Relativistic Nonlinear Optics Research Articles

High-order vortex harmonics generation by bi-circular Laguerre-Gaussian laser fields with relativistic plasmas

Vortex beams with ultra-high brilliance can greatly enrich the light and matter interaction process and even shed light on the unexpected information in relativistic nonlinear optics. Thus, we propose a scheme for relativistic intense vortex harmonic radiation by use of bi-circular Laguerre–Gaussian lasers irradiating relativistic plasmas. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation results show that the emitted harmonics own controllable spin and orbital angular momentum simultaneously, which can be attributed to the vortex mirror model and the related conservation laws. Meanwhile, the conversion efficiency of harmonic generation can be tuned through adjusting the intensity ratio of the two driving field components.

Research progress of ultrabright <i>γ</i>-ray radiation and electron-positron pair production driven by extremely intense laser fields

The advent of high-power ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses opens up the new frontiers of relativistic nonlinear optics, high-field physics, laser-driven inertial confined fusion, etc. In recent years, with the construction of high power laser facilities at a multi-petawatt (PW) level and above, the interaction between laser and matter enters into a new realm of high field physics, where extremely rich nonlinear physics is involved. In addition to classical nonlinear physics involving wave-particle interactions, relativistic effects, and ponderomotive force effects, the quantum electrodynamic (QED) effects occur, such as radiation reaction force, electron-positron pair production, strong γ-ray radiation, QED cascades, and vacuum polarization. This paper presents a brief overview of electron-positron pair creation and bright γ-ray emission driven by the extremely intense laser fields.

Photon deceleration in plasma wakes generates single-cycle relativistic tunable infrared pulses

Availability of relativistically intense, single-cycle, tunable infrared sources will open up new areas of relativistic nonlinear optics of plasmas, impulse IR spectroscopy and pump-probe experiments in the molecular fingerprint region. However, generation of such pulses is still a challenge by current methods. Recently, it has been proposed that time dependent refractive index associated with laser-produced nonlinear wakes in a suitably designed plasma density structure rapidly frequency down-converts photons. The longest wavelength photons slip backwards relative to the evolving laser pulse to form a single-cycle pulse within the nearly evacuated wake cavity. This process is called photon deceleration. Here, we demonstrate this scheme for generating high-power (~100 GW), near single-cycle, wavelength tunable (3–20 µm), infrared pulses using an 810 nm drive laser by tuning the density profile of the plasma. We also demonstrate that these pulses can be used to in-situ probe the transient and nonlinear wakes themselves.

High-order harmonic generation from a solid-surface plasma by relativistic-intensity sub-100-fs mid-infrared pulses.

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in plasmas induced by ultrashort, relativistic-intensity laser pulses on solid surfaces can provide an efficient source of attosecond pulses and opens routes toward new regimes of laser-matter interactions, x-ray generation, laser particle acceleration, and relativistic nonlinear optics. However, field intensities in the range of Irel∼1019 W/cm2 are typically needed to achieve the relativistic regime of HHG in experiments with near-infrared laser pulses. Here, we show that, in the mid-infrared range, due to the λ-2 scaling of Irel with the driver wavelength λ, relativistic HHG can be observed at much lower levels of laser field intensities. High-peak-power 80-fs, 3.9-μm pulses are focused in our experiments on a solid surface to provide field intensities in the range of 1017 W/cm2. Remarkably, this level of field intensities, considered as low by the standards of relativistic optics in the near infrared, is shown to be sufficient for generation of high-order harmonics with signature properties of relativistic HHG-beam directionality, spectra with extended plateaus, and a high HHG yield sustained for both p- and s-polarized driver fields.

Intense harmonics generation with customized photon frequency and optical vortex

An optical vortex with orbital angular momentum (OAM) enriches the light and matter interaction process, and helps reveal unexpected information in relativistic nonlinear optics. A scheme is proposed for the first time to explore the origin of photons in the generated harmonics, and produce relativistic intense harmonics with expected frequency and an optical vortex. When two counter-propagating Laguerre–Gaussian laser pulses impinge on a solid thin foil and interact with each other, the contribution of each input pulse in producing harmonics can be distinguished with the help of angular momentum conservation of photons, which is almost impossible for harmonic generation without an optical vortex. The generation of tunable, intense vortex harmonics with different photon topological charge is predicted based on the theoretical analysis and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Inheriting the properties of OAM and harmonics, the obtained intense vortex beam can be applied in a wide range of fields, including atom or molecule control and manipulation.

