Nanosurgery with near-infrared 12-femtosecond and picosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchugonova, Aisada; Zhang, Huijing; Lemke, Cornelius; König, Karsten

2011-03-01

Laser-assisted surgery based on multiphoton absorption of NIR laser light has great potential for high precision surgery at various depths within the cells and tissues. Clinical applications include refractive surgery (fs-LASIK). The non-contact laser method also supports contamination-free cell nanosurgery. Here we apply femtosecond laser scanning microscopes for sub-100 nm surgery of human cells and metaphase chromosomes. A mode-locked 85 MHz Ti:Sapphire laser with an M-shaped ultrabroad band spectrum (maxima: 770 nm/830 nm) with an in situ pulse duration at the target ranging from 12 femtoseconds up to 3 picoseconds was employed. The effects of laser nanoprocessing in cells and chromosomes have been quantified by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron microscopy. These studies demonstrate the potential of extreme ultrashort femtosecond laser pulses at low mean milliwatt powers for sub-100 nm surgery.

Partial ablation of Ti/Al nano-layer thin film by single femtosecond laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaković, B.; Tsibidis, G. D.; Skoulas, E.; Petrović, S. M.; Vasić, B.; Stratakis, E.

2017-12-01

The interaction of ultra-short laser pulses with Titanium/Aluminium (Ti/Al) nano-layered thin film was investigated. The sample composed of alternating Ti and Al layers of a few nanometres thick was deposited by ion-sputtering. A single pulse irradiation experiment was conducted in an ambient air environment using focused and linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulses for the investigation of the ablation effects. The laser induced morphological changes and the composition were characterized using several microscopy techniques and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The following results were obtained: (i) at low values of pulse energy/fluence, ablation of the upper Ti layer only was observed; (ii) at higher laser fluence, a two-step ablation of Ti and Al layers takes place, followed by partial removal of the nano-layered film. The experimental observations were supported by a theoretical model accounting for the thermal response of the multiple layered structure upon irradiation with ultra-short laser pulses.

Influence of Femtosecond Laser Parameters and Environment on Surface Texture Characteristics of Metals and Non-Metals - State of the Art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharatish, A.; Soundarapandian, S.

2018-04-01

Enhancing the surface functionality by ultrashort pulsed laser texturing has received the considerable attention from researchers in the past few decades. Femtosecond lasers are widely adopted since it provides high repeatability and reproducibility by minimizing the heat affected zone (HAZ) and other collateral damages to a great extent. The present paper reports some recent studies being made worldwide on femtosecond laser surface texturing of metals, ceramics, polymers, semiconductors, thinfilms and advanced nanocomposites. It presents the state of the art knowledge in femtosecond laser surface texturing and the potential of this technology to improve properties in terms of biological, tribological and wetting performance. Since the texture quality and functionality are enhanced by the proper selection of appropriate laser parameters and ambient conditions for individual application, reporting the influence of laser parameters on surface texture characteristics assume utmost importance.

Influence of Femtosecond Laser Parameters and Environment on Surface Texture Characteristics of Metals and Non-Metals - State of the Art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharatish, A.; Soundarapandian, S.

2018-06-01

Enhancing the surface functionality by ultrashort pulsed laser texturing has received the considerable attention from researchers in the past few decades. Femtosecond lasers are widely adopted since it provides high repeatability and reproducibility by minimizing the heat affected zone (HAZ) and other collateral damages to a great extent. The present paper reports some recent studies being made worldwide on femtosecond laser surface texturing of metals, ceramics, polymers, semiconductors, thinfilms and advanced nanocomposites. It presents the state of the art knowledge in femtosecond laser surface texturing and the potential of this technology to improve properties in terms of biological, tribological and wetting performance. Since the texture quality and functionality are enhanced by the proper selection of appropriate laser parameters and ambient conditions for individual application, reporting the influence of laser parameters on surface texture characteristics assume utmost importance.

Testing of a femtosecond pulse laser in outer space

PubMed Central

Lee, Joohyung; Lee, Keunwoo; Jang, Yoon-Soo; Jang, Heesuk; Han, Seongheum; Lee, Sang-Hyun; Kang, Kyung-In; Lim, Chul-Woo; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Seung-Woo

2014-01-01

We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space. The fibre-based ultrashort pulse laser payload was designed to meet space-use requirements, undergone through ground qualification tests and finally launched into a low-earth orbit early in 2013. Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through although the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power. This successful test operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere in the near future. PMID:24875665

Testing of a femtosecond pulse laser in outer space.

PubMed

Lee, Joohyung; Lee, Keunwoo; Jang, Yoon-Soo; Jang, Heesuk; Han, Seongheum; Lee, Sang-Hyun; Kang, Kyung-In; Lim, Chul-Woo; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Seung-Woo

2014-05-30

We report a test operation of an Er-doped fibre femtosecond laser which was conducted for the first time in outer space. The fibre-based ultrashort pulse laser payload was designed to meet space-use requirements, undergone through ground qualification tests and finally launched into a low-earth orbit early in 2013. Test results obtained during a one-year mission lifetime confirmed stable mode-locking all the way through although the radiation induced attenuation (RIA) in the Er-doped gain fibre caused an 8.6% reduction in the output power. This successful test operation would help facilitate diverse scientific and technological applications of femtosecond lasers in space and earth atmosphere in the near future.

Analysis on ultrashort-pulse laser ablation for nanoscale film of ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, C. Y.; Tsai, Y. H.; Chiou, Y. J.

2017-06-01

This paper uses the dual-phase-lag model to study the ablation characteristics of femtosecond laser processing for nanometer-sized ceramic films. In ultrafast process and ultrasmall size where the two lags occur, a dual-phase-lag can be applied to analyse the ablation characteristics of femtosecond laser processing for materials. In this work, the ablation rates of nanometer-sized lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics are investigated using a dual-phase-lag and the model is solved by Laplace transform method. The results obtained from this work are validated by the available experimental data. The effects of material thermal properties on the ablation characteristics of femtosecond laser processing for ceramics are also discussed.

In situ accurate determination of the zero time delay between two independent ultrashort laser pulses by observing the oscillation of an atomic excited wave packet.

PubMed

Zhang, Qun; Hepburn, John W

2008-08-15

We propose a novel method that uses the oscillation of an atomic excited wave packet observed through a pump-probe technique to accurately determine the zero time delay between a pair of ultrashort laser pulses. This physically based approach provides an easy fix for the intractable problem of synchronizing two different femtosecond laser pulses in a practical experimental environment, especially where an in situ time zero measurement with high accuracy is required.

Heat input and accumulation for ultrashort pulse processing with high average power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finger, Johannes; Bornschlegel, Benedikt; Reininghaus, Martin; Dohrn, Andreas; Nießen, Markus; Gillner, Arnold; Poprawe, Reinhart

2018-05-01

Materials processing using ultrashort pulsed laser radiation with pulse durations <10 ps is known to enable very precise processing with negligible thermal load. However, even for the application of picosecond and femtosecond laser radiation, not the full amount of the absorbed energy is converted into ablation products and a distinct fraction of the absorbed energy remains as residual heat in the processed workpiece. For low average power and power densities, this heat is usually not relevant for the processing results and dissipates into the workpiece. In contrast, when higher average powers and repetition rates are applied to increase the throughput and upscale ultrashort pulse processing, this heat input becomes relevant and significantly affects the achieved processing results. In this paper, we outline the relevance of heat input for ultrashort pulse processing, starting with the heat input of a single ultrashort laser pulse. Heat accumulation during ultrashort pulse processing with high repetition rate is discussed as well as heat accumulation for materials processing using pulse bursts. In addition, the relevance of heat accumulation with multiple scanning passes and processing with multiple laser spots is shown.

Multimodal evaluation of ultra-short laser pulses treatment for skin burn injuries.

PubMed

Santos, Moises Oliveira Dos; Latrive, Anne; De Castro, Pedro Arthur Augusto; De Rossi, Wagner; Zorn, Telma Maria Tenorio; Samad, Ricardo Elgul; Freitas, Anderson Zanardi; Cesar, Carlos Lenz; Junior, Nilson Dias Vieira; Zezell, Denise Maria

2017-03-01

Thousands of people die every year from burn injuries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of high intensity femtosecond lasers as an auxiliary treatment of skin burns. We used an in vivo animal model and monitored the healing process using 4 different imaging modalities: histology, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Second Harmonic Generation (SHG), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. 3 dorsal areas of 20 anesthetized Wistar rats were burned by water vapor exposure and subsequently treated either by classical surgical debridement, by laser ablation, or left without treatment. Skin burn tissues were non-invasively characterized by OCT images and biopsied for further histopathology analysis, SHG imaging and FTIR spectroscopy at 3, 5, 7 and 14 days after burn. The laser protocol was found as efficient as the classical treatment for promoting the healing process. The study concludes to the validation of femtosecond ultra-short pulses laser treatment for skinburns, with the advantage of minimizing operatory trauma.

Optical reprogramming with ultrashort femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchugonova, Aisada; Breunig, Hans G.; Batista, Ana; König, Karsten

2015-03-01

The use of sub-15 femtosecond laser pulses in stem cell research is explored with particular emphasis on the optical reprogramming of somatic cells. The reprogramming of somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be evoked through the ectopic expression of defined transcription factors. Conventional approaches utilize retro/lenti-viruses to deliver genes/transcription factors as well as to facilitate the integration of transcription factors into that of the host genome. However, the use of viruses may result in insertional mutations caused by the random integration of genes and as a result, this may limit the use within clinical applications due to the risk of the formation of cancer. In this study, a new approach is demonstrated in realizing non-viral reprogramming through the use of ultrashort laser pulses, to introduce transcription factors into the cell so as to generate iPS cells.

