nature and efficient photothermal conversion ability. Here, yak hair melanin (YM) is added to polyurethane (PU) for the fabrication of NIR-photoresponsive shape memory implants. The in vitro toxicity of the YM/PU composites is carried out by exposing them to human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and mouse fibroblast (L929) cells lines for 24 h, while the in vivo toxicity is investigated by implanting the YM/PU composites in the mouse for two months. No significant differences on cell viability, blood chemistry, hematology, and histological results are observed between YM/PU composites and control groups, suggesting their excellent biocompatibility. The biostability of the YM/PU composites is confirmed by monitoring their in vitro degradation for 12 weeks. The YM/PU column implanted in the back subcutis or vagina of the mouse rapidly recovered to its original state within 60 s under a very low NIR laser (808 nm, 0.5 W/cm2) intensity, which is much lower than the general laser intensity for photothermal cancer therapy (1-2 W/cm2). This work confirms the applicability of the YM/PU composites as long-term implant materials and expedites the use of YM/PU composites as cost-effective candidates for biomedical applications.

Pulse duration dependence of harmonic yield of H2+ and its isotopic molecule

We investigate the pulse duration dependence of harmonic yield in isotopic molecules of H2+ and T2+ driven by different laser intensities. Generally, the harmonic yield can be improved as pulse duration increases and then a maximum value can be obtained at the specific duration. Particularly, (i) driven by low laser intensity, the optimal pulse duration for H2+ is 20 cycles, and the harmonic intensity of H2+ is much higher than that of T2+. (ii) Driven by middle laser intensity, the optimal pulse durations for H2+ and T2+ are 15 cycles and 22 cycles, respectively. Moreover, the harmonic intensities of H2+ and T2+ from optimal pulse durations are almost the same. (iii) Driven by high laser intensity, the optimal pulse duration for T2+ is 15 cycles. For H2+, the enhancement of harmonic yield is very slow as pulse duration increases. Furthermore, the similar harmonic yields of H2+ and T2+ can be found before 12 cycles; while, when the pulse duration is larger than 12 cycles, the harmonic yield of H2+ is smaller than that of T2+. Taking advantage of harmonic yield changing law and with assistance of controlling pulse, the intense and broad spectral plateau can be obtained, which can support the generation of isolated attosecond pulses with durations of sub-40 as.

The Photophysical Properties of Triisopropylsilyl-ethynylpentacene—A Molecule with an Unusually Large Singlet-Triplet Energy Gap—In Solution and Solid Phases

The process of singlet-exciton fission (SEF) has attracted much attention of late. One of the most popular SEF compounds is TIPS-pentacene (TIPS-P, where TIPS = triisopropylsilylethynyl) but, despite its extensive use as both a reference and building block, its photophysical properties are not so well established. In particular, the triplet state excitation energy remains uncertain. Here, we report quantitative data and spectral characterization for excited-singlet and -triplet states in dilute solution. The triplet energy is determined to be 7940 ± 1200 cm−1 on the basis of sensitization studies using time-resolved photoacoustic calorimetry. The triplet quantum yield at the limit of low concentration and low laser intensity is only ca. 1%. Self-quenching occurs at high solute concentration where the fluorescence yield and lifetime decrease markedly relative to dilute solution but we were unable to detect excimer emission by steady-state spectroscopy. Short-lived fluorescence, free from excimer emission or phosphorescence, occurs for crystals of TIPS-P, most likely from amorphous domains.

Optical manipulation of a single clay nanosheet hybridized with a porphyrin derivative

The effect of hybridization of a clay fluorohectorite (FHT) nanosheet with a π-conjugated organic compound, α,β,γ,δ-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin p-toluene-sulfonate (TMPyP), on its optical manipulation is investigated. Although the hybridized FHT is optically trapped essentially in the same manner as that of neat FHT, the hybridization with TMPyP allows for manipulation of FHT with lower laser intensity or a shorter period, or both. This is ascribed to the larger refractive index and polarizability of TMPyP compared with neat FHT.

Attosecond transient absorption of a continuum threshold

The laser-field-modified dipole response of the first ionization threshold of helium is studied by means of attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. We resolve light-induced time-dependent structures in the photoabsorption spectrum both below and above the ionization threshold. By comparing the measured results to a quantum-dynamical model, we isolate the contributions of the unbound electron to these structures. They originate from light-induced couplings of near-threshold bound and continuum states and light-induced energy shifts of the free electron. The ponderomotive energy, at low laser intensities, is identified as a good approximation for the perturbed continuum response.

Fano-Resonant, Asymmetric, Metamaterial-Assisted Tweezers for Single Nanoparticle Trapping.

