180 mW, 1 MHz, 15 fs carrier-envelope phase-stable pulse generation via polarization-optimized down-conversion from gas-filled hollow-core fiber
Anchit Srivastava,
Kilian Scheffter,
Soyeon Jun,
Andreas Herbst,
Hanieh Fattahi
Applied Physics Letters
125
204101
(2024)
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Gas-filled hollow core fibers allow the generation of single-cycle pulses at megahertz repetition rates. When coupled with difference frequency generation, they can be an ideal driver for the generation of carrier-envelope phase stable, octave-spanning pulses in the short-wavelength infrared. In this work, we investigate the dependence of the polarization state in gas-filled hollow-core fibers on the subsequent difference frequency generation stage. We show that by adjusting the input polarization state of light in geometrically symmetric systems, such as hollow-core fibers, one can achieve precise control over the polarization state of the output pulses. Importantly, this manipulation preserves the temporal characteristics of the ultrashort pulses generated, especially when operating near the single-cycle regime. We leverage this property to boost the down-conversion efficiency of these pulses in a type I difference frequency generation stage. Our technique overcomes the bandwidth and dispersion constraints of the previous methods that rely on broadband waveplates or adjustment of crystal axes relative to the laboratory frame. This advancement is crucial for experiments demanding pure polarization states in the eigenmodes of the laboratory frame.
Frequency comb and field-resolved broadband absorption spectroscopy are promising techniques for rapid, precise, and sensitive detection of short-lived atmospheric pollutants on-site. Enhancing detection sensitivity in absorption spectroscopy hinges on bright sources that cover molecular resonances and fast signal modulation techniques to implement lock-in detection schemes efficiently. Yb:YAG thin-disk lasers, combined with optical parametric oscillators (OPO), present a compelling solution to fulfill these requirements. In this work, we report on a bright OPO pumped by a Yb:YAG thin-disk Kerr-lens mode-locked oscillator delivering 2.8 W, 114 fs pulses at 2.06 {\mu}m with an averaged energy of 90 nJ. The OPO cavity operates at 30.9 MHz pulse repetition rates, the second harmonic of the pump cavity, allowing for broadband, efficient, and dispersion-free modulation of the OPO output pulses at 15.45 MHz rate. With 13% optical-to-optical conversion efficiency and a high-frequency intra-cavity modulation, this scalable scheme holds promise to advance the detection sensitivity and frontiers of field-resolved spectroscopic techniques.
Near-petahertz fieldoscopy of liquid
Anchit Srivastava,
Andreas Herbst,
Mahdi M. Bidhendi,
Max Kieker,
Francesco Tani,
Hanieh Fattahi
Measuring transient optical fields is pivotal not only for understanding ultrafast phenomena but also for the quantitative detection of various molecular species in a sample. Here we demonstrate near-petahertz electric field detection of a few femtosecond pulses with 200 attosecond temporal resolution and subfemtojoule detection sensitivity. By field-resolved detection of the impulsively excited molecules in the liquid phase, termed femtosecond fieldoscopy, we demonstrate temporal isolation of the response of the target molecules from those of the environment and the excitation pulse. In a proof-of-concept analysis of aqueous and liquid samples, we demonstrate field-sensitive detection of combination bands of 4.13 μmol ethanol for the first time. This method expands the scope of aqueous sample analysis to higher detection sensitivity and dynamic range, while the simultaneous direct measurements of phase and intensity information pave the path towards high-resolution biological spectro-microscopy.
In this paper, we investigate the role of solar laser technology as a pivotal element in advancing sustainable and renewable energy. We begin by examining its wide-ranging applications across diverse fields, including remote communication, energy storage through magnesium production, and space exploration and communication. We address the current challenges faced by solar laser technology, which include the necessity for miniaturization, operation at natural sunlight intensity without the need for concentrated power, and efficient energy conversion. These improvements are essential to elevate their operational performance, beam quality, and cost-effectiveness. The promising prospects of space-based solar-pumped lasers and their potential role in magnesium generation for a sustainable energy future highlight some of the vast application opportunities that this novel technology could offer.
Nonlinear dynamics of femtosecond laser interaction with the central nervous system in zebrafish
Soyeon Jun,
Andreas Herbst,
Kilian Scheffter,
Nora John,
Julia Kolb,
Daniel Wehner,
Hanieh Fattahi
Communications Physics
7
161
(2024)
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Understanding the photodamage mechanism underlying the highly nonlinear dynamic of femtosecond laser pulses at the second transparent window of tissue is crucial for label-free microscopy. Here, we report the identification of two cavitation regimes from 1030 nm pulses when interacting with the central nervous system in zebrafish. We show that at low repetition rates, the damage is confined due to plasma-based ablation and sudden local temperature rise. At high repetition rates, the damage becomes collateral due to plasma-mediated photochemistry. Furthermore, we investigate the role of fluorescence labels with linear and nonlinear absorption pathways in optical breakdown. To verify our findings, we examined cell death and cellular responses to tissue damage, including the recruitment of fibroblasts and immune cells after irradiation. These findings contribute to advancing the emerging nonlinear optical microscopy techniques and provide a strategy for inducing precise, and localized injuries using near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses.
Compressed Sensing of Field-Resolved Molecular Fingerprints Beyond the Nyquist Frequency
Kilian Scheffter,
Jonathan Will,
Claudius Riek,
Jousselin Herve,
Sébastien Coudreau,
Nicolas Forget,
Hanieh Fattahi
Ultrashort time-domain spectroscopy and field-resolved spectroscopy of molecular fingerprints are gold standards for detecting samples’ constituents and internal dynamics. However, they are hindered by the Nyquist criterion, leading to prolonged data acquisition, processing times, and sizable data volumes. In this work, we present the first experimental demonstration of compressed sensing on field-resolved molecular fingerprinting by employing random scanning. Our measurements enable pinpointing the primary absorption peaks of atmospheric water vapor in response to terahertz light transients while sampling beyond the Nyquist limit. By drastically undersampling the electric field of the molecular response at a Nyquist frequency of 0.8 THz, we could successfully identify water absorption peaks up to 2.5 THz with a mean squared error of 12 × 10−4. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration of time-domain compressed sensing, paving the path toward real-time field-resolved fingerprinting and acceleration of advanced spectroscopic techniques.
Kontakt
Forschungsgruppe Hanieh Fattahi
Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts Staudtstr. 2 91058 Erlangen