NRL Review 2005. Pioneering the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

pulse high- intensity lasers —the Table-Top Terawatt (T3) laser and the new Ti:Sapphire Femtosecond Laser (TFL)—to study intense laser -plasma...56 laser beams and is single- pulsed (4-ns pulse ). This facility provides intense radiation for studying inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target... ultrashort - pulse (40 fs), Ti:Sapphire Fem- tosecond Laser (TFL) system is now operational at 1 TW. These lasers comprise a

Optical reprogramming of human somatic cells using ultrashort Bessel-shaped near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchugonova, Aisada; Breunig, Hans Georg; Batista, Ana; König, Karsten

2015-11-01

We report a virus-free optical approach to human cell reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells with low-power nanoporation using ultrashort Bessel-shaped laser pulses. Picojoule near-infrared sub-20 fs laser pulses at a high 85 MHz repetition frequency are employed to generate transient nanopores in the membrane of dermal fibroblasts for the introduction of four transcription factors to induce the reprogramming process. In contrast to conventional approaches which utilize retro- or lentiviruses to deliver genes or transcription factors into the host genome, the laser method is virus-free; hence, the risk of virus-induced cancer generation limiting clinical application is avoided.

Pressure and Temperature Changes in In Vitro Applications with the Laser and Their Implications for Middle Ear Surgery

PubMed Central

Schwab, Burkard; Kontorinis, Georgios

2010-01-01

Background. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the thermal and pressure effects using a Titan Sapphire chirped-pulse amplifier system configured to deliver ultrashort pulses of 180 femtoseconds (fs) in an inner ear model. Materials and Methods. Temperature increases and heat exchange processes in the fluid (physiological saline) were examined in a calorically and physiologically approximated cochlea model for applying laser parameters effective in the creation of footplate perforations. Results. In the effective energy density range, the highest temperature increases achieved with the Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser were about 11 degrees C. The lowest temperature maxima were 6 degrees C with the Er:YAG laser (Yttrium-Aluminum-Oxide doted with Erbium3+-ions) and <5 degrees C with the femtosecond laser. Comparison of the laser-induced pressure with the limit graph published by Pfander indicated that the use of the fs laser is unobjectionable for fluences <1 J/cm2. Conclusions. Our investigations demonstrated that the application of the fs laser in middle ear surgery presents a new and promising addition to the range of ultrashort wavelength lasers used for this purpose. PMID:20953354

Bonding of glass with femtosecond laser pulses at high repetition rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, S.; Döring, S.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2011-05-01

We report on the welding of fused silica with ultrashort laser pulses at high repetition rates. Femtosecond laser pulses were focused at the interface of two optically contacted fused silica samples. Due to the nonlinear absorption in the focal volume and heat accumulation of successive pulses, the laser acts as a localized heat source at the focus position. Here, we analyze the influence of the laser and processing parameters on the amount of molten material. Moreover, we determine the achievable breaking stress by a three point bending test. With optimized parameters up to 75% of the breaking stress of the bulk material have been obtained.

Applications of ultrashort laser pulses in science and technology; Proceedings of the Meeting, The Hague, Netherlands, Mar. 12, 13, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antonetti, Andre (Editor)

1990-01-01

Topics discussed are on the generation of high-intensity femtosecond lasers, the high-repetition and infrared femtosecond pulses, and physics of semiconductors and applications. Papers are presented on the femtosecond pulse generation at 193 nm; the generation of intense subpicosecond and femtosecond pulses; intense tunable subpicosecond and femtosecond pulses in the visible and infrared, generated by optical parametric oscillators; a high-efficiency high-energy optical amplifier for femtosecond pulses; and the generation of solitons, periodic pulsing, and nonlinearities in GaAs. Other papers are on ultrafast relaxation dynamics of photoexcited carriers in GaAs, high-order optical nonlinear susceptibilities of transparent glasses, subnanosecond risetime high-power pulse generation using photoconductive bulk GaAs devices, femtosecond studies of plasma formation in crystalline and amorphous silicon, and subpicosecond dynamics of hot carrier relaxation in InP and GaAs.

Ultrashort megaelectronvolt positron beam generation based on laser-accelerated electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Tongjun; Shen, Baifei; Xu, Jiancai; Li, Shun; Yu, Yong; Li, Jinfeng; Lu, Xiaoming; Wang, Cheng; Wang, Xinliang; Liang, Xiaoyan; Leng, Yuxin; Li, Ruxin; Xu, Zhizhan

2016-03-01

Experimental generation of ultrashort MeV positron beams with high intensity and high density using a compact laser-driven setup is reported. A high-density gas jet is employed experimentally to generate MeV electrons with high charge; thus, a charge-neutralized MeV positron beam with high density is obtained during laser-accelerated electrons irradiating high-Z solid targets. It is a novel electron-positron source for the study of laboratory astrophysics. Meanwhile, the MeV positron beam is pulsed with an ultrashort duration of tens of femtoseconds and has a high peak intensity of 7.8 × 1021 s-1, thus allows specific studies of fast kinetics in millimeter-thick materials with a high time resolution and exhibits potential for applications in positron annihilation spectroscopy.

Observation of coherent optical phonons excited by femtosecond laser radiation in Sb films by ultrafast electron diffraction method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mironov, B. N.; Kompanets, V. O.; Aseev, S. A., E-mail: isanfemto@yandex.ru

2017-03-15

The generation of coherent optical phonons in a polycrystalline antimony film sample has been investigated using femtosecond electron diffraction method. Phonon vibrations have been induced in the Sb sample by the main harmonic of a femtosecond Ti:Sa laser (λ = 800 nm) and probed by a pulsed ultrashort photoelectron beam synchronized with the pump laser. The diffraction patterns recorded at different times relative to the pump laser pulse display oscillations of electron diffraction intensity corresponding to the frequencies of vibrations of optical phonons: totally symmetric (A{sub 1g}) and twofold degenerate (E{sub g}) phonon modes. The frequencies that correspond to combinationsmore » of these phonon modes in the Sb sample have also been experimentally observed.« less

Scattering of Femtosecond Laser Pulses on the Negative Hydrogen Ion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astapenko, V. A.; Moroz, N. N.

2018-05-01

Elastic scattering of ultrashort laser pulses (USLPs) on the negative hydrogen ion is considered. Results of calculations of the USLP scattering probability are presented and analyzed for pulses of two types: the corrected Gaussian pulse and wavelet pulse without carrier frequency depending on the problem parameters.

Guiding of laser pulses in plasma waveguides created by linearly-polarized femtosecond laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lemos, N.; Cardoso, L.; Geada, J.

We experimentally demonstrate that plasma waveguides produced with ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) in gas jets are capable of guiding high intensity laser pulses. This scheme has the unique ability of guiding a high-intensity laser pulse in a plasma waveguide created by the same laser system in the very simple and stable experimental setup. A hot plasma column was created by a femtosecond class laser that expands into an on-axis parabolic low density profile suitable to act as a waveguide for high intensity laser beams. We have successfully guided ~10 15 W cm -2 laser pulses in a 8 mm longmore » hydrogen plasma waveguide with a 35% guiding efficiency.« less

Guiding of laser pulses in plasma waveguides created by linearly-polarized femtosecond laser pulses

DOE PAGES

Lemos, N.; Cardoso, L.; Geada, J.; ...

2018-02-16

We experimentally demonstrate that plasma waveguides produced with ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) in gas jets are capable of guiding high intensity laser pulses. This scheme has the unique ability of guiding a high-intensity laser pulse in a plasma waveguide created by the same laser system in the very simple and stable experimental setup. A hot plasma column was created by a femtosecond class laser that expands into an on-axis parabolic low density profile suitable to act as a waveguide for high intensity laser beams. We have successfully guided ~10 15 W cm -2 laser pulses in a 8 mm longmore » hydrogen plasma waveguide with a 35% guiding efficiency.« less

Ultraprecise medical applications with ultrafast lasers: corneal surgery with femtosecond lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loesel, Frieder H.; Kurtz, Ron M.; Horvath, Christopher; Sayegh, Samir I.; Mourou, Gerard A.; Bille, Josef F.; Juhasz, Tibor

1999-02-01

We investigated refractive corneal surgery in vivo and in vitro by intrastromal photodisruption using a compact ultrafast femtosecond laser system. Ultrashort-pulsed lasers operating in the femtosecond time regime are associated with significantly smaller and deterministic threshold energies for photodisruption, as well as reduced shock waves and smaller cavitation bubbles than the nanosecond or picosecond lasers. Our reliable all-solid-state laser system was specifically designed for real world medical applications. By scanning the 5 micron focus spot of the laser below the corneal surface, the overlapping small ablation volumes of single pulses resulted in contiguous tissue cutting and vaporization. Pulse energies were typically in the order of a few microjoules. Combination of different scanning patterns enabled us to perform corneal flap cutting, femtosecond-LASIK, and femtosecond intrastromal keratectomy in porcine, rabbit, and primate eyes. The cuts proved to be highly precise and possessed superior dissection and surface quality. Preliminary studies show consistent refractive changes in the in vivo studies. We conclude that the technology is capable to perform a variety of corneal refractive procedures at high precision, offering advantages over current mechanical and laser devices and enabling entirely new approaches for refractive surgery.

Time-resolved study of femtosecond laser induced micro-modifications inside transparent brittle materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendricks, F.; Matylitsky, V. V.; Domke, M.; Huber, Heinz P.

2016-03-01

Laser processing of optically transparent or semi-transparent, brittle materials is finding wide use in various manufacturing sectors. For example, in consumer electronic devices such as smartphones or tablets, cover glass needs to be cut precisely in various shapes. The unique advantage of material processing with femtosecond lasers is efficient, fast and localized energy deposition in nearly all types of solid materials. When an ultra-short laser pulse is focused inside glass, only the localized region in the neighborhood of the focal volume absorbs laser energy by nonlinear optical absorption. Therefore, the processing volume is strongly defined, while the rest of the target stays unaffected. Thus ultra-short pulse lasers allow cutting of the chemically strengthened glasses such as Corning Gorilla glass without cracking. Non-ablative cutting of transparent, brittle materials, using the newly developed femtosecond process ClearShapeTM from Spectra-Physics, is based on producing a micron-sized material modification track with well-defined geometry inside. The key point for development of the process is to understand the induced modification by a single femtosecond laser shot. In this paper, pump-probe microscopy techniques have been applied to study the defect formation inside of transparent materials, namely soda-lime glass samples, on a time scale between one nanosecond to several tens of microseconds. The observed effects include acoustic wave propagation as well as mechanical stress formation in the bulk of the glass. Besides better understanding of underlying physical mechanisms, our experimental observations have enabled us to find optimal process parameters for the glass cutting application and lead to better quality and speed for the ClearShapeTM process.

LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Channeling of microwave radiation in a double line containing a plasma filament produced by intense femtosecond laser pulses in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogatov, N. A.; Kuznetsov, A. I.; Smirnov, A. I.; Stepanov, A. N.

2009-10-01

The channeling of microwave radiation is demonstrated experimentally in a double line in which a plasma filament produced in air by intense femtosecond laser pulses serves as one of the conductors. It is shown that during the propagation of microwave radiation in this line, ultrashort pulses are formed, their duration monotonically decreasing with increasing the propagation length (down to the value comparable with the microwave field period). These effects can be used for diagnostics of plasma in a filament.

Dynamics of Molecular Emission Features from Nanosecond, Femtosecond Laser and Filament Ablation Plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Yeak, J.; Brumfield, Brian E.

2016-06-15

The evolutionary paths of molecular species and nanoparticles in laser ablation plumes are not well understood due to the complexity of numerous physical processes that occur simultaneously in a transient laser-plasma system. It is well known that the emission features of ions, atoms, molecules and nanoparticles in a laser ablation plume strongly depend on the laser irradiation conditions. In this letter we report the temporal emission features of AlO molecules in plasmas generated using a nanosecond laser, a femtosecond laser and filaments generated from a femtosecond laser. Our results show that, at a fixed laser energy, the persistence of AlOmore » is found to be highest and lowest in ns and filament laser plasmas respectively while molecular species are formed at early times for both ultrashort pulse (fs and filament) generated plasmas. Analysis of the AlO emission band features show that the vibrational temperature of AlO decays rapidly in filament assisted laser ablation plumes.« less

DNA Damage in Bone Marrow Cells Induced by Femtosecond and Nanosecond Ultraviolet Laser Pulses.

PubMed

Morkunas, Vaidotas; Gabryte, Egle; Vengris, Mikas; Danielius, Romualdas; Danieliene, Egle; Ruksenas, Osvaldas

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible genotoxic impact of new generation 205 nm femtosecond solid-state laser irradiation on the DNA of murine bone marrow cells in vitro, and to compare the DNA damage caused by both femtosecond and nanosecond UV laser pulses. Recent experiments of corneal stromal ablation in vitro and in vivo applying femtosecond UV pulses showed results comparable with or superior to those obtained using nanosecond UV lasers. However, the possible genotoxic effect of ultrashort laser pulses was not investigated. Mouse bone marrow cells were exposed to different doses of 205 nm femtosecond, 213 and 266 nm nanosecond lasers, and 254 nm UV lamp irradiation. The comet assay was used for the evaluation of DNA damage. All types of irradiation demonstrated intensity-dependent genotoxic impact. The DNA damage induced depended mainly upon wavelength rather than on other parameters such as pulse duration, repetition rate, or beam delivery to a target. Both 205 nm femtosecond and clinically applied 213 nm nanosecond lasers' pulses induced a comparable amount of DNA breakage in cells exposed to the same irradiation dose. To further evaluate the suitability of femtosecond UV laser sources for microsurgery, a separate investigation of the genotoxic and mutagenic effects on corneal cells in vitro and, particularly, in vivo is needed.

On the role of nanopore formation and evolution in multi-pulse laser nanostructuring of glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudenko, Anton; Ma, Hongfeng; Veiko, Vadim P.; Colombier, Jean-Philippe; Itina, Tatiana E.

2018-01-01

Laser nanostructuring of glasses has attracted particular attention during laser decades due to its numerous applications in optics, telecommunications, sensing, nanofluidics, as well as in the development of nanocomposite materials. Despite a significant progress achieved in this field with the development and use of femtosecond laser systems, many questions remain puzzling. This study is focused on the numerical modeling of ultrashort laser interactions with glasses. Firstly, we consider laser light propagation and nonlinear ionization. Then, nanocavitation processes in glasses are modeled, followed by the hydrodynamic evolution of pores and cavities. The required conditions for nanopore formation and volume nanogratings erasure in the typical femtosecond laser-irradiation regimes are discussed in the frame of the developed model.

Fabricating waveguide Bragg gratings (WBGs) in bulk materials using ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ams, Martin; Dekker, Peter; Gross, Simon; Withford, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Optical waveguide Bragg gratings (WBGs) can be created in transparent materials using femtosecond laser pulses. The technique is conducted without the need for lithography, ion-beam fabrication methods, or clean room facilities. This paper reviews the field of ultrafast laser-inscribed WBGs since its inception, with a particular focus on fabrication techniques, WBG characteristics, WBG types, and WBG applications.

Ultrafast mode-locked fiber lasers for high-speed OTDM transmission and related topics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakazawa, Masataka

Ultrashort optical pulse sources in the 1.5-µm region are becoming increasingly important in terms of realizing ultrahigh-speed optical transmission and signal processing at optical nodes. This paper provides a detailed description of several types of mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser, which are capable of generating picosecond-femtosecond optical pulses in the 1.55-µm region. In terms of ultrashort pulse generation at a low repetition rate (˜100 MHz), passively mode-locked fiber lasers enable us to produce pulses of approximately 100 fs. With regard to high repetition rate pulse generation at 10-40 GHz, harmonically mode-locked fiber lasers can produce picosecond pulses. This paper also describes the generation of a femtosecond pulse train at a repetition rate of 10-40 GHz by compressing the output pulses from harmonically mode-locked fiber lasers with dispersion-decreasing fibers. Finally, a new Cs optical atomic clock at a frequency of 9.1926 GHz is reported that uses a re-generatively mode-locked fiber laser as an opto-electronic oscillator instead of a quartz oscillator. The repetition rate stability reaches as high as 10-12-10-13.

Ultrashort megaelectronvolt positron beam generation based on laser-accelerated electrons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Tongjun; Shen, Baifei, E-mail: bfshen@mail.shcnc.ac.cn; Xu, Jiancai, E-mail: jcxu@siom.ac.cn

Experimental generation of ultrashort MeV positron beams with high intensity and high density using a compact laser-driven setup is reported. A high-density gas jet is employed experimentally to generate MeV electrons with high charge; thus, a charge-neutralized MeV positron beam with high density is obtained during laser-accelerated electrons irradiating high-Z solid targets. It is a novel electron–positron source for the study of laboratory astrophysics. Meanwhile, the MeV positron beam is pulsed with an ultrashort duration of tens of femtoseconds and has a high peak intensity of 7.8 × 10{sup 21} s{sup −1}, thus allows specific studies of fast kinetics in millimeter-thick materials withmore » a high time resolution and exhibits potential for applications in positron annihilation spectroscopy.« less

Widely tunable femtosecond solitonic radiation in photonic crystal fiber cladding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peng Jiahui; Sokolov, Alexei V.; Benabid, F.

2010-03-15

We report on a means to generate tunable ultrashort optical pulses. We demonstrate that dispersive waves generated by solitons within the small-core features of a photonic crystal fiber cladding can be used to obtain femtosecond pulses tunable over an octave-wide spectral range. The generation process is highly efficient and occurs at the relatively low laser powers available from a simple Ti:sapphire laser oscillator. The described phenomenon is general and will play an important role in other systems where solitons are known to exist.

Generation of a femtosecond electron microbunch train from a photocathode using twofold Michelson interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevelev, M.; Aryshev, A.; Terunuma, N.; Urakawa, J.

2017-10-01

The interest in producing ultrashort electron bunches has risen sharply among scientists working on the design of high-gradient wakefield accelerators. One attractive approach generating electron bunches is to illuminate a photocathode with a train of femtosecond laser pulses. In this paper we describe the design and testing of a laser system for an rf gun based on a commercial titanium-sapphire laser technology. The technology allows the production of four femtosecond laser pulses with a continuously variable pulse delay. We also use the designed system to demonstrate the experimental generation of an electron microbunch train obtained by illuminating a cesium-telluride semiconductor photocathode. We use conventional diagnostics to characterize the electron microbunches produced and confirm that it may be possible to control the main parameter of an electron microbunch train.

Investigating radiation induced damage processes with femtosecond x-ray pulses (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Changyong

2017-05-01

Interest in high-resolution structure investigation has been zealous, especially with the advent of X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs). The intense and ultra-short X-ray laser pulses ( 10 GW) pave new routes to explore structures and dynamics of single macromolecules, functional nanomaterials and complex electronic materials. In the last several years, we have developed XFEL single-shot diffraction imaging by probing ultrafast phase changes directly. Pump-probe single-shot imaging was realized by synchronizing femtosecond (<10 fs in FWHM) X-ray laser (probe) with femtosecond (50 fs) IR laser (pump) at better than 1 ps resolution. Nanoparticles under intense fs-laser pulses were investigated with fs XFEL pulses to provide insight into the irreversible particle damage processes with nanoscale resolution. Research effort, introduced, aims to extend the current spatio-temporal resolution beyond the present limit. We expect this single-shot dynamic imaging to open new science opportunity with XFELs.

View from... JSAP Spring Meeting 2016: Ultrashort interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiuchi, Noriaki

2016-06-01

At the 63rd Spring Meeting of the Japan Society of Applied Physics, scientists described how femtosecond laser pulses can be used to perform tasks such as quantum beat spectroscopy, control of magnetization, cell sorting and crystal growth.

