RESUMEN
Stimulated Raman scattering is ubiquitous in many high-intensity laser environments. Parametric four-wave mixing between the pump and Raman sidebands can affect the Raman gain, but stringent phase matching requirements and strongly nonlinear dynamics obscure clear understanding of its effects at high laser powers. Here we investigate four-wave mixing in the presence of strong self-focusing and weak ionization at laser powers above the Kerr critical power. Theoretical analysis shows that the plasma generated at focus naturally leads to phase matching conditions suitable for enhanced Raman gain, almost without regard to the initial phase mismatch. Multidimensional nonlinear optical simulations with multiphoton and collisional ionization confirm the enhancement and suggest that it may lead to significantly higher Raman losses in some high-intensity laser environments.
RESUMEN
Meter-scale nonlinear propagation of a picosecond ultraviolet laser beam in water, sufficiently intense to cause stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), nonlinear focusing, pump-Stokes nonlinear coupling, and photoexcitation, was characterized in experiments and simulations. Pump and SRS Stokes pulse energies were measured, and pump beam profiles were imaged at propagation distances up to 100 cm for a range of laser power below and above self-focusing critical power. Simulations with conduction band excitation energy UCB=9.5eV, effective electron mass meff=0.2me, Kerr nonlinear refractive index n2=5×10-16cm2/W, and index contribution due to SRS susceptibility n2r=1.7×10-16cm2/W produced the best agreement with experimental data.
RESUMEN
A typical laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) is driven by a single, ultrarelativistic laser pulse from terawatt- or petawatt-class lasers. Recently, there has been some theoretical work on the use of copropagating two-color laser pulses (CTLP) for LPA research. Here, we demonstrate the first LPA driven by CTLP where we observed substantial electron energy enhancements. Those results have been further confirmed in a practical application, where the electrons are used in a bremsstrahlung-based positron generation configuration, which led to a considerable boost in the positron energy as well. Numerical simulations suggest that the trailing second harmonic relativistic laser pulse is capable of sustaining the acceleration structure for much longer distances after the preceding fundamental pulse is depleted in the plasma. Therefore, our work confirms the merits of driving LPAs by two-color pulses and paves the way toward a downsizing of LPAs, making their potential applications in science and technology extremely attractive and affordable.
RESUMEN
We have constructed a 180-m-long distributed, continuously variable atmospheric turbulence generator to study high-power laser beam propagation. This turbulence generator operates on the principle of free convection from a heated surface placed below the entire propagation path of the beam, similar to the situation in long-distance horizontal propagation for laser communications, power beaming, or directed energy applications. The turbulence produced by this generator has been characterized through constant-temperature anemometry, as well as by the scintillation of a low-power laser beam.
RESUMEN
In this article, we review and discuss the research programs at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) on high-power lasers for directed-energy (DE) applications in the atmosphere. Physical processes affecting propagation include absorption/scattering, turbulence, and thermal blooming. The power levels needed for DE applications require combining a number of lasers. In atmospheric turbulence, there is a maximum intensity that can be placed on a target that is independent of the initial beam spot size and laser beam quality. By combining a number of kW-class fiber lasers, scientists at the NRL have successfully demonstrated high-power laser propagation in a turbulent atmosphere and wireless recharging. In the NRL experiments, four incoherently combined fiber lasers having a total power of 5 kW were propagated to a target 3.2 km away. These successful high-power experiments in a realistic atmosphere formed the basis of the Navy's Laser Weapon System. We compare the propagation characteristics of coherently and incoherently combined beams without adaptive optics. There is little difference in the energy on target between coherently and incoherently combined laser beams for multi-km propagation ranges and moderate to high levels of turbulence. Unlike incoherent combining, coherent combining places severe constraints on the individual lasers. These include the requirement of narrow power spectral linewidths in order to have long coherence times as well as polarization alignment of all the lasers. These requirements are extremely difficult for high-power lasers.
