Energy deposition dynamics of femtosecond pulses in water

We exploit inverse Raman scattering and solvated electron absorption to perform a quantitative characterization of the energy loss and ionization dynamics in water with tightly focused near-infrared femtosecond pulses. A comparison between experimental data and numerical simulations suggests that the ionization energy of water is 8 eV, rather than the commonly used value of 6.5 eV. We also introduce an equation for the Raman gain valid for ultra-short pulses that validates our experimental procedure.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Applied Physics Letter

Dinaminiai reiškiniai femtosekundinėse šviesos gijose

In 1995 Braun and co-workers reported the observation of self-channeling of femtosecond laser pulses over 20 m in air. This first observation of femtosecond filament triggered a series of studies, which discovered an exciting physics beyond the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with transparent dielectric media. This dissertation aims at comprehensive study of transient spatiotemporal phenomena (space-time transformations, pulse splitting and compression, filament propagation dynamics, supercontinuum generation and multiple filamentation) that take place during self-focusing of intense femtosecond laser pulses in various self-action regimes in transparent dielectric media with instantaneous Kerr nonlinearity. Various nonlinear optics diagnostic methods (three dimensional mapping, auto- and cross-correlation measurements, frequency resolved optical gating measurements), spatially resolved frequency spectra measurements, statistical analysis of spectral intensities and energies, numerical simulations were employed. The dissertation addresses important issues regarding complete physical understanding of the evolution cycle of femtosecond filaments in normally dispersive media, physical nature of spatiotemporal light bullets generated by filamentation in the anomalous group velocity regime, detailed statistical aspects of supercontinuum generation, and spatiotemporal characterization of multiple filaments. Analysed factors are useful for practical applications when generation of controlled spatio-temporal structures, extreme optical waves (or contrary - suppression of them if the nonlinear optical system needs to be stabilised) is required. Furthermore, the research uncovered general and specific properties of extreme optical events, as compared with their analogs in other physical system (ocean surface wave, Bose-Einstein condensates, superfluids, financial markets etc.)

Transient phenomena in femtosecond filamentation

In 1995 Braun and co-workers reported the observation of self-channeling of femtosecond laser pulses over 20 m in air. This first observation of femtosecond filament triggered a series of studies, which discovered an exciting physics beyond the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with transparent dielectric media. This dissertation aims at comprehensive study of transient spatiotemporal phenomena (space-time transformations, pulse splitting and compression, filament propagation dynamics, supercontinuum generation and multiple filamentation) that take place during self-focusing of intense femtosecond laser pulses in various self-action regimes in transparent dielectric media with instantaneous Kerr nonlinearity. Various nonlinear optics diagnostic methods (three dimensional mapping, auto- and cross-correlation measurements, frequency resolved optical gating measurements), spatially resolved frequency spectra measurements, statistical analysis of spectral intensities and energies, numerical simulations were employed. The dissertation addresses important issues regarding complete physical understanding of the evolution cycle of femtosecond filaments in normally dispersive media, physical nature of spatiotemporal light bullets generated by filamentation in the anomalous group velocity regime, detailed statistical aspects of supercontinuum generation, and spatiotemporal characterization of multiple filaments. Analysed factors are useful for practical applications when generation of controlled spatio-temporal structures, extreme optical waves (or contrary - suppression of them if the nonlinear optical system needs to be stabilised) is required. Furthermore, the research uncovered general and specific properties of extreme optical events, as compared with their analogs in other physical system (ocean surface wave, Bose-Einstein condensates, superfluids, financial markets etc.)

Filamentation and light bullet formation dynamics in solid-state dielectric media with weak, moderate and strong anomalous group velocity dispersion

International audienceWe present a series of measurements, which characterize filamentation dynamics of intense ultrashort laser pulses in the space–time domain, as captured by means of three-dimensional imaging technique in sapphire and fused silica, in the wavelength range of 1.45–2.25 μm, accessing the regimes of weak, moderate and strong anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD). In the regime of weak anomalous GVD (at 1.45 μm), pulse splitting into two sub-pulses producing a pair of light bullets with spectrally shifted carrier frequencies in both nonlinear media is observed. In contrast, in the regimes of moderate (at 1.8 μm) and strong (at 2.25 μm) anomalous GVD we observe notably different transient dynamics, which however lead to the formation of a single self-compressed quasistationary light bullet with an universal spatiotemporal shape comprised of an extended ring-shaped periphery and a localized intense core that carries the self-compressed pulse

The True Nature of Spatiotemporal Light Bullets at 1.8 μmin in Bulk Dielectric Media with Kerr Nonlinearity

By three-dimensional imaging and measurements of energy density flux, we experimentally demonstrate that light bullets generated by filamentation in bulk dielectric media with anomalous group velocity dispersion are spatio-temporal, polychromatic Bessel pulse

Whole life cycle of femtosecond ultraviolet filaments in water

International audienceWe present measurements fully characterizing the whole life cycle of femtosecond pulses undergoing filamentation in water at 400 nm. The complete pulse dynamics is monitored by means of a four-dimensional mapping technique for the intensity distribution I(x,y,z,t) during the nonlinear interaction. Measured events (focusing or defocusing cycles, pulse splitting and replenishment, supercontinuum generation, conical emission, nonlinear absorption peaks) are mutually connected.The filament evolution from laser energy deposition in water, which is of paramount importance for a wide range of technological and medical applications, is interpreted in light of simulation results