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Fedorov VY, Tzortzakis S. Powerful terahertz waves from long-wavelength infrared laser filaments. LIGHT, SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS 2020; 9:186. [PMID: 33298833 PMCID: PMC7665013 DOI: 10.1038/s41377-020-00423-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Strong terahertz (THz) electric and magnetic transients open up new horizons in science and applications. We review the most promising way of achieving sub-cycle THz pulses with extreme field strengths. During the nonlinear propagation of two-color mid-infrared and far-infrared ultrashort laser pulses, long, and thick plasma strings are produced, where strong photocurrents result in intense THz transients. The corresponding THz electric and magnetic field strengths can potentially reach the gigavolt per centimeter and kilotesla levels, respectively. The intensities of these THz fields enable extreme nonlinear optics and relativistic physics. We offer a comprehensive review, starting from the microscopic physical processes of light-matter interactions with mid-infrared and far-infrared ultrashort laser pulses, the theoretical and numerical advances in the nonlinear propagation of these laser fields, and the most important experimental demonstrations to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Yu Fedorov
- Science Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874, Doha, Qatar.
- P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 53 Leninskiy Prospekt, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| | - Stelios Tzortzakis
- Science Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar, P.O. Box 23874, Doha, Qatar.
- Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), P.O. Box 1527, Heraklion, GR-71110, Greece.
- Department of Materials Science and Technology, University of Crete, Heraklion, GR-71003, Greece.
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Woodbury D, Schwartz RM, Rockafellow E, Wahlstrand JK, Milchberg HM. Absolute Measurement of Laser Ionization Yield in Atmospheric Pressure Range Gases over 14 Decades. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 124:013201. [PMID: 31976702 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.124.013201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Strong-field ionization is central to intense laser-matter interactions. However, standard ionization measurements have been limited to extremely low density gas samples, ignoring potential high density effects. Here, we measure strong-field ionization in atmospheric pressure range air, N_{2}, and Ar over 14 decades of absolute yield, using mid-IR picosecond avalanche multiplication of single electrons. Our results are consistent with theoretical rates for isolated atoms and molecules and quantify the ubiquitous presence of ultralow concentration gas contaminants that can significantly affect laser-gas interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Woodbury
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - R M Schwartz
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - E Rockafellow
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - J K Wahlstrand
- Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - H M Milchberg
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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Schuh K, Kolesik M, Wright EM, Moloney JV, Koch SW. Self-Channeling of High-Power Long-Wave Infrared Pulses in Atomic Gases. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2017; 118:063901. [PMID: 28234538 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.118.063901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We simulate and elucidate the self-channeling of high-power 10 μm infrared pulses in atomic gases. The major new result is that the peak intensity can remain remarkably stable over many Rayleigh ranges. This arises from the balance between the self-focusing, diffraction, and defocusing caused by the excitation induced dephasing due to many-body Coulomb effects that enhance the low-intensity plasma densities. This new paradigm removes the Rayleigh range limit for sources in the 8-12 μm atmospheric transmission window and enables transport of individual multi-TW pulses over multiple kilometer ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Schuh
- Department of Mathematics, Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - M Kolesik
- Department of Mathematics, Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - E M Wright
- Department of Mathematics, Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - J V Moloney
- Department of Mathematics, Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - S W Koch
- College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and Department of Physics and Material Science Center, Philipps-University, 35032 Marburg, Germany
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Schuh K, Moloney JV, Koch SW. Interaction-induced nonlinear refractive-index reduction of gases in the midinfrared regime. Phys Rev E 2016; 93:013208. [PMID: 26871184 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.93.013208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The nonlinear optical response of a dilute atomic gas to ultrashort high-intensity midinfrared pulse excitation is calculated fully microscopically. The optically induced polarization dynamics is evaluated for the interacting many-electron system in a gas of hydrogen atoms. It is shown that the many-body effects during the excitation distinctly influence not only the atomic ionization dynamics, but also the nonlinear polarization response in the midinfrared regime. The delicate balance between the Kerr focusing and the ionization-induced defocusing is dramatically modified and a significant decrease of the nonlinear refractive index is predicted for increasing wavelength of the exciting pulse.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Schuh
- Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - J V Moloney
- Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - S W Koch
- College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA and Department of Physics and Material Science Center, Philipps-University, 35032 Marburg, Germany
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Schuh K, Kolesik M, Wright EM, Moloney JV. Simple model for the nonlinear optical response of gases in the transparency region. OPTICS LETTERS 2014; 39:5086-5089. [PMID: 25166080 DOI: 10.1364/ol.39.005086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We present a simple model for the nonlinear optical response of atomic gases for pulses with center wavelengths in the transparency region and peak fields for which ionization is not prevalent. By comparing with simulations based on the Schrödinger equation for a hydrogen atom we demonstrate that the model accurately captures the dispersion of the nonlinear polarization as well as noninstantaneous effects for a variety of photon energies and also a two-color pulse. Our approach should be of utility in simulating near- and mid-infrared pulse propagation in dielectric media for which extreme nonlinear effects can arise.
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