Measuring the suppression of ultrashort pulses into Airy-Bessel light bullets with almost single-cycle temporal resolution (original) (raw)
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Optics Express, 2012
We present measurements of the impulse response of a circular phase diffraction grating in dependence of the field point location behind it. These measurements were carried out using a white-light spectral interferometry set-up, which employs photonic crystal fibers in both the signal and reference arms, and achieves a few micron spatial and almost one-wave-cycle temporal resolution. Our study shows that the grating as a simple and robust single-element optical device (i) suppresses the material-induced spread of ultrashort pulses, (ii) thereby generates the Airy-Bessel light bullets, and (iii) enables temporal focusing of the pulses at the prescribed propagation depth.
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Optics Express, 2009
We measure the spatiotemporal field of ultrashort pulses with complex spatiotemporal profiles using the linear-optical, interferometric pulse-measurement technique SEA TADPOLE. Accelerating and decelerating ultrashort, localized, nonspreading Bessel-X wavepackets were generated from a ~27 fs duration Ti:Sapphire oscillator pulse using a combination of an axicon and a convex or concave lens. The wavefields are measured with ~5 m spatial and ~15 fs temporal resolutions. Our experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical calculations and numerical simulations.
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We present an overview of our very recent results on the evolution of ultrashort pulses after propagating through various optical elements. Direct spatiotemporal measurements of the electric field were made using the technique SEA TADPOLE. Our SEA TADPOLE device can resolve spatial features as small as ∼5 µm and temporal features as small as ∼5 fs. The experimental results are verified by theoretical calculations. The superluminality of pulses with Bessel-function-like radial profiles is discussed.
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Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2014
We present the measurements of the spatiotemporal impulse responses of two optical systems for launching ultrashort Airy pulses, incl. ultrabroadband nonspreading Airy beams whose main lobe size remains invariantly small over propagation. First, a spatial light modulator and, second, a custom refractive element with continuous surface profile were used to impose the required cubic phase on the input field. White-light spectral interferometry setup based on the SEA TADPOLE technique was applied for full spatio-temporal characterization of the impulse response with ultrahigh temporal resolution approaching a single cycle of the light wave. The results were compared to the theoretical model.
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Optics Express, 2009
We propose a new experimental technique, which allows for a complete characterization of ultrashort optical pulses both in space and in time. Combining the well-known Frequency-Resolved-Optical-Gating technique for the retrieval of the temporal profile of the pulse with a measurement of the near-field made with an Hartmann-Shack sensor, we are able to retrieve the spatiotemporal amplitude and phase profile of a Bessel-X pulse. By following the pulse evolution along the propagation direction we highlight the superluminal propagation of the pulse peak.
2010
We carry out a complete spatio-temporal characterization of the electric field of an ultrashort laser pulse after passing through a diffractive optical element composed of several binary amplitude concentric rings. Analytical expressions for the total diffraction field in the time and spectral domain are provided, using the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld formulation of the diffraction. These expressions are experimentally validated. The spatiotemporal amplitude and phase structure of the pulse are measured at different planes beyond the diffractive optical element using spatiallyresolved spectral interferometry assisted by an optical fiber coupler (STARFISH). Our results allow corroborating theoretical predictions on the presence of multiple pulses or complex spectral distributions due to the diffraction-induced effects by the hard-edge ring apertures.
What We Can Learn about Ultrashort Pulses by Linear Optical Methods
Applied Sciences, 2013
Spatiotemporal compression of ultrashort pulses is one of the key issues of chirped pulse amplification (CPA), the most common method to achieve high intensity laser beams. Successful shaping of the temporal envelope and recombination of the spectral components of the broadband pulses need careful alignment of the stretcher-compressor stages. Pulse parameters are required to be measured at the target as well. Several diagnostic techniques have been developed so far for the characterization of ultrashort pulses. Some of these methods utilize nonlinear optical processes, while others based on purely linear optics, in most cases, combined with spectrally resolving device. The goal of this work is to provide a review on the capabilities and limitations of the latter category of the ultrafast diagnostical methods. We feel that the importance of these powerful, easy-to-align, high-precision techniques needs to be emphasized, since their use could gradually improve the efficiency of different CPA systems. We give a general description on the background of spectrally resolved linear interferometry and demonstrate various schematic experimental layouts for the detection of material dispersion, angular dispersion and carrier-envelope phase drift. Precision estimations and discussion of potential applications are also provided.
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Physical Review E, 2002
Basic concepts of three-dimensional wave packets are applied to the description of transverse effects on the propagation of ultrashort ͑femtosecond͒ pulses. The frequency-dependent nature of diffraction acts as a kind of dispersion that modifies the pulse front surface, its group velocity, the envelope form, and the carrier frequency. If the diffracted field in the monochromatic case is known, these changes can be straightforwardly quantified. Finding the propagated pulsed beam field reduces to a well-known and simpler problem of one-dimensional pulse propagation with group velocity dispersion. The method is applied to pulsed Gaussian beams and pulsed Bessel beams. Anomalous pulse front behavior, including superluminality in pulsed Gaussian beams is found. The carrier phase at any point of space is calculated.