Plasmonic nanostructures overcome Abbe's diffraction limit to create strong gradient electric fields, enabling efficient optical trapping of nanoparticles. However, it remains challenging to achieve stable trapping with low incident laser intensity. Here, we demonstrate Fano resonance-assisted plasmonic optical tweezers for single nanoparticle trapping in an array of asymmetrical split nanoapertures on a 50 nm gold thin film. A large normalized trap stiffness of 8.65 fN/nm/mW for 20 nm polystyrene particles at a near-resonance trapping wavelength of 930 nm was achieved. The trap stiffness on-resonance is enhanced by a factor of 63 compared to that of off-resonance due to the ultrasmall mode volume, enabling large near-field strengths and a cavity effect contribution. These results facilitate trapping with low incident laser intensity, thereby providing new options for studying transition paths of single molecules such as proteins.

Control of high-order harmonics from H2+ and D2+ for producing intense single attosecond pulse

Generally, the intensities of molecular high-order harmonic spectra from [Formula: see text] and its isotope molecules are quite different due to the effect of nuclear signals. Thus, in this paper, we investigate the change law of harmonic spectra from [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] driven by different laser fields and try to find the optimal harmonic spectra for producing intense single attosecond pulses (SAPs). The results show that in lower laser intensity case, the harmonic yield follows as [Formula: see text]; while, in higher laser intensity case, the harmonic yield meets the condition of [Formula: see text]. Further, by using this change law of harmonic yield and choosing the optimal harmonic emission peak (HEP), we can obtain the intense spectral continuum with the assistance of the half-cycle pulse (HCP). Next, with the superposition of some harmonics on the spectral continuum, the intense SAPs shorter than 37 as can be obtained from [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] harmonic spectra. Finally, the results show that the stronger attosecond signals can be obtained when the light nucleus or heavy nucleus molecules are driven by lower or higher laser intensities, respectively.

Light reflection and transmission in planar lattices of cold atoms.

Manipulation of light using atoms plays a fundamental and important role in emerging technologies such as integrated photonics, information storage, and quantum sensors. Specifically, there have been intense theoretical efforts involving large samples of cold neutral atoms for coherent control of light. Here we present a theoretical scheme that enables efficient computation of collective optical responses of mono- and bi-layer planar square lattices of dense, cold two-level atoms using classical electrodynamics of coupled dipoles in the limit of low laser intensity. The steady-state transmissivity and reflectivity are obtained at a field point far away from the atomic lattices in the regime with no Bragg reflection. While our earlier method was based on exact solution of the electrodynamics for a small-scale lattice, here we calculate the dipole moments assuming that they are the same at all lattice sites, as for an infinite lattice. Atomic lattices with effectively over one hundred times more sites than in our earlier exact computations can then be simulated numerically with fewer computational resources. We have implemented an automatic selection of the number of sites under the given convergence criteria. We compare the numerical results from both computational schemes. We also find similarities and differences of a stack of two atomic lattices from a two-atom sample. Such aspects may be exploited to engineer a stack for potential applications.

Comparison of wavelength dependence of harmonic yield in isotopic H2+ and T2+ diatomic systems

Wavelength dependence of harmonic yield of H2+ and T2+ is studied. Generally, the wavelength dependence of harmonic yield of T2+ is slower than that of H2+ in shorter wavelength region. As wavelength increases, a faster harmonic scaling of T2+ can be obtained in longer wavelength region. At lower laser intensity, the harmonic yield of T2+ is always lower than that of H2+. At higher laser intensity, the harmonic yield of T2+ is firstly stronger and then lower than that of H2+ in shorter and longer wavelength regions, respectively. Nuclear signal plays an important role in intensity change of harmonic yield.

Low-Level Laser Irradiation Modulated Viability of Normal and Tumor Human Lymphocytes In Vitro.