Adapting High Brightness Relativistic Electron Beams for Ultrafast Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scoby, Cheyne Matthew

This thesis explores the use of ultrashort bunches generated by a radiofrequency electron photoinjector driven by a femtosecond laser. Rf photoinjector technology has been developed to generate ultra high brightness beams for advanced accelerators and to drive advanced light source applications. The extremely good quality of the beams generated by this source has played a key role in the development of 4th generation light sources such as the Linac Coherent Light Source, thus opening the way to studies of materials science and biological systems with high temporal and spatial resolution. At the Pegasus Photoinjector Lab, we have developed the application of a BNL/SLAC/UCLA 1.6-cell rf photoinjector as a tool for ultrafast science in its own right. It is the aim of this work to explore the generation of ultrashort electron bunches, give descriptions of the novel ultrafast diagnostics developed to be able to characterize the electron bunch and synchronize it with a pump laser, and share some of the scientific results that were obtained with this technology at the UCLA Pegasus laboratory. This dissertation explains the requirements of the drive laser source and describes the principles of rf photoinjector design and operation necessary to produce electron bunches with an rms longitudinal length < 100 femtoseconds containing 107 - 108 electrons per bunch. In this condition, when the laser intensity is sufficiently high, multiphoton photoemission is demonstrated to be more efficient in terms of charge yield than single photon photoemission. When a short laser pulse hits the cathode the resulting beam dynamics are dominated by a strong space charge driven longitudinal expansion which leads to the creation of a nearly ideal uniformly filled ellipsoidal distribution. These beam distributions are characterized by linear space charge forces and hence by high peak brightness and small transverse emittances. This regime of operation of the RF photoinjector is also termed the “blow-out regime.” When the beam charge is maintained low, ultrashort electron bunches can be obtained enabling novel applications such as single shot Femtosecond Relativistic Electron Diffraction (FRED). High precision temporal diagnostic and synchronization techniques are integral to the use of femtosecond electron bunches for ultrafast science. An x-band rf streak camera provides measurements of the longitudinal profiles of sub-ps electron bunches. Spatial encoded electro-optic timestamping is developed to overcome the inherent rf-laser synchronization errors in rf photoinjectors. The ultrafast electron beams generated with the RF photoenjector are employed in pump-probe experiments wherein a target is illuminated with an intense pump laser to induce a transient behavior in the sample. FRED is used to study the melting of gold after heating with an intense femtosecond laser pulse. In a first experiment we study the process by taking different single-shot diffraction patterns at varying delays between the pump an probe beams. In a second experiment a variation of the technique is employed using the rf streak camera to time-stretch the beam after it has diffraction from the sample in order to capture the full melting dynamics in a single shot. Finally, relativistic ultrashort electron bunches are used as a probe of plasma dynamics in electron radiography/shadowgraphy experiments. This technique is used to study photoemission with intense laser pulses and the evolution of electromagnetic fields in a photoinduced dense plasma. This experiment is also performed in two different modes: one where different pictures are acquired at different time delays, and the other where a single streak image is used to obtain visualization of the propagation electromagnetic fields with an unprecedented 35 femtosecond resolution.

Ultrafast Laser Interaction Processes for LIBS and Other Sensing Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-05

Propagation of ultrashort pulses through water, Optics Express, (02 2007): . doi: 12/02/2009 8.00 Z. Chen, S. Mao. Femtosecond laser -induced electronic...CO2 double- pulse laser -induced breakdown spectroscopy for explosive residues detection" SPIE Defense, Security, Sensing; Orlando, FL, USA; 04/07...Matthieu Baudelet, Michael Sigman, Paul J Dagdigian, Martin C. Richardson, "Nd:YAG-CO2 Double- Pulse Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for Explosive

Curve micromachining on the edges of nitinol biliary stent by ultrashort pulses laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, Chia-Hung; Chang, Fuh-Yu

2017-05-01

In this study, a curve micromaching process on the edges of nitinol biliary stent was proposed by a femtosecond laser system with a galvano-mirror scanner. Furthermore, the outer diameter of nitinol tube was 5.116 mm, its inner diameter was 4.648 mm, and its length was 100 mm. The initial fabricated results of nitinol biliary stent represented that the edges of nitinol biliary stent were steep and squared by femtosecond laser. However, the results also indicated that if the laser movement path was precisely programmed by utilizing the unique characteristic of Gaussian beam of femtosecond laser with aligning the edges of stent, the radius of edges enhanced significantly from 9 μm to 42.5 μm. As a result, the edges of nitinol biliary stent can be successfully fabricated from squared edges to rounded-shaped edges with precise dimension, clean surface morphology, and minimal heat-affected zone remained. Hence, the nitinol biliary stent, after femtosecond laser micromachining, would not need any further post-process to remove heat-affected zone and the squared edges.

Dislocation structure produced by an ultrashort shock pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matsuda, Tomoki, E-mail: t-matsu@mapse.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp; Hirose, Akio; Sano, Tomokazu

We found an ultrashort shock pulse driven by a femtosecond laser pulse on iron generates a different dislocation structure than the shock process which is on the nanosecond timescale. The ultrashort shock pulse produces a highly dense dislocation structure that varies by depth. According to transmission electron microscopy, dislocations away from the surface produce microbands via a network structure similar to a long shock process, but unlike a long shock process dislocations near the surface have limited intersections. Considering the dislocation motion during the shock process, the structure near the surface is attributed to the ultrashort shock duration. This approachmore » using an ultrashort shock pulse will lead to understanding the whole process off shock deformation by clarifying the early stage.« less

Deformation dynamics and spallation strength of aluminium under a single-pulse action of a femtosecond laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ashitkov, Sergei I; Komarov, P S; Ovchinnikov, A V

An interferometric method is developed and realised using a frequency-modulated pulse for diagnosing a dynamics of fast deformations with a spatial and temporal resolution under the action of a single laser pulse. The dynamics of a free surface of a submicron-thick aluminium film is studied under an action of the ultrashort compression pulse with the amplitude of up to 14 GPa, excited by a femtosecond laser heating of the target surface layer. The spallation strength of aluminium was determined at a record high deformation rate of 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 9} s{sup -1}. (extreme light fields and their applications)

Method of defining features on materials with a femtosecond laser

DOEpatents

Roos, Edward Victor [Los Altos, CA; Roeske, Franklin [Livermore, CA; Lee, Ronald S [Livermore, CA; Benterou, Jerry J [Livermore, CA

2006-05-23

The invention relates to a pulsed laser ablation method of metals and/or dielectric films from the surface of a wafer, printed circuit board or a hybrid substrate. By utilizing a high-energy ultra-short pulses of laser light, such a method can be used to manufacture electronic circuits and/or electro-mechanical assemblies without affecting the material adjacent to the ablation zone.

Ultrashort pulse laser deposition of thin films

DOEpatents

Perry, Michael D.; Banks, Paul S.; Stuart, Brent C.

2002-01-01

Short pulse PLD is a viable technique of producing high quality films with properties very close to that of crystalline diamond. The plasma generated using femtosecond lasers is composed of single atom ions with no clusters producing films with high Sp.sup.3 /Sp.sup.2 ratios. Using a high average power femtosecond laser system, the present invention dramatically increases deposition rates to up to 25 .mu.m/hr (which exceeds many CVD processes) while growing particulate-free films. In the present invention, deposition rates is a function of laser wavelength, laser fluence, laser spot size, and target/substrate separation. The relevant laser parameters are shown to ensure particulate-free growth, and characterizations of the films grown are made using several diagnostic techniques including electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and Raman spectroscopy.

Prompt increase of ultrashort laser pulse transmission through thin silver films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezhanov, S. G.; Danilov, P. A.; Klekovkin, A. V.; Kudryashov, S. I.; Rudenko, A. A.; Uryupin, S. A.

2018-03-01

We study experimentally and numerically the increase in ultrashort laser pulse transmissivity through thin silver films caused by the heating of electrons. Low to moderate energy femtosecond laser pulse transmission measurements through 40-125 nm thickness silver films were carried out. We compare the experimental data with the values of transmitted fraction of energy obtained by solving the equations for the field together with the two-temperature model. The measured values were fitted with sufficient accuracy by varying the electron-electron collision frequency whose exact values are usually poorly known. Since transmissivity experiences more pronounced changes with the increase in temperature compared to reflectivity, we suggest this technique for studying the properties of nonequilibrium metals.

Simple and effective preparation of nano-pulverized curcumin by femtosecond laser ablation and the cytotoxic effect on C6 rat glioma cells in vitro.

PubMed

Tagami, Tatsuaki; Imao, Yukino; Ito, Shunsuke; Nakada, Akiko; Ozeki, Tetsuya

2014-07-01

The pulverization of poorly water-soluble drugs and drug candidates into nanoscale particles is a simple and effective means of increasing their pharmacological effect. Consequently, efficient methods for pulverizing compounds are being developed. Femtosecond lasers, which emit ultrashort laser pulses, can be used to generate nanoscale particles without heating and are finding in various fields, including pharmaceutical science. Laser ablation holds promise as a novel top-down pulverization method for obtaining drug nanoparticles. We used a poorly water-soluble compound, curcumin (diferuloyl methane), to understand the characteristics of femtosecond laser pulverization. Various factors such as laser strength, laser scan speed, and the buffer solution affected the size of the curcumin particles. The minimum curcumin particle size was approximately 500 nm; the particle size was stable after 30 days. In vitro studies suggested that curcumin nanoparticles exhibited a cytotoxic effect on C6 rat glioma cells, and remarkable intracellular uptake of the curcumin nanoparticles was observed. The results suggest that femtosecond laser ablation is a useful approach for preparing curcumin nanoparticles that exhibit remarkable therapeutic effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RLE (Research Laboratory of Electronics) Progress Report Number 125.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

Optical Communications 32 7.3 Picosecond Optics 35 7.4 Ultrashort Pulse Formation 37 7.5 Femtosecond Laser System 37 7.6 Parametric Scattering with...Figure 3-2: The cross section for 4 photon ionization of atomic hydrogen as calculated by 10 Reinhardt for a single frequency laser . To facilitate...profiles produced by laser intensity I* and at five times that intensity 11 510. As the laser intensity is increased, the ionization profile becomes

Femtosecond laser machining for characterization of local mechanical properties of biomaterials: a case study on wood

PubMed Central

Jakob, Severin; Pfeifenberger, Manuel J.; Hohenwarter, Anton; Pippan, Reinhard

2017-01-01

Abstract The standard preparation technique for micro-sized samples is focused ion beam milling, most frequently using Ga+ ions. The main drawbacks are the required processing time and the possibility and risks of ion implantation. In contrast, ultrashort pulsed laser ablation can process any type of material with ideally negligible damage to the surrounding volume and provides 4 to 6 orders of magnitude higher ablation rates than the ion beam technique. In this work, a femtosecond laser was used to prepare wood samples from spruce for mechanical testing at the micrometre level. After optimization of the different laser parameters, tensile and compressive specimens were produced from microtomed radial-tangential and longitudinal-tangential sections. Additionally, laser-processed samples were exposed to an electron beam prior to testing to study possible beam damage. The specimens originating from these different preparation conditions were mechanically tested. Advantages and limitations of the femtosecond laser preparation technique and the deformation and fracture behaviour of the samples are discussed. The results prove that femtosecond laser processing is a fast and precise preparation technique, which enables the fabrication of pristine biological samples with dimensions at the microscale. PMID:28970867

Femtosecond laser machining for characterization of local mechanical properties of biomaterials: a case study on wood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakob, Severin; Pfeifenberger, Manuel J.; Hohenwarter, Anton; Pippan, Reinhard

2017-12-01

The standard preparation technique for micro-sized samples is focused ion beam milling, most frequently using Ga+ ions. The main drawbacks are the required processing time and the possibility and risks of ion implantation. In contrast, ultrashort pulsed laser ablation can process any type of material with ideally negligible damage to the surrounding volume and provides 4 to 6 orders of magnitude higher ablation rates than the ion beam technique. In this work, a femtosecond laser was used to prepare wood samples from spruce for mechanical testing at the micrometre level. After optimization of the different laser parameters, tensile and compressive specimens were produced from microtomed radial-tangential and longitudinal-tangential sections. Additionally, laser-processed samples were exposed to an electron beam prior to testing to study possible beam damage. The specimens originating from these different preparation conditions were mechanically tested. Advantages and limitations of the femtosecond laser preparation technique and the deformation and fracture behaviour of the samples are discussed. The results prove that femtosecond laser processing is a fast and precise preparation technique, which enables the fabrication of pristine biological samples with dimensions at the microscale.

