Femtosecond filamentation in transparent media
TL;DR: In this paper, the main aspects of ultrashort laser pulse filamentation in various transparent media such as air (gases), transparent solids and liquids are introduced and discussed.
About: This article is published in Physics Reports.The article was published on 2007-03-01. It has received 2282 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Filamentation & Femtosecond.
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TL;DR: Unscreened surface charge of LSPC-synthesized colloids is the key to achieving colloidal stability and high affinity to biomolecules as well as support materials, thereby enabling the fabrication of bioconjugates and heterogeneous catalysts.
Abstract: Driven by functionality and purity demand for applications of inorganic nanoparticle colloids in optics, biology, and energy, their surface chemistry has become a topic of intensive research interest. Consequently, ligand-free colloids are ideal reference materials for evaluating the effects of surface adsorbates from the initial state for application-oriented nanointegration purposes. After two decades of development, laser synthesis and processing of colloids (LSPC) has emerged as a convenient and scalable technique for the synthesis of ligand-free nanomaterials in sealed environments. In addition to the high-purity surface of LSPC-generated nanoparticles, other strengths of LSPC include its high throughput, convenience for preparing alloys or series of doped nanomaterials, and its continuous operation mode, suitable for downstream processing. Unscreened surface charge of LSPC-synthesized colloids is the key to achieving colloidal stability and high affinity to biomolecules as well as support materials,...
892 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the landmarks of the 10-odd-year progress in this field, focusing on the theoretical modeling of the propagation equations, whose physical ingredients are discussed from numerical simulations.
Abstract: Modern laser sources nowadays deliver ultrashort light pulses reaching few cycles in duration and peak powers exceeding several terawatt (TW). When such pulses propagate through optically transparent media, they first self-focus in space and grow in intensity, until they generate a tenuous plasma by photo-ionization. For free electron densities and beam intensities below their breakdown limits, these pulses evolve as self-guided objects, resulting from successive equilibria between the Kerr focusing process, the chromatic dispersion of the medium and the defocusing action of the electron plasma. Discovered one decade ago, this self-channeling mechanism reveals a new physics, widely extending the frontiers of nonlinear optics. Implications include long-distance propagation of TW beams in the atmosphere, supercontinuum emission, pulse shortening as well as high-order harmonic generation. This review presents the landmarks of the 10-odd-year progress in this field. Particular emphasis is laid on the theoretical modeling of the propagation equations, whose physical ingredients are discussed from numerical simulations. The dynamics of single filaments created over laboratory scales in various materials such as noble gases, liquids and dielectrics reveal new perspectives in pulse shortening techniques. Far-field spectra provide promising diagnostics. Attention is also paid to the multifilamentation instability of broad beams, breaking up the energy distribution into small-scale cells along the optical path. The robustness of the resulting filaments in adverse weathers, their large conical emission exploited for multipollutant remote sensing, nonlinear spectroscopy and the possibility of guiding electric discharges in air are finally addressed on the basis of experimental results.
858 citations
Cites background from "Femtosecond filamentation in transp..."
...Although a couple of comprehensive reports were recently published in this field (Chin et al 2005, Couairon and Mysyrowicz 2007), the theoretical foundations of these unique structures of light and their universal features still deserve to be exposed, which justifies the present review....
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TL;DR: The experimental observation of curved plasma channels generated in air using femtosecond Airy beams, where the tightly confined main intensity feature of the axially nonsymmetric laser beam propagates along a bent trajectory, leaving a curved plasma channel behind.
Abstract: Plasma channel generation (or filamentation) using ultraintense laser pulses in dielectric media has a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from remote sensing to terahertz generation to lightning control. So far, laser filamentation has been triggered with the use of ultrafast pulses with axially symmetric spatial beam profiles, thereby generating straight filaments. We report the experimental observation of curved plasma channels generated in air using femtosecond Airy beams. In this unusual propagation regime, the tightly confined main intensity feature of the axially nonsymmetric laser beam propagates along a bent trajectory, leaving a curved plasma channel behind. Secondary channels bifurcate from the primary bent channel at several locations along the beam path. The broadband radiation emanating from different longitudinal sections of the curved filament propagates along angularly resolved trajectories.
746 citations
TL;DR: A review of the state-of-the-art in the fabrication, characterization and applications of femtosecond-laser micromachined waveguiding structures in optical crystals and ceramics is presented in this article.
Abstract: Femtosecond-laser micromachining (also known as inscription or writing) has been developed as one of the most efficient techniques for direct three-dimensional microfabrication of transparent optical materials. In integrated photonics, by using direct writing of femtosecond/ultrafast laser pulses, optical waveguides can be produced in a wide variety of optical materials. With diverse parameters, the formed waveguides may possess different configurations. This paper focuses on crystalline dielectric materials, and is a review of the state-of-the-art in the fabrication, characterization and applications of femtosecond-laser micromachined waveguiding structures in optical crystals and ceramics. A brief outlook is presented by focusing on a few potential spotlights.
535 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, proper-ties, generation methods and emerging applications for non-Gaussian beam shapes are discussed, including Bessel, an-nular, and vortex beams.
Abstract: Non-Gaussian beam profiles such as Bessel or an- nular beams enable novel approaches to modifying materials through laser-based processing. In this review paper, proper- ties, generation methods and emerging applications for non- conventional beam shapes are discussed, including Bessel, an- nular, and vortex beams. These intensity profiles have important implications in a number of technologically relevant areas includ- ing deep-hole drilling, photopolymerization and nanopatterning, and introduce a new dimension for materials optimization and fundamental studies of laser-matter interactions.
534 citations
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46,339 citations
TL;DR: During strong-field multiphoton ionization, a wave packet is formed each time the laser field passes its maximum value, and one important parameter which determines the strength of these effects is the rate at which the wave packet spreads in the direction perpendicular to the laser electric field.
Abstract: During strong-field multiphoton ionization, a wave packet is formed each time the laser field passes its maximum value Within the first laser period after ionization there is a significant probability that the electron will return to the vicinity of the ion with very high kinetic energy High-harmonic generation, multiphoton two-electron ejection, and very high energy above-threshold-ionization electrons are all conssequences of this electron-ion interaction One important parameter which determines the strength of these effects is the rate at which the wave packet spreads in the direction perpendicular to the laser electric field; another is the polarization of the laser It will be essential for experimentalists to be aware of these crucial parameters in future experiments
5,334 citations
Book•
01 May 1984
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a general description of wave propagation in nonlinear media, including high-resolution nonlinear optical spectroscopy, and four-wave mixing and mixing.
Abstract: Introduction. Nonlinear Optical Susceptibilities. General Description of Wave Propagation in Nonlinear Media. Electrooptical and Magnetooptical Effects. Optical Rectification and Optical Field-Induced Magnetization. Sum-Frequency Generation. Harmonic Generation. Difference Frequency Generation. Parametric Amplification and Oscillation. Stimulated Raman Scattering. Stimulated Light Scattering. Two-Photon Absorption. High-Resolution Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy. Four-Wave Mixing. Four-Wave Mixing Spectroscopy. Optical-Field-Induced Birefringence. Self-Focusing. Multiphoton Spectroscopy. Detection of Rare Atoms and Molecules. Laser Manipulation of Particles. Transient Coherent Optical Effects. Strong Interaction of Light with Atoms. Infrared Multiphoton Excitation and Dissociation of Molecules. Laser Isotope Separation. Surface Nonlinear Optics. Nonlinear Optics in Optical Waveguides. Optical Breakdown. Nonlinear Optical Effects in Plasmas. Index.
5,311 citations