Introduction: Laser radiation is a promising strategy against various malignancies. Recent studies have shown that the application of low-power laser therapy (LPLT) at different doses and exposure times could modulate the growth dynamic of tumor cells. Based on the type of laser, LPLT could potentially trigger cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in different cell lines. Methods: In this study, MTT assay was used to monitor the effect of low and high laser intensities on the viability of normal and cancer lymphocytes. The protein levels of Ki-67 (a proliferation marker) and Caspase-3 (an apoptosis factor) were measured in human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the B-lymphoblastic cell line (Nalm-6) using flow cytometry after being-exposed to 630-nm LPLT at low (2, 4, 6, and 10 J/cm2 ) and high (15, 30, 60, and 120 J/cm2) energy densities in a continuous mode for 48 and 72 hours. Results: By using higher energy densities, 60 and 120 J/cm2 , a significant decrease was shown in the viability of Nalm-6 cells, which reached 6.6 and 10.1% after 48 hours compared to the control cells (P<0.05). Notably, Cell exposure to doses 30, 60, and 120 J/cm2 yielded 7.5, 12.9, and 21.6 cell viability reduction after 72 hours. The collected data showed that the high-intensity parameters of LPLT (15 to 120 J/cm2) promoted significant apoptotic changes in the exposed cells coincided with the activation of Caspase-3 compared to the none-treated control cells (P<0.05). The data further showed the stimulation of the Ki-67 factor both in primary PBMCs and the lymphoblastic cell line treated with LPLT at energy densities of 4 and 6 J/cm2 (P<0.05), indicating enhanced cell proliferation. Similar to Nalm-6 cells, primary PBMCs showed apoptosis after 48 hours of being exposed to doses 60, and 120 J/cm2 , indicated by increased Caspase-3 levels (P<0.05). As expected, the Nalm-6 cells were resistant to cytotoxic effects of laser irradiation in the first 48 hours (P>0.05) compared to normal PBMCs. The exposure of Nalm-6 cells to low-intensity laser intensities increased a proliferation rate compared to the PBMCs treated with the same doses. Conclusion: We showed the potency of LPLT in the induction of apoptosis and proliferation in human primary PBMCs and Nalm-6 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner after 72 hours.

Improving inverse Compton sources by avoiding non-linearities

We present a new, more nuanced understanding of non-linear effects in inverse Compton sources. Deleterious non-linear effects can arise even at low laser intensities, a regime previously viewed as linear. After laying out a survey of non-linear phenomena which degrade the effectiveness of inverse Compton sources, we discuss two powerful techniques designed to avoid these non-linearities. Starting with the known technique of non-linear longitudinal chirping of the laser pulse in the high laser field regime, we show that the simple stretching of the laser pulse, while keeping the energy constant, can significantly increase the spectral density of the scattered radiation in many operating regimes. Our numerical simulations show that combining these two techniques avoids detrimental non-linearities and improves the performance of inverse Compton sources over an order of magnitude.

Frustrated double ionization of atoms in strong laser fields.

With a three-dimensional classical ensemble method, we theoretically investigated frustrated double ionization (FDI) of atoms with different laser wavelengths. Our results show that FDI can be more efficiently generated with shorter wavelengths and lower laser intensities. With proper laser parameters more FDI events can be generated than normal double ionization events. The physical condition under which FDI events happen is identified and explained. The energy distribution of the FDI products - atomic ions in highly excited states - shows a sensitive wavelength dependency.

Development of a directly driven multi-shell platform: Laser drive energetics

Simulations predict that directly driven multi-shell targets can provide a robust alternative to conventional high-convergence implosion concepts by coupling two to three times more energy into the final igniting thermonuclear fuel assembly than indirect-drive concepts. The three-shell directly driven Revolver concept [K. Molvig, M. J. Schmitt, B. J. Albright, E. S. Dodd, N. M. Hoffman, G. H. McCall, and S. D. Ramsey, Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 255003 (2016)] utilizes a design that maximizes laser energy conversion into inward kinetic energy of the outermost ablator shell (∼9%) while minimizing the DT fuel convergence (∼9) to reduce the mixing of material from the innermost shell into the fuel. Inherent in this design concept is the use of 192 narrow beams (with a 1/e laser beam-to-capsule diameter ratio of 0.33) from the National Ignition Facility laser pointed in a polar direct drive laser configuration. In this paper, we demonstrate that low average laser intensity at the capsule surface (≤300 TW/cm2) limits the measured laser backscatter, indicating that a greater amount of laser energy is coupled into the target. Omega experiments have been performed to determine the coupling of laser energy to the outermost shell of a scaled Revolver target (i.e., the ablator shell) by measuring capsule implosion trajectories and scattered-light fractions for two different drive configurations. Comparisons of simulated shell trajectory and velocity profiles with experimental data obtained from self-emission images show good agreement and are consistent with measured scattered light data. Moreover, the low levels of scattered light measured are consistent with post-shot simulation results that show high hydro-coupling efficiency. These results strengthen the case for using narrow beams at low intensity to drive large ablator capsules for future direct-drive, multi-shell ignition concepts.

Surface Charge Switchable Supramolecular Nanocarriers for Nitric Oxide Synergistic Photodynamic Eradication of Biofilms.