Two-photon transitions driven by a combination of diode and femtosecond lasers.

PubMed

Moreno, Marco P; Nogueira, Giovana T; Felinto, Daniel; Vianna, Sandra S

2012-10-15

We report on the combined action of a cw diode laser and a train of ultrashort pulses when each of them drives one step of the 5S-5P-5D two-photon transition in rubidium vapor. The fluorescence from the 6P(3/2) state is detected for a fixed repetition rate of the femtosecond laser while the cw-laser frequency is scanned over the rubidium D(2) lines. This scheme allows for a velocity selective spectroscopy in a large spectral range including the 5D(3/2) and 5D(5/2) states. The results are well described in a simplified frequency domain picture, considering the interaction of each velocity group with the cw laser and a single mode of the frequency comb.

Simultaneous generation of sub-5-femtosecond 400  nm and 800  nm pulses for attosecond extreme ultraviolet pump-probe spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chang, Hung-Tzu; Zürch, Michael; Kraus, Peter M; Borja, Lauren J; Neumark, Daniel M; Leone, Stephen R

2016-11-15

Few-cycle laser pulses with wavelengths centered at 400 nm and 800 nm are simultaneously obtained through wavelength separation of ultrashort, spectrally broadened Vis-NIR laser pulses spanning 350-1100 nm wavelengths. The 400 nm and 800 nm pulses are separately compressed, yielding pulses with 4.4 fs and 3.8 fs duration, respectively. The pulse energy exceeds 5 μJ for the 400 nm pulses and 750 μJ for the 800 nm pulses. Intense 400 nm few-cycle pulses have a broad range of applications in nonlinear optical spectroscopy, which include the study of photochemical dynamics, semiconductors, and photovoltaic materials on few-femtosecond to attosecond time scales. The ultrashort 400 nm few-cycle pulses generated here not only extend the spectral range of the optical pulse for NIR-XUV attosecond pump-probe spectroscopy but also pave the way for two-color, three-pulse, multidimensional optical-XUV spectroscopy experiments.

Effect of pulse temporal shape on optical trapping and impulse transfer using ultrashort pulsed lasers.

PubMed

Shane, Janelle C; Mazilu, Michael; Lee, Woei Ming; Dholakia, Kishan

2010-03-29

We investigate the effects of pulse duration on optical trapping with high repetition rate ultrashort pulsed lasers, through Lorentz-Mie theory, numerical simulation, and experiment. Optical trapping experiments use a 12 femtosecond duration infrared pulsed laser, with the trapping microscope's temporal dispersive effects measured and corrected using the Multiphoton Intrapulse Interference Phase Scan method. We apply pulse shaping to reproducibly stretch pulse duration by 1.5 orders of magnitude and find no material-independent effects of pulse temporal profile on optical trapping of 780nm silica particles, in agreement with our theory and simulation. Using pulse shaping, we control two-photon fluorescence in trapped fluorescent particles, opening the door to other coherent control applications with trapped particles.

Duration of an intense laser pulse can determine the breakage of multiple chemical bonds

PubMed Central

Xie, Xinhua; Lötstedt, Erik; Roither, Stefan; Schöffler, Markus; Kartashov, Daniil; Midorikawa, Katsumi; Baltuška, Andrius; Yamanouchi, Kaoru; Kitzler, Markus

2015-01-01

Control over the breakage of a certain chemical bond in a molecule by an ultrashort laser pulse has been considered for decades. With the availability of intense non-resonant laser fields it became possible to pre-determine femtosecond to picosecond molecular bond breakage dynamics by controlled distortions of the electronic molecular system on sub-femtosecond time scales using field-sensitive processes such as strong-field ionization or excitation. So far, all successful demonstrations in this area considered only fragmentation reactions, where only one bond is broken and the molecule is split into merely two moieties. Here, using ethylene (C2H4) as an example, we experimentally investigate whether complex fragmentation reactions that involve the breakage of more than one chemical bond can be influenced by parameters of an ultrashort intense laser pulse. We show that the dynamics of removing three electrons by strong-field ionization determines the ratio of fragmentation of the molecular trication into two respectively three moieties. We observe a relative increase of two-body fragmentations with the laser pulse duration by almost an order of magnitude. Supported by quantum chemical simulations we explain our experimental results by the interplay between the dynamics of electron removal and nuclear motion. PMID:26271602

Quantification of phase retardation in corneal tissues using a femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calhoun, William R.; Beylin, Alexander; Weiblinger, Richard; Ilev, Ilko

2013-03-01

The use of femtosecond lasers (FSL) in ophthalmic procedures, such as LASIK, lens replacement (cataract surgery), as well as several other treatments, is growing rapidly. The treatment effect is based on photo ablation of ocular tissues by a series of ultra-short laser pulses. However, the laser beam characteristics change dynamically due to interactions with birefringent corneal tissue, which may affect the outcome of the laser treatment. To better understand the effect the cornea has on the laser characteristics, we developed a system for measuring retardation and validated it with precise, standard phase retarders. Then we measured the phase retardation of FSLs through bovine corneas and found that there is a considerable, location dependent, variation in retardation values. This information can potentially help optimize FSL parameters to make their application in ophthalmic procedures safer and more effective.

Fractals, Fuzzy Sets And Image Representation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dodds, D. R.

1988-10-01

This paper addresses some uses of fractals, fuzzy sets and image representation as it pertains to robotic grip planning and autonomous vehicle navigation AVN. The robot/vehicle is assumed to be equipped with multimodal sensors including ultrashort pulse imaging laser rangefinder. With a temporal resolution of 50 femtoseconds a time of flight laser rangefinder can resolve distances within approximately half an inch or 1.25 centimeters. (Fujimoto88)

Femtosecond digital lensless holographic microscopy to image biological samples.

PubMed

Mendoza-Yero, Omel; Calabuig, Alejandro; Tajahuerce, Enrique; Lancis, Jesús; Andrés, Pedro; Garcia-Sucerquia, Jorge

2013-09-01

The use of femtosecond laser radiation in digital lensless holographic microscopy (DLHM) to image biological samples is presented. A mode-locked Ti:Sa laser that emits ultrashort pulses of 12 fs intensity FWHM, with 800 nm mean wavelength, at 75 MHz repetition rate is used as a light source. For comparison purposes, the light from a light-emitting diode is also used. A section of the head of a drosophila melanogaster fly is studied with both light sources. The experimental results show very different effects of the pinhole size on the spatial resolution with DLHM. Unaware phenomena on the field of the DLHM are analyzed.

Nonresonant interaction of ultrashort electromagnetic pulses with multilevel quantum systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belenov, E.; Isakov, V.; Nazarkin, A.

1994-01-01

Some features of the excitation of multilevel quantum systems under the action of electromagnetic pulses which are shorter than the inverse frequency of interlevel transitions are considered. It is shown that the interaction is characterized by a specific type of selectivity which is not connected with the resonant absorption of radiation. The simplest three-level model displays the inverse population of upper levels. The effect of an ultrashort laser pulse on a multilevel molecule was regarded as an instant reception of the oscillation velocity by the oscillator and this approach showed an effective excitation and dissociation of the molecule. The estimations testify to the fact that these effects can be observed using modern femtosecond lasers.

Ultrashort polarization-tailored bichromatic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerbstadt, Stefanie; Englert, Lars; Bayer, Tim; Wollenhaupt, Matthias

2017-06-01

We present a novel concept for the generation of ultrashort polarization-shaped bichromatic laser fields. The scheme utilizes a 4f polarization pulse shaper based on a liquid crystal spatial light modulator for independent amplitude and phase modulation of femtosecond laser pulses. By choice of either a conventional (p) or a composite (p-s) polarizer in the Fourier plane, the shaper setup enables the generation of parallel linearly and orthogonal linearly polarized bichromatic fields. Additional use of a ? wave plate behind the setup yields co-rotating and counter-rotating circularly polarized bichromatic fields. The scheme allows to independently control the spectral amplitude, phase and polarization profile of the output fields, offering an enormous versatility of bichromatic waveforms.

Research Laboratory of Electronics Annual Report Number 125.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

Picosecond Optics 35 7.4 Ultrashort Pulse Formation 37 7.5 Ferntosecond Laser System 37 7.6 Parametric Scattering with Femtosecond Pulses 38 7.7 Near-IR...ionization of atomic hydrogen as calculated by 10 Reinhardt for a single frequency laser . To facilitate comparison, the cross section has been divided by 13...As the intensity increases, the peaks shift to the blue and become broader. Figure 3-3: Ionization profiles produced by laser intensity 10 and at five

Femtosecond timing-jitter between photo-cathode laser and ultra-short electron bunches by means of hybrid compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompili, R.; Anania, M. P.; Bellaveglia, M.; Biagioni, A.; Castorina, G.; Chiadroni, E.; Cianchi, A.; Croia, M.; Di Giovenale, D.; Ferrario, M.; Filippi, F.; Gallo, A.; Gatti, G.; Giorgianni, F.; Giribono, A.; Li, W.; Lupi, S.; Mostacci, A.; Petrarca, M.; Piersanti, L.; Di Pirro, G.; Romeo, S.; Scifo, J.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.; Villa, F.