RESUMEN
Ultrashort laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was used to detect the emission radiation from the breakdown of surface contaminants by a femtosecond laser pulse. This study focused on the detection of visible to near-infrared radiation signatures from molecular fragments of the nitro (NO(x)) group present in the breakdown plasma, where target chemicals of potassium nitrate (KNO(3)) and sodium nitrate (NaNO(3)) were used. Spectral signatures at a wavelength region around 410 nm were observed for both KNO(3) and NaNO(3), and were identified as the fluorescence transitions of the NO(x)-molecular structures. The signatures obtained were systematically analyzed and studied as functions of laser parameters. It is shown that for laser parameters used in this study, laser pulse durations ≥1 ps were not as effective as shorter pulses in generating these signatures. A visible wavelength NO(x) signature and the extended high-intensity propagation of a femtosecond laser could be advantageous to detecting nitro-group energetic materials at standoff distances.
RESUMEN
The power measurement of high-power continuous-wave laser beams typically calls for the use of water-cooled thermopile power meters. Large thermopile meters have slow response times that can prove insufficient to conduct certain tests, such as determining the influence of atmospheric turbulence on transmitted beam power. To achieve faster response times, we calibrated a digital camera to measure the power level as the optical beam is projected onto a white surface. This scattered-light radiometric power meter saves the expense of purchasing a large area power meter and the required water cooling. In addition, the system can report the power distribution, changes in the position, and the spot size of the beam. This paper presents the theory of the scattered-light radiometric power meter and demonstrates its use during a field test at a 2.2 km optical range.
RESUMEN
The absorption and scattering of oceanic aerosols are characterized using low- and high-power lasers in the near IR (1.064 microm). The imaginary part of the refractive index of sea salt inferred from low-power absorption measurements is 200x less than the commonly accepted value from the literature. The measured absorption coefficients of natural and artificial saltwater are within 5% of the absorption of pure water (0.14 cm(-1)). High-power aerosol experiments are consistent with low-power liquid absorption measurements, which yield comparable absorption coefficients for pure water and saltwater. High-power illumination of test aerosols (CuSO(4).5H(2)O) with an absorption coefficient alpha > or = 0.19 cm(-1) and a dwell time of 100 ms results in a consistent reduction in scattering from the aerosol column. The high-power laser scattering measurements are in good agreement with the theory, which accounts for the absorption, heating, and vaporization of the water-based aerosols. The measured absorption of oceanic aerosols in the laboratory is much less than the literature values at 1.064 microm and should result in reduced heating and thermal blooming in open ocean atmospheres.
RESUMEN
A new way of generating high peak power terahertz radiation using ultra-short pulse lasers is demonstrated. The optical pulse from a titanium:sapphire laser system is stretched and modulated using a spatial filtering technique to produce a several picosecond long pulse modulated at the terahertz frequency. A collinear type II phase matched interaction is realized via angle tuning in a gallium selenide crystal. Peak powers of at least 1.5 kW are produced in a 5 mm thick crystal, and tunability is demonstrated between 0.7 and 2.0 THz. Simulations predict that 150 kW of peak power can be produced in a 5 mm thick crystal. The technique also allows for control of the terahertz bandwidth.
RESUMEN
A remote atmospheric breakdown is a very rich source of UV and broadband visible light that could provide an early warning of the presence of chemical-biological warfare agents at extended standoff distances. A negatively chirped laser pulse propagating in air compresses in time and focuses transversely, which results in a rapid laser intensity increase and ionization near the focal region that can be located kilometers away from the laser system. Proof-of-principle laboratory experiments are performed on the generation of remote atmospheric breakdown and the spectroscopic detection of mock biological warfare agents. We have generated third harmonics at 267 nm and UV broadband radiation in air from the compression and focusing of femtosecond laser pulses. Fluorescence emission from albumin aerosols as they were illuminated by the femtosecond laser pulse has been observed.
RESUMEN
High-power femtosecond laser pulses propagating in air form self-guided filaments that can persist for many meters. Characterizing these filaments has always been challenging owing to their high intensity. An apparently novel diagnostic is used to directly measure the fluence distribution of femtosecond laser pulses after they have formed self-guided optical filaments in air. The diagnostic is unique in that the information contained in the filaments is not lost owing to the interaction with the apparatus. This allows filament characteristics such as energy and size to be unambiguously determined for the first time.