Biofilm has resulted in numerous obstinate clinical infections, posing severe threats to public health. It is urgent to develop original antibacterial strategies for eradicating biofilms. Herein, we develop a surface charge switchable supramolecular nanocarrier exhibiting pH-responsive penetration into an acidic biofilm for nitric oxide (NO) synergistic photodynamic eradication of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm with negligible damage to healthy tissues under laser irradiation. Originally, by integrating the glutathione (GSH)-sensitive α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) conjugated nitric oxide (NO) prodrug (α-CD-NO) and chlorin e6 (Ce6) prodrug (α-CD-Ce6) into the pH-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block polypeptide copolymer (PEG-(KLAKLAK)2-DA) via host-guest interaction, the supramolecular nanocarrier α-CD-Ce6-NO-DA was finely prepared. The supramolecular nanocarrier shows complete surface charge reversal from negative charge at physiological pH (7.4) to positive charge at acidic biofilm pH (5.5), promoting efficient penetration into the biofilm. Once infiltrated into the biofilm, the nanocarrier exhibits rapid NO release triggered by the overexpressed GSH in the biofilm, which not only produces abundant NO for killing bacteria but also reduces the biofilm GSH level to improve photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficiency. On the other hand, NO can react with reactive oxygen species (ROS) to produce reactive nitrogen species (RNS), further improving the PDT efficiency. Due to the effective penetration into the biofilm and depletion of biofilm GSH, the surface charge switchable GSH-sensitive NO nanocarrier can greatly improve the PDT efficiency at a low photosensitizer dose and laser intensity and cause negligible side effect to healthy tissues. Considering the above advantages, the strategy developed in this work may offer great possibilities to fight against biofilm infections.

Nanoparticle-Mediated Cavitation via CO2 Laser Impacting on Water: Concentration Effect, Temperature Visualization, and Core-Shell Structures

By taking advantage of seeded polymer nanoparticles and strong photo energy absorption, we report CO2 laser impacting on water to produce cavitation at the air/water interface. Using a high-speed camera, three regimes (no cavitation, cavitation, and pseudo-cavitation) are identified within a broad range of nanoparticles concentration and size. The underlying correlation among cavitation, nanoparticles and temperature is revealed by the direct observation of spatiotemporal evolution of temperature using a thermal cameral. These findings indicate that nanoparticles not only act as preexisted nuclei to promote nucleation for cavitation, but also likely affect temperature to change the nucleation rate as well. Moreover, by exploiting a compound hexane/water interface, a novel core-shell cavitation is demonstrated. This approach might be utilized to attain and control cavitations by choosing nanoparticles and designing interfaces while operating at a lower laser intensity, for versatile technological applications in material science and medical surgery.

Effects of self-phase modulation (SPM) on femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy.

The effects of self-phase modulation (SPM) on the power spectra of femtosecond (fs) pulses and the consequent impact on N2 chirped-probe-pulse (CPP) fs coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectra are discussed in this paper. We investigated the pressure dependence of CPP fs CARS for N2 in a room-temperature gas cell at pressures ranging from 1 to 10 bar, and in our initial experiments the CPP fs CARS spectrum changed drastically as the pressure increased. We found that the spectra of the near-Fourier-transform-limited, 60-fs pump and Stokes pulses at the exit of the gas cell changed drastically as the pressure increased due to self-phase-modulation (SPM). This effect was examined in detail in further experiments where the pulse energies of the pump and Stokes pulses were controlled using a combination of a half-wave plate and a linear polarizer. Along with the generated CARS spectrum, the spectra of pump and Stokes pulses were measured at the entrance and exit of the gas cell. The extent of SPM effects for a particular spectrum was characterized by the least squares difference between that spectrum and a spectrum recorded at low enough pressure and laser intensities that SPM was negligible. SPM effects were investigated for N2, O2, CO2, and CH4, for pressures ranging from 1 to 10 bar, and for pump and Stokes pulse energies ranging from 10 to 60 µJ. We found that SPM effects in N2 were much weaker than for O2, CO2 and CH4.

Effect of laser intensity on quantum trajectories in the macroscopic high-order harmonic generation**Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFA0403300), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11627807, 11774175, 11534004, 11774129, and 11604119), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant No. 30916011207), the Jilin Provincial Research Foundation

We macroscopically investigate the effect of the laser intensity and gas density on quantum trajectories in the high-order harmonic generation of Ne atoms irradiated by few-cycle, 800-nm laser pulses. The time–frequency profile of the harmonics shows that the long quantum trajectory is dominant at both lower and higher gas densities for a low laser intensity. At high laser intensities, the long quantum trajectory plays an important role for lower gas densities, while the short quantum trajectory is dominant at higher gas densities. An analysis of the phase mismatch for high-order harmonic generation shows that the primary emission of the quantum trajectories is determined by dynamic changes in the laser electric field during the propagation process.