2016-08-01

The generation of ultra-short electron bunches with ultra-low timing-jitter relative to the photo-cathode (PC) laser has been experimentally proved for the first time at the SPARC_LAB test-facility (INFN-LNF, Frascati) exploiting a two-stage hybrid compression scheme. The first stage employs RF-based compression (velocity-bunching), which shortens the bunch and imprints an energy chirp on it. The second stage is performed in a non-isochronous dogleg line, where the compression is completed resulting in a final bunch duration below 90 fs (rms). At the same time, the beam arrival timing-jitter with respect to the PC laser has been measured to be lower than 20 fs (rms). The reported results have been validated with numerical simulations.

Interface modification based ultrashort laser microwelding between SiC and fused silica.

PubMed

Zhang, Guodong; Bai, Jing; Zhao, Wei; Zhou, Kaiming; Cheng, Guanghua

2017-02-06

It is a big challenge to weld two materials with large differences in coefficients of thermal expansion and melting points. Here we report that the welding between fused silica (softening point, 1720°C) and SiC wafer (melting point, 3100°C) is achieved with a near infrared femtosecond laser at 800 nm. Elements are observed to have a spatial distribution gradient within the cross section of welding line, revealing that mixing and inter-diffusion of substances have occurred during laser irradiation. This is attributed to the femtosecond laser induced local phase transition and volume expansion. Through optimizing the welding parameters, pulse energy and interval of the welding lines, a shear joining strength as high as 15.1 MPa is achieved. In addition, the influence mechanism of the laser ablation on welding quality of the sample without pre-optical contact is carefully studied by measuring the laser induced interface modification.

Imaging Surfaces and Nanostructures

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-28

Principles and Perspectives," Phys. Chern. Chern. Phys. 10, 2879 (2008). 8) A. Gahlmann, S. T. Park, and A. H. Zewail , " Ultrashort Electron Pulses ...1~ copy with high spatiotemporal reso- 104 lutions. The time resolution becomes limited only by the laser pulse width and energy width of the...definition, transformations in which atoms move at speeds of the order of I krnls is in the femtosecond domain, and although laser light pulses can

First light from the Diocles laser: Relativistic laser-plasmas and beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umstadter, Donald

2007-06-01

Reported are first experimental results from a new high-power (150 TW) laser, Diocles, now in operation at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Discussed are novel approaches to using the ultra-high-intensity light from this laser to study relativistic laser plasma interactions. Bright, ultrashort duration (femtosecond ) pulses of energetic (keV -- MeV) x-ray and charged-particle beams are generated through these interactions. Also covered in this talk will be applications of these unique radiation sources for research in the physical sciences, as well as biomedicine, defense and homeland security.

Generation of UV light by intense ultrashort laser pulses in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexeev, Ilya; Ting, Antonio; Gordon, Daniel; Briscoe, Eldridge; Penano, Joe; Sprangle, Phillip

2004-11-01

The propagation of collimated high-peak-power ultrashort laser pulses in air has attracted considerable attention, which may have a variety of important applications including remote sensing and chemical-biological aerosols standoff detection. Sub-millimeter diameter laser filaments can develop without any focusing optics and instead solely from laser self-focusing and plasma formation in air. These filaments can produce ultraviolet radiations in the form of the 3rd harmonic of the fundamental frequency and also through spectral broadening due to self-phase modulation of the laser pulse. Using femtosecond laser pulses produced by a high power Ti:Sapphire laser (0.8 TW, 50 fs, 800 nm) we observed generation of the third harmonic radiation light in air (centered around 267 nm) by the laser filaments. Characterization of the 3rd harmonic generation with respect to the major gas components of the air will be reported. Supported by the ONR and RDECOM. I. Alexeev is NRC/NRL Post-Doc.

Two-dimensional photoacoustic imaging of femtosecond filament in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potemkin, F. V.; Mareev, E. I.; Rumiantsev, B. V.; Bychkov, A. S.; Karabutov, A. A.; Cherepetskaya, E. B.; Makarov, V. A.

2018-07-01

We report a first-of-its-kind optoacoustic tomography of a femtosecond filament in water. Using a broadband (~100 MHz) piezoelectric transducer and a back-projection reconstruction technique, a single filament profile was retrieved. Obtained pressure distribution induced by the femtosecond filament allowed us to identify the size of the core and the energy reservoir with spatial resolution better than 10 µm. The photoacoustic imaging provides direct measurements of the energy deposition into the medium under filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses that cannot be obtained by existing techniques. In combination with a relative simplicity and high accuracy, photoacoustic imaging can be considered as a breakthrough instrument for filamentation investigation.

Femtosecond laser three-dimensional micro- and nanofabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugioka, Koji; Cheng, Ya

2014-12-01

The rapid development of the femtosecond laser has revolutionized materials processing due to its unique characteristics of ultrashort pulse width and extremely high peak intensity. The short pulse width suppresses the formation of a heat-affected zone, which is vital for ultrahigh precision fabrication, whereas the high peak intensity allows nonlinear interactions such as multiphoton absorption and tunneling ionization to be induced in transparent materials, which provides versatility in terms of the materials that can be processed. More interestingly, irradiation with tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses inside transparent materials makes three-dimensional (3D) micro- and nanofabrication available due to efficient confinement of the nonlinear interactions within the focal volume. Additive manufacturing (stereolithography) based on multiphoton absorption (two-photon polymerization) enables the fabrication of 3D polymer micro- and nanostructures for photonic devices, micro- and nanomachines, and microfluidic devices, and has applications for biomedical and tissue engineering. Subtractive manufacturing based on internal modification and fabrication can realize the direct fabrication of 3D microfluidics, micromechanics, microelectronics, and photonic microcomponents in glass. These microcomponents can be easily integrated in a single glass microchip by a simple procedure using a femtosecond laser to realize more functional microdevices, such as optofluidics and integrated photonic microdevices. The highly localized multiphoton absorption of a tightly focused femtosecond laser in glass can also induce strong absorption only at the interface of two closely stacked glass substrates. Consequently, glass bonding can be performed based on fusion welding with femtosecond laser irradiation, which provides the potential for applications in electronics, optics, microelectromechanical systems, medical devices, microfluidic devices, and small satellites. This review paper describes the concepts and principles of femtosecond laser 3D micro- and nanofabrication and presents a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art, applications, and the future prospects of this technology.

Femtosecond laser three-dimensional micro- and nanofabrication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sugioka, Koji, E-mail: ksugioka@riken.jp; Cheng, Ya, E-mail: ya.cheng@siom.ac.cn

2014-12-15

The rapid development of the femtosecond laser has revolutionized materials processing due to its unique characteristics of ultrashort pulse width and extremely high peak intensity. The short pulse width suppresses the formation of a heat-affected zone, which is vital for ultrahigh precision fabrication, whereas the high peak intensity allows nonlinear interactions such as multiphoton absorption and tunneling ionization to be induced in transparent materials, which provides versatility in terms of the materials that can be processed. More interestingly, irradiation with tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses inside transparent materials makes three-dimensional (3D) micro- and nanofabrication available due to efficient confinement ofmore » the nonlinear interactions within the focal volume. Additive manufacturing (stereolithography) based on multiphoton absorption (two-photon polymerization) enables the fabrication of 3D polymer micro- and nanostructures for photonic devices, micro- and nanomachines, and microfluidic devices, and has applications for biomedical and tissue engineering. Subtractive manufacturing based on internal modification and fabrication can realize the direct fabrication of 3D microfluidics, micromechanics, microelectronics, and photonic microcomponents in glass. These microcomponents can be easily integrated in a single glass microchip by a simple procedure using a femtosecond laser to realize more functional microdevices, such as optofluidics and integrated photonic microdevices. The highly localized multiphoton absorption of a tightly focused femtosecond laser in glass can also induce strong absorption only at the interface of two closely stacked glass substrates. Consequently, glass bonding can be performed based on fusion welding with femtosecond laser irradiation, which provides the potential for applications in electronics, optics, microelectromechanical systems, medical devices, microfluidic devices, and small satellites. This review paper describes the concepts and principles of femtosecond laser 3D micro- and nanofabrication and presents a comprehensive review on the state-of-the-art, applications, and the future prospects of this technology.« less

[Flexible Guidance of Ultra-Short Laser Pulses in Ophthalmic Therapy Systems].

PubMed

Blum, J; Blum, M; Rill, M S; Haueisen, J

2017-01-01

In the last 20 years, the role of ultrashort pulsed lasers in ophthalmology has become increasingly important. However, it is still impossible to guide ultra-short laser pulses with standard glass fibres. The highly energetic femtosecond pulses would destroy the fibre material, and non-linear dispersion effects would significantly change beam parameters. In contrast, photonic crystal fibres mainly guide the laser pulses in air, so that absorption and dispersive pulse broadening have essentially no effect. This article compares classical beam guidance with mirrors, lenses and prisms with photonic crystal fibres and describes the underlying concepts and the current state of technology. A classical mirror arm possesses more variable optical properties, while the HCF (Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fibre) must be matched in terms of the laser energy and the laser spectrum. In contrast, the HCF has more advantages in respect of handling, system integration and costs. For applications based on photodisruptive laser-tissue interaction, the relatively low damage threshold of photonic crystal fibres compared to classic beam guiding systems is unacceptable. If, however, pulsed laser radiation has a sufficiently low peak intensity, e.g. as used for plasma-induced ablation, photonic crystal fibres can definitely be considered as an alternative solution to classic beam guidance. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

All optical electron injector using an intense ultrashort pulse laser and a solid wire target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palchan, T.; Eisenmann, S.; Zigler, A.; Kaganovich, D.; Hubbard, R. F.; Fraenkel, M.; Fisher, D.; Henis, Z.

