Supercontinuum generation and carrier envelope offset frequency measurement in a tapered single-mode fiber

We report supercontinuum generation by launching femtosecond Yb fiber laser pulses into a tapered single-mode fiber of 3 um core diameter. A spectrum of more than one octave, from 550 to 1400 nm, has been obtained with an output power of 1.3 W at a repetition rate of 250 MHz, corresponding to a coupling efficiency of up to 60%. By using a typical f-2f interferometer, the carrier envelope offset frequency was measured and found to have a signal-to-noise ratio of nearly 30 dB.Comment: 10 pages, accepted by Appl Phys

Sub-100 fs watt-level Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb:CaYAlO4 laser with a gigahertz repetition rate

We report a 1.04 GHz high-power Kerr-lens mode-locked Yb:CaYAlO4 laser pumped by a single-mode fiber laser at 976 nm. Based on a bow-tie cavity, stable unidirectional mode-locked operation is obtained with an output coupler of 1.6%. The oscillator delivers pulses with an average power of 1.46 W and with the pulse duration of 99 fs, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first gigahertz-level Kerr-lens mode-locked laser based on the Yb:CaYAlO4 gain medium. We believe that the watt-level solid-state femtosecond laser at GHz would be an excellent source for developing time-resolved broadband dual-comb spectroscopy

Femtosecond-Laser-Ablation Dynamics in Silicon Revealed by Transient Reflectivity Change

The dynamics of ablation in monocrystalline silicon, from electron-hole plasma generation to material expansion, upon irradiation by a single femtosecond laser pulse (1030 nm, 300 fs pulse duration) at a wide range of fluences is investigated using a time-resolved microscopy technique. The reflectivity evolution obtained from dynamic images in combination with a theoretical Drude model and a Two-Temperature model provides new insights on material excitation and ablation process. For all fluences, the reflectivity increased to a temporary stable state after hundreds of femtoseconds. This behavior was predicted using a temperature-dependent refractive index in the Drude model. The increase in velocity of plasma generation with increasing fluence was theoretically predicted by the Two-Temperature model. Two ablation regimes at high fluences (>0.86 J/cm2) were identified through the measured transient reflectivity and ablation crater profile. The simulation shows that the fluence triggering the second ablation regime produces a boiling temperature (silicon, 2628 K)

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We report the experimental research on the measurement and controlling of carrier envelope phase offset (CEO) with a home-made femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser, the beat frequency with a signal to noise ratio of as high as 45 dB is obtained with standard self-referencing technique. Locking the beat signal to the TV-Rb frequency standard by a phase-locked loop electronic circuit, a simple compact frequency comb was established. To further control the CEO with the technology of differenced frequency generation, we develop an ultra-broadened bandwidth femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser by balancing the dispersion with chirped mirrors, spectrum of covering from 600 nm was 1050 nm was observed. It will enable us to measure and control the CEO without photonic crystal fiber.EI

New innovations in pavement materials and engineering: A review on pavement engineering research 2021

Sustainable and resilient pavement infrastructure is critical for current economic and environmental challenges. In the past 10 years, the pavement infrastructure strongly supports the rapid development of the global social economy. New theories, new methods, new technologies and new materials related to pavement engineering are emerging. Deterioration of pavement infrastructure is a typical multi-physics problem. Because of actual coupled behaviors of traffic and environmental conditions, predictions of pavement service life become more and more complicated and require a deep knowledge of pavement material analysis. In order to summarize the current and determine the future research of pavement engineering, Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (English Edition) has launched a review paper on the topic of “New innovations in pavement materials and engineering: A review on pavement engineering research 2021”. Based on the joint-effort of 43 scholars from 24 well-known universities in highway engineering, this review paper systematically analyzes the research status and future development direction of 5 major fields of pavement engineering in the world. The content includes asphalt binder performance and modeling, mixture performance and modeling of pavement materials, multi-scale mechanics, green and sustainable pavement, and intelligent pavement. Overall, this review paper is able to provide references and insights for researchers and engineers in the field of pavement engineering