266 research outputs found
Nonlinear femtosecond pulse propagation in an all-solid photonic bandgap fiber
Nonlinear femtosecond pulse propagation in an all-solid photonic bandgap fiber is experimentally and numerically investigated. Guiding light in such fiber occurs via two mechanisms: photonic bandgap in the central silica core or total internal reflection in the germanium doped inclusions. By properly combining spectral filtering, dispersion tailoring and pump coupling into the fiber modes, we experimentally demonstrate efficient supercontinuum generation with controllable spectral bandwidth
Localized structures formed through domain wall locking in cavity-enhanced second-harmonic generation
We analyze the formation of localized structures in cavity-enhanced
second-harmonic generation. We focus on the phase-matched limit, and consider
that fundamental and generated waves have opposite sign of group velocity
dispersion. We show that these states form due to the locking of domain walls
connecting two stable homogeneous states of the system, and undergo collapsed
snaking. We study the impact of temporal walk-off on the stability and dynamics
of these localized states.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Few-cycle soliton propagation
Soliton propagation is usually described in the ``slowly varying envelope
approximation'' (SVEA) regime, which is not applicable for ultrashort pulses.
We present theoretical results and numerical simulations for both NLS and
parametric () ultrashort solitons in the ``generalised few-cycle
envelope approximation'' (GFEA) regime, demonstrating their altered
propagation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Dynamical ionization ignition of clusters in intense and short laser pulses
The electron dynamics of rare gas clusters in laser fields is investigated
quantum mechanically by means of time-dependent density functional theory. The
mechanism of early inner and outer ionization is revealed. The formation of an
electron wave packet inside the cluster shortly after the first removal of a
small amount of electron density is observed. By collisions with the cluster
boundary the wave packet oscillation is driven into resonance with the laser
field, hence leading to higher absorption of laser energy. Inner ionization is
increased because the electric field of the bouncing electron wave packet adds
up constructively to the laser field. The fastest electrons in the wave packet
escape from the cluster as a whole so that outer ionization is increased as
well.Comment: 8 pages, revtex4, PDF-file with high resolution figures is available
from http://mitarbeiter.mbi-berlin.de/bauer/publist.html, publication no. 24.
Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Searching for Exoplanets Using a Microresonator Astrocomb
Detection of weak radial velocity shifts of host stars induced by orbiting
planets is an important technique for discovering and characterizing planets
beyond our solar system. Optical frequency combs enable calibration of stellar
radial velocity shifts at levels required for detection of Earth analogs. A new
chip-based device, the Kerr soliton microcomb, has properties ideal for
ubiquitous application outside the lab and even in future space-borne
instruments. Moreover, microcomb spectra are ideally suited for astronomical
spectrograph calibration and eliminate filtering steps required by conventional
mode-locked-laser frequency combs. Here, for the calibration of astronomical
spectrographs, we demonstrate an atomic/molecular line-referenced,
near-infrared soliton microcomb. Efforts to search for the known exoplanet HD
187123b were conducted at the Keck-II telescope as a first in-the-field
demonstration of microcombs
Ultrafast X-ray scattering of xenon nanoparticles: imaging transient states of matter
Sem informaçãoFemtosecond x-ray laser flashes with power densities of up to 10(14) W/cm(2) at 13.7 nm wavelength were scattered by single xenon clusters in the gas phase. Similar to light scattering from atmospheric microparticles, the x-ray diffraction patterns carry information about the optical constants of the objects. However, the high flux of the x-ray laser induces severe transient changes of the electronic configuration, resulting in a tenfold increase of absorption in the developing nanoplasma. The modification in opaqueness can be correlated to strong atomic charging of the particle leading to excitation of Xe4+. It is shown that single-shot single-particle scattering on femtosecond time scales yields insight into ultrafast processes in highly excited systems where conventional spectroscopy techniques are inherently blind.Femtosecond x-ray laser flashes with power densities of up to 10(14) W/cm(2) at 13.7 nm wavelength were scattered by single xenon clusters in the gas phase. Similar to light scattering from atmospheric microparticles, the x-ray diffraction