2006-05-01

Energetic electron bunches were generated by irradiating a solid tungsten wire 13 μm wide with 50 femtosecond pulses at an intensity of ˜3×1018 W/cm2. The electron yield, energy spectrum and angular distribution were measured. These energetic electron bunches are suitable for injection into a laser driven plasma accelerator. An all-optical electron injector based on this approach could simplify timing and alignment in future laser-plasma accelerator experiments.

Femtosecond laser generated gold nanoparticles and their plasmonic properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Das, Rupali, E-mail: phz148121@iitd.ac.in; Navas, M. P.; Soni, R. K.

The pulsed laser ablation in liquid medium is now commonly used to generate stable colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) in absence of any chemical additives or stabilizer with diverse applications. In this paper, we report generation of gold NPs (Au NPs) by ultra-short laser pulses. Femtosecond (fs) laser radiation (λ = 800 nm) has been used to ablate a gold target in pure de-ionized water to produce gold colloids with smallsize distribution. The average size of the particles can be further controlled by subjecting to laser-induced post-irradiation providing a versatile physical method of size-selected gold nanoparticles. The optical extinction and morphological dimensions weremore » investigated with UV-Vis spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy measurements, respectively. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is employed to calculate localized surface plasmon (LSPR) wavelength and the near-field generated by Au NPs and their hybrids.« less

Ultrashort laser pulses and electromagnetic pulse generation in air and on dielectric surfaces.

PubMed

Sprangle, P; Peñano, J R; Hafizi, B; Kapetanakos, C A

2004-06-01

Intense, ultrashort laser pulses propagating in the atmosphere have been observed to emit sub-THz electromagnetic pulses (EMPS). The purpose of this paper is to analyze EMP generation from the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with air and with dielectric surfaces and to determine the efficiency of conversion of laser energy to EMP energy. In our self-consistent model the laser pulse partially ionizes the medium, forms a plasma filament, and through the ponderomotive forces associated with the laser pulse, drives plasma currents which are the source of the EMP. The propagating laser pulse evolves under the influence of diffraction, Kerr focusing, plasma defocusing, and energy depletion due to electron collisions and ionization. Collective effects and recombination processes are also included in the model. The duration of the EMP in air, at a fixed point, is found to be a few hundred femtoseconds, i.e., on the order of the laser pulse duration plus the electron collision time. For steady state laser pulse propagation the flux of EMP energy is nonradiative and axially directed. Radiative EMP energy is present only for nonsteady state or transient laser pulse propagation. The analysis also considers the generation of EMP on the surface of a dielectric on which an ultrashort laser pulse is incident. For typical laser parameters, the power and energy conversion efficiency from laser radiation to EMP radiation in both air and from dielectric surfaces is found to be extremely small, < 10(-8). Results of full-scale, self-consistent, numerical simulations of atmospheric and dielectric surface EMP generation are presented. A recent experiment on atmospheric EMP generation is also simulated.

Three-dimensional femtosecond laser processing for lab-on-a-chip applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sima, Felix; Sugioka, Koji; Vázquez, Rebeca Martínez; Osellame, Roberto; Kelemen, Lóránd; Ormos, Pal

2018-02-01

The extremely high peak intensity associated with ultrashort pulse width of femtosecond laser allows us to induce nonlinear interaction such as multiphoton absorption and tunneling ionization with materials that are transparent to the laser wavelength. More importantly, focusing the femtosecond laser beam inside the transparent materials confines the nonlinear interaction only within the focal volume, enabling three-dimensional (3D) micro- and nanofabrication. This 3D capability offers three different schemes, which involve undeformative, subtractive, and additive processing. The undeformative processing preforms internal refractive index modification to construct optical microcomponents including optical waveguides. Subtractive processing can realize the direct fabrication of 3D microfluidics, micromechanics, microelectronics, and photonic microcomponents in glass. Additive processing represented by two-photon polymerization enables the fabrication of 3D polymer micro- and nanostructures for photonic and microfluidic devices. These different schemes can be integrated to realize more functional microdevices including lab-on-a-chip devices, which are miniaturized laboratories that can perform reaction, detection, analysis, separation, and synthesis of biochemical materials with high efficiency, high speed, high sensitivity, low reagent consumption, and low waste production. This review paper describes the principles and applications of femtosecond laser 3D micro- and nanofabrication for lab-on-a-chip applications. A hybrid technique that promises to enhance functionality of lab-on-a-chip devices is also introduced.

Several new directions for ultrafast fiber lasers [Invited].

PubMed

Fu, Walter; Wright, Logan G; Sidorenko, Pavel; Backus, Sterling; Wise, Frank W

2018-04-16

Ultrafast fiber lasers have the potential to make applications of ultrashort pulses widespread - techniques not only for scientists, but also for doctors, manufacturing engineers, and more. Today, this potential is only realized in refractive surgery and some femtosecond micromachining. The existing market for ultrafast lasers remains dominated by solid-state lasers, primarily Ti:sapphire, due to their superior performance. Recent advances show routes to ultrafast fiber sources that provide performance and capabilities equal to, and in some cases beyond, those of Ti:sapphire, in compact, versatile, low-cost devices. In this paper, we discuss the prospects for future ultrafast fiber lasers built on new kinds of pulse generation that capitalize on nonlinear dynamics. We focus primarily on three promising directions: mode-locked oscillators that use nonlinearity to enhance performance; systems that use nonlinear pulse propagation to achieve ultrashort pulses without a mode-locked oscillator; and multimode fiber lasers that exploit nonlinearities in space and time to obtain unparalleled control over an electric field.

Nanoplasmonic generation of ultrashort EUV pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Joonhee; Lee, Dong-Hyub; Han, Seunghwoi; Park, In-Yong; Kim, Seungchul; Kim, Seung-Woo

2012-10-01

Ultrashort extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) light pulses are an important tool for time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy to investigate the ultrafast dynamics of electrons in atoms and molecules. Among several methods available to generate ultrashort EUV light pulses, the nonlinear frequency upconversion process of high-harmonic generation (HHG) draws attention as it is capable of producing coherent EUV pulses with precise control of burst timing with respect to the driving near-infrared (NIR) femtosecond laser. In this report, we present and discuss our recent experimental data obtained by the plasmon-driven HHG method that generate EUV radiation by means of plasmonic nano-focusing of NIR femtosecond pulses. For experiment, metallic waveguides having a tapered hole of funnel shape inside were fabricated by adopting the focused-ion-beam process on a micro-cantilever substrate. The plasmonic field formed within the funnelwaveguides being coupled with the incident femtosecond pulse permitted intensity enhancement by a factor of ~350, which creates a hot spot of sub-wavelength size with intensities strong enough for HHG. Experimental results showed that with injection of noble gases into the funnel-waveguides, EUV radiation is generated up to wavelengths of 32 nm and 29.6 nm from Ar and Ne gas atoms, respectively. Further, it was observed that lower-order EUV harmonics are cut off in the HHG spectra by the tiny exit aperture of the funnel-waveguide.

Femtosecond laser-induced structural difference in fused silica with a non-reciprocal writing process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hui; Dai, Ye; Song, Juan; Ma, Hongliang; Yan, Xiaona; Ma, Guohong

2017-04-01

In this paper, we report a non-reciprocal writing process for inducing asymmetric microstructure using a femtosecond laser with tilted pulse fronts in fused silica. The shape of the induced microstructure at the focus closely depends on the laser scan direction. An elongated end is observed as a kind of structural difference between the written lines with two reverse scans along + x and - x, which further leads to a birefringence intensity difference. We also find a bifurcation in the head region of the induced microstructure between the written lines along x and y. That process results from the focal intensity distortion caused by the pulse front tilt by comparing the simulated intensity distribution with the experimental results. The current results demonstrate that the pulse front tilt not only affects the free electron excitation at the focus but also further distorts the shape of the induced microstructure during a high-energy femtosecond laser irradiation. These results offer a route to fabricate optical elements by changing the spatiotemporal characteristics of ultrashort pulses.

Biodegradability of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) after femtosecond laser irradiation

PubMed Central

Shibata, Akimichi; Yada, Shuhei; Terakawa, Mitsuhiro

2016-01-01

Biodegradation is a key property for biodegradable polymer-based tissue scaffolds because it can provide suitable space for cell growth as well as tailored sustainability depending on their role. Ultrashort pulsed lasers have been widely used for the precise processing of optically transparent materials, including biodegradable polymers. Here, we demonstrated the change in the biodegradation of a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) following irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses at different wavelengths. Microscopic observation as well as water absorption and mass change measurement revealed that the biodegradation of the PLGA varied significantly depending on the laser wavelength. There was a significant acceleration of the degradation rate upon 400 nm-laser irradiation, whereas 800 nm-laser irradiation did not induce a comparable degree of change. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that laser pulses at the shorter wavelength dissociated the chemical bonds effectively, resulting in a higher degradation rate at an early stage of degradation. PMID:27301578

Measurement and compensation schemes for the pulse front distortion of ultra-intensity ultra-short laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fenxiang; Xu, Yi; Yu, Linpeng; Yang, Xiaojun; Li, Wenkai; Lu, Jun; Leng, Yuxin

2016-11-01

Pulse front distortion (PFD) is mainly induced by the chromatic aberration in femtosecond high-peak power laser systems, and it can temporally distort the pulse in the focus and therefore decrease the peak intensity. A novel measurement scheme is proposed to directly measure the PFD of ultra-intensity ultra-short laser pulses, which can work not only without any extra struggle for the desired reference pulse, but also largely reduce the size of the required optical elements in measurement. The measured PFD in an experimental 200TW/27fs laser system is in good agreement with the calculated result, which demonstrates the validity and feasibility of this method effectively. In addition, a simple compensation scheme based on the combination of concave lens and parabolic lens is also designed and proposed to correct the PFD. Based on the theoretical calculation, the PFD of above experimental laser system can almost be completely corrected by using this compensator with proper parameters.

Influence of laser pulse duration on the electrochemical performance of laser structured LiFePO4 composite electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangang, M.; Seifert, H. J.; Pfleging, W.