Progress in the growth of large scale Ti:sapphire crystals by the heat exchanger method (HEM) for petawatt class lasers

In modelocked laser systems, the shortest possible pulse width is determined by the Fourier transform of the spectral bandwidth of the pulse; the wider the spectral bandwidth, the shorter the pulse. Titanium-doped sapphire (Ti:sapphire) offers the widest gain bandwidth of any currently available laser gain material, enabling systems to deliver pulse widths shorter than 10 fs (10 −14 s). Because of the short pulse durations, the peak power can be extremely high, and therefore Ti:sapphire lasers have been at the forefront of research into ultrafast, ultrahigh power lasers. These intense ultrashort laser pulses are the light source for fundamental studies of light–matter interactions. Interesting scientific results have been achieved with these lasers in the fields of high order harmonic and short pulse X-ray generations, high density plasmas, relativistic acceleration, relativistic nonlinear optics, time resolved X-ray diffraction with unprecedented time resolution and others. Researchers have recently achieved near petawatt (10 15 W) peak power laser operation using large diameter Ti:sapphire amplifiers, and are developing higher power lasers for research into high energy physics. However, the saturation fluence of the Ti:sapphire gain medium is limited to about 1 J/cm 2. Thus, continued scale up in peak laser energy requires the scale up of high-quality Ti:sapphire crystals for laser amplifiers. Current demand is for 100 mm diameter crystals, and this requirement is projected to grow up to 250 mm diameter crystals in a few years. To address this technological bottleneck, Crystal Systems has upgraded its heat exchanger method (HEM) furnaces and fabrication and metrology to scale up the production of Ti:sapphire crystals. Currently, 175 mm diameter Ti:sapphire amplifier crystals are being fabricated from high-quality 208 mm boules.

Intense, ultrashort light and dense, hot matter

This article presents an overview of the physics and applications of the interaction of high intensity laser light with matter. It traces the crucial advances that have occurred over the past few decades in laser technology and nonlinear optics and then discusses physical phenomena that occur in intense laser fields and their modeling. After a description of the basic phenomena like multiphoton and tunneling ionization, the physics of plasma formed in dense matter is presented. Specific phenomena are chosen for illustration of the scientific and technological possibilities — simulation of astrophysical phenomena, relativistic nonlinear optics, laser wakefield acceleration, laser fusion, ultrafast real time X-ray diffraction, application of the particle beams produced from the plasma for medical therapies etc. A survey of the Indian activities in this research area appears at the end.

Relativistic attosecond physics

A study, with particle-in-cell simulations, of relativistic nonlinear optics in the regime of tight focus and ultrashort pulse duration (the λ3 regime) reveals that synchronized attosecond electromagnetic pulses [N. M. Naumova, J. A. Nees, I. V. Sokolov, B. Hou, and G. A. Mourou, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 063902 (2004)] and attosecond electron bunches [N. Naumova, I. Sokolov, J. Nees, A. Maksimchuk, V. Yanovsky, and G. Mourou, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 195003 (2004)] emerge efficiently from laser interaction with overdense plasmas. The λ3 concept enables a more basic understanding and a more practical implementation of these phenomena because it provides spatial and temporal isolation. The synchronous generation of strong attosecond electromagnetic pulses and dense attosecond electron bunches provides a basis for relativistic attosecond optoelectronics.

On the design of experiments for the study of relativistic nonlinear optics in the limit of single-cycle pulse duration and single-wavelength spot size

We propose a set of experiments with the aim of studying for the first time relativistic nonlinear optics in the fundamental limits of single-cycle pulse duration and single-wavelength spot size. The laser sys- tem that makes this work possible is now operating at the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science at the University of Michigan. Its high repetition rate (1 kHz) will make it possible to perform a detailed investigation of relativ- istic effects in this novel regime. This study has the potential to make the field of relativistic optics accessible to a wider community and to open the door for real-world applications of relativistic optics, such as electron/ion acceleration and neutron and positron production. © 2002 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".

Ultraintense lasers: relativistic nonlinear optics and applications

Traditional optics and nonlinear optics are related to laser–matter interaction with eV characteristic energy. Recent progresses in ultrahigh intensity makes it possible to drive electrons with relativistic energy opening up the field of relativistic nonlinear optics. In the last decade, lasers have undergone orders-of-magnitude jumps in peak power, with the invention of the technique of chirped pulse amplification (CPA) and the refinements of femtosecond techniques. Modern CPA lasers can produce intensities greater than 10 21 W/cm 2, one million times greater than previously possible. These ultraintense lasers give researchers a tool to produce unprecedented pressures (terabars), magnetic fields (gigagauss), temperatures (10 10 K), and accelerations (10 25 g) with applications in fusion energy, nuclear physics (fast ignition), high-energy physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. They promote the optics field from the eV to the GeV.

Photon kinetics for laser-plasma interactions

A photon kinetic formalism is employed to describe the propagation of short laser pulses in tenuous plasmas. The photon kinetic theory contains all of the ingredients necessary to describe the relativistic nonlinear optics of short laser pulses in plasmas, and the shortest time scale is determined by the local evolution of the index of refraction. We use this feature to implement a photon in cell code, in which the typical time step is much bigger than is the laser field time scale. Additional information provided by the photon kinetic framework is illustrated by one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) simulations.

Hysteretic and multiphoton optical resonances of a single cyclotron electron

Due to tiny relativistic effects, a host of nonlinear interactions of microwave or optical radiation with a single trapped electron in a strong magnetic field is feasible. This phenomenon, relativistic so-called nonlinear optics of a single electron, includes hysteretic and isolas resonances and various multiphoton excitations, in particular, stimulated cyclo-Raman resonances and subharmonics of any order. The authors develop a unified approach to all these effects. Results valid for arbitrary electron energy and for any order of interaction are obtained, and higher order cyclo-Raman resonances are predicted.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>