Spectral characterization of laser-accelerated protons with CR-39 nuclear track detector.

CR-39 nuclear track material is frequently used for the detection of protons accelerated in laser-plasma interactions. The measurement of track densities allows for determination of particle angular distributions, and information on the kinetic energy can be obtained by the use of passive absorbers. We present a precise method of measuring spectral distributions of laser-accelerated protons in a single etching and analysis process. We make use of a one-to-one relation between proton energy and track size and present a precise calibration based on monoenergetic particle beams. While this relation is limited to proton energies below 1 MeV, we show that the range of spectral measurements can be significantly extended by simultaneous use of absorbers of suitable thicknesses. Examples from laser-plasma interactions are presented, and quantitative results on proton energies and particle numbers are compared to those obtained from a time-of-flight detector. The spectrum end points of continuous energy distributions have been determined with both detector types and coincide within 50-100 keV.

High speed inscription of uniform, large-area laser-induced periodic surface structures in Cr films using a high repetition rate fs laser.

We report on the fabrication of laser-induced periodic surface structures in Cr films upon high repetition rate fs laser irradiation (up to 1 MHz, 500 fs, 1030 nm), employing beam scanning. Highly regular large-area (9 cm2) gratings with a relative diffraction efficiency of 42% can be produced within less than 6 min. The ripple period at moderate and high fluences is 0.9 µm, with a small period of 0.5 µm appearing at lower energies. The role of the irradiation parameters on the characteristics of the laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) is studied and discussed in the frame of the models presently used. We have identified the polarization vector orientation with respect to the scan direction as a key parameter for the fabrication of high-quality, large-area LIPSS, which, for perpendicular orientation, allows the coherent extension of the sub-wavelength structure over macroscopic distances. The processing strategy is robust in terms of broad parameter windows and applicable to other materials featuring LIPSS.

Independent control of beam astigmatism and ellipticity using a SLM for fs-laser waveguide writing.

We have used a low repetition rate (1 kHz), femtosecond laser amplifier in combination with a spatial light modulator (SLM) to write optical waveguides with controllable cross-section inside a phosphate glass sample. The SLM is used to induce a controllable amount of astigmatism in the beam wavefront while the beam ellipticity is controlled through the propagation distance from the SLM to the focusing optics of the writing set-up. The beam astigmatism leads to the formation of two separate disk-shaped foci lying in orthogonal planes. Additionally, the ellipticity has the effect of enabling control over the relative peak irradiances of the two foci, making it possible to bring the peak irradiance of one of them below the material transformation threshold. This allows producing a single waveguide with controllable cross-section. Numerical simulations of the irradiance distribution at the focal region under different beam shaping conditions are compared to in situ obtained experimental plasma emission images and structures produced inside the glass, leading to a very satisfactory agreement. Finally, guiding structures with controllable cross-section are successfully produced in the phosphate glass using this approach.