patterns carry information about the optical constants of the objects. However, the high flux of the x-ray laser induces severe transient changes of the electronic configuration, resulting in a tenfold increase of absorption in the developing nanoplasma. The modification in opaqueness can be correlated to strong atomic charging of the particle leading to excitation of Xe4+. It is shown that single-shot single-particle scattering on femtosecond time scales yields insight into ultrafast processes in highly excited systems where conventional spectroscopy techniques are inherently blind.108915Sem informaçãoSem informaçãoBMBF [05KS4KT1, 05KS7KT2]HGF Virtuelles Institut [VH-VI-103, VH-VI-302]Sem informaçãoWe would like to thank all staff at FLASH for their outstanding support. Funding is acknowledged from BMBF 05KS4KT1 and 05KS7KT2, as well as HGF Virtuelles Institut VH-VI-103 and VH-VI-302
Spatial Division Multiplexing for Multiplex Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering
We demonstrate how a narrowband pump and a broadband spectrum can be
spatially multiplexed by selective coupling them in two distinct modes of a
few-mode microstructure fiber. The first mode carries most of the input pump
energy, and experiences spectral broadening. Whereas the second mode preserves
the narrow bandwidth of the remaining part of the pump. Bimodal propagation,
with a power unbalance strongly in favor of the fundamental mode, is naturally
obtained by maximizing coupling into the fundamental mode of the fiber. At the
fiber output, the nearly monochromatic beam and the supercontinuum carried by
the two different modes are combined by a microscope objective, and used as a
pump and a Stokes wave for self-referenced multiplex coherent anti-Stokes Raman
scattering micro-spectroscopy. The spectral resolution, the
signal-to-noise-ratio, and the possible amplification of the remaining pump
beam are discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure
Depletion of Dendritic Cells Enhances Innate Anti-Bacterial Host Defense through Modulation of Phagocyte Homeostasis
Dendritic cells (DCs) as professional antigen-presenting cells play an important role in the initiation and modulation of the adaptive immune response. However, their role in the innate immune response against bacterial infections is not completely defined. Here we have analyzed the role of DCs and their impact on the innate anti-bacterial host defense in an experimental infection model of Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye). We used CD11c-diphtheria toxin (DT) mice to deplete DCs prior to severe infection with Ye. DC depletion significantly increased animal survival after Ye infection. The bacterial load in the spleen of DC-depleted mice was significantly lower than that of control mice throughout the infection. DC depletion was accompanied by an increase in the serum levels of CXCL1, G-CSF, IL-1α, and CCL2 and an increase in the numbers of splenic phagocytes. Functionally, splenocytes from DC-depleted mice exhibited an increased bacterial killing capacity compared to splenocytes from control mice. Cellular studies further showed that this was due to an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by neutrophils. Adoptive transfer of neutrophils from DC-depleted mice into control mice prior to Ye infection reduced the bacterial load to the level of Ye-infected DC-depleted mice, suggesting that the increased number of phagocytes with additional ROS production account for the decreased bacterial load. Furthermore, after incubation with serum from DC-depleted mice splenocytes from control mice increased their bacterial killing capacity, most likely due to enhanced ROS production by neutrophils, indicating that serum factors from DC-depleted mice account for this effect. In summary, we could show that DC depletion triggers phagocyte accumulation in the spleen and enhances their anti-bacterial killing capacity upon bacterial infection
Roadmap on multimode photonics
Multimode devices and components have attracted considerable attention in the last years, and different research topics and themes have emerged very recently. The multimodality can be seen as an additional degree of freedom in designing devices, thus allowing for the development of more complex and sophisticated components. The propagation of different modes can be used to increase the fiber optic capacity, but also to introduce novel intermodal interactions, as well as allowing for complex manipulation of optical modes for a variety of applications. In this roadmap we would like to give to the readers a comprehensive overview of the most recent developments in the field, presenting contributions coming from different research topics, including optical fiber technologies, integrated optics, basic physics and telecommunications
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