2016-02-01

Lithium iron phosphate is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, despite its low electrical conductivity and lithium-ion diffusion kinetic. To overcome the reduced rate performance, three dimensional (3D) architectures were generated in composite cathode layers. By using ultrashort laser radiation with pulse durations in the femtosecond regime the ablation depth per pulse is three times higher compared to nanosecond laser pulses. Due to the 3D structuring, the surface area of the active material which is in direct contact with liquid electrolyte, i.e. the active surface, is increased. As a result the capacity retention and the cycle stability were significantly improved, especially for high charging/discharging currents. Furthermore, a 3D structure leads to higher currents during cyclic voltammetry. Thus, the lithium-ion diffusion kinetic in the cell was improved. In addition, using ultrashort laser pulses results in a high aspect ratio and further improvement of the cell kinetic was achieved.

Optimization of the parameters for intrastromal refractive surgery with ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heisterkamp, Alexander; Ripken, Tammo; Lubatschowski, Holger; Welling, Herbert; Dommer, Wolfgang; Luetkefels, Elke; Mamom, Thanongsak; Ertmer, Wolfgang

2001-06-01

Focussing femtosecond laser pulses into a transparent media, such as corneal tissue, leads to optical breakdown, generation of a micro-plasma and, thus, a cutting effect inside the tissue. To proof the potential of fs-lasers in refractive surgery, three-dimensional cutting within the corneal stroma was evaluated. With the use of ultrashort laser pulses within the LASIK procedure (laser in situ keratomileusis) possible complications in handling of a mechanical knife, the microkeratome, can be reduced by using the treatment laser as the keratome itself. To study woundhealing effects, animal studies were carried out in rabbit specimen. The surgical outcome was analyzed by means of histological sections, as well as light and scanning electron microscopy. Dependencies on the dispersion caused by focussing optics were evaluated and optimized. Thus, pulse energies well below 1 (mu) J were sufficient to perform the intrastromal cuts. The laser pulses with a duration of 180 fs and energies of 0.5-100 (mu) J were provided by a modelocked frequency doubled erbium fiber-laser with subsequent chirped pulse amplification in a titanium sapphire amplifier at up to 3 kHz.

Femtosecond laser induced fixation of calcium alkali phosphate ceramics on titanium alloy bone implant material.

PubMed

Symietz, Christian; Lehmann, Erhard; Gildenhaar, Renate; Krüger, Jörg; Berger, Georg

2010-08-01

Femtosecond lasers provide a novel method of attaching bioceramic material to a titanium alloy, thereby improving the quality of bone implants. The ultrashort 30 fs laser pulses (790 nm wavelength) penetrate a thin dip-coated layer of fine ceramic powder, while simultaneously melting a surface layer of the underlying metal. The specific adjustment of the laser parameters (pulse energy and number of pulses per spot) avoids unnecessary melting of the bioactive calcium phosphate, and permits a defined thin surface melting of the metal, which in turn is not heated throughout, and therefore maintains its mechanical stability. It is essential to choose laser energy densities that correspond to the interval between the ablation fluences of both materials involved: about 0.1-0.4 Jcm(-2). In this work, we present the first results of this unusual technique, including laser ablation studies, scanning electron microscopy and optical microscope images, combined with EDX data. Copyright 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cutting of optical materials by using femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolte, Stefan; Will, Matthias; Augustin, Markus; Triebel, Peter; Zoellner, Karsten; Tuennermann, Andreas

2001-11-01

In the past years, ultrashort pulse lasers have been established as precise and universal tools for the microstructuring of solid materials. Since thermal and mechanical influences are minimized, the application of this technology is also suitable for the structuring of optical materials and opens new possibilities. In this paper, the influence of pulse duration, pulse energy (fluence) and polarization on the cutting quality for glass and silicon will be discussed. As a concrete application, the cutting and micromarking of dielectric coated mirrors for high power fiber lasers will be highlighted.

Room temperature optical anisotropy of a LaMnO 3 thin-film induced by ultra-short pulse laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munkhbaatar, Purevdorj; Marton, Zsolt; Tsermaa, Bataarchuluun

Ultra-short laser pulse induced optical anisotropy of LaMnO 3 thin films grown on SrTiO 3 substrates were observed by irradiation with a femto-second laser pulse with the fluence of less than 0.1 mJ/cm 2 at room temperature. The transmittance and reflectance showed different intensities for different polarization states of the probe pulse after pump pulse irradiation. The theoretical optical transmittance and re ectance that assumed an orbital ordering of the 3d eg electrons in Mn 3+ ions resulted in an anisotropic time dependent changes similar to those obtained from the experimental results, suggesting that the photo-induced optical anisotropy of LaMnOmore » 3 is a result of photo-induced symmetry breaking of the orbital ordering for an optically excited state.« less

Regulation and Measurement of the Heat Generated by Automatic Tooth Preparation in a Confined Space.

PubMed

Yuan, Fusong; Zheng, Jianqiao; Sun, Yuchun; Wang, Yong; Lyu, Peijun

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess and regulate heat generation in the dental pulp cavity and circumambient temperature around a tooth during laser ablation with a femtosecond laser in a confined space. The automatic tooth preparing technique is one of the traditional oral clinical technology innovations. In this technique, a robot controlled an ultrashort pulse laser to automatically complete the three-dimensional teeth preparing in a confined space. The temperature control is the main measure for protecting the tooth nerve. Ten tooth specimens were irradiated with a femtosecond laser controlled by a robot in a confined space to generate 10 teeth preparation. During the process, four thermocouple sensors were used to record the pulp cavity and circumambient environment temperatures with or without air cooling. A statistical analysis of the temperatures was performed between the conditions with and without air cooling (p < 0.05). The recordings showed that the temperature with air cooling was lower than that without air cooling and that the heat generated in the pulp cavity was lower than the threshold for dental pulp damage. These results indicate that femtosecond laser ablation with air cooling might be an appropriate method for automatic tooth preparing.

Development of a high brightness ultrafast Transmission Electron Microscope based on a laser-driven cold field emission source.

PubMed

Houdellier, F; Caruso, G M; Weber, S; Kociak, M; Arbouet, A

2018-03-01

We report on the development of an ultrafast Transmission Electron Microscope based on a cold field emission source which can operate in either DC or ultrafast mode. Electron emission from a tungsten nanotip is triggered by femtosecond laser pulses which are tightly focused by optical components integrated inside a cold field emission source close to the cathode. The properties of the electron probe (brightness, angular current density, stability) are quantitatively determined. The measured brightness is the largest reported so far for UTEMs. Examples of imaging, diffraction and spectroscopy using ultrashort electron pulses are given. Finally, the potential of this instrument is illustrated by performing electron holography in the off-axis configuration using ultrashort electron pulses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A passion for precision

ScienceCinema

Hänsch, Theodor W.

2018-05-23

For more than three decades, the quest for ever higher precision in laser spectroscopy of the simple hydrogen atom has inspired many advances in laser, optical, and spectroscopic techniques, culminating in femtosecond laser optical frequency combs  as perhaps the most precise measuring tools known to man. Applications range from optical atomic clocks and tests of QED and relativity to searches for time variations of fundamental constants. Recent experiments are extending frequency comb techniques into the extreme ultraviolet. Laser frequency combs can also control the electric field of ultrashort light pulses, creating powerful new tools for the emerging field of attosecond science.

Femtosecond Mode-locked Fiber Laser at 1 μm Via Optical Microfiber Dispersion Management.

PubMed

Wang, Lizhen; Xu, Peizhen; Li, Yuhang; Han, Jize; Guo, Xin; Cui, Yudong; Liu, Xueming; Tong, Limin

2018-03-16

Mode-locked Yb-doped fiber lasers around 1 μm are attractive for high power applications and low noise pulse train generation. Mode-locked fiber lasers working in soliton and stretched-pulse regime outperform others in terms of the laser noise characteristics, mechanical stability and easy maintenance. However, conventional optical fibers always show a normal group velocity dispersion around 1 μm, leading to the inconvenience for necessary dispersion management. Here we show that optical microfibers having a large anomalous dispersion around 1 μm can be integrated into mode-locked Yb-doped fiber lasers with ultralow insertion loss down to -0.06 dB, enabling convenient dispersion management of the laser cavity. Besides, optical microfibers could also be adopted to spectrally broaden and to dechirp the ultrashort pulses outside the laser cavity, giving rise to a pulse duration of about 110 fs. We believe that this demonstration may facilitate all-fiber format high-performance ultrashort pulse generation at 1 μm and may find applications in precision measurements, large-scale facility synchronization and evanescent-field-based optical sensing.

Femtosecond Optoinjection of Intact Tobacco BY-2 Cells Using a Reconfigurable Photoporation Platform

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Claire A.; Kalies, Stefan; Cizmár, Tomás; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Torrance, Lesley; Roberts, Alison G.; Gunn-Moore, Frank J.; Dholakia, Kishan

2013-01-01

A tightly-focused ultrashort pulsed laser beam incident upon a cell membrane has previously been shown to transiently increase cell membrane permeability while maintaining the viability of the cell, a technique known as photoporation. This permeability can be used to aid the passage of membrane-impermeable biologically-relevant substances such as dyes, proteins and nucleic acids into the cell. Ultrashort-pulsed lasers have proven to be indispensable for photoporating mammalian cells but they have rarely been applied to plant cells due to their larger sizes and rigid and thick cell walls, which significantly hinders the intracellular delivery of exogenous substances. Here we demonstrate and quantify femtosecond optical injection of membrane impermeable dyes into intact BY-2 tobacco plant cells growing in culture, investigating both optical and biological parameters. Specifically, we show that the long axial extent of a propagation invariant (“diffraction-free”) Bessel beam, which relaxes the requirements for tight focusing on the cell membrane, outperforms a standard Gaussian photoporation beam, achieving up to 70% optoinjection efficiency. Studies on the osmotic effects of culture media show that a hypertonic extracellular medium was found to be necessary to reduce turgor pressure and facilitate molecular entry into the cells. PMID:24244456

Femtosecond optoinjection of intact tobacco BY-2 cells using a reconfigurable photoporation platform.

PubMed

Mitchell, Claire A; Kalies, Stefan; Cizmár, Tomás; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Torrance, Lesley; Roberts, Alison G; Gunn-Moore, Frank J; Dholakia, Kishan

2013-01-01

A tightly-focused ultrashort pulsed laser beam incident upon a cell membrane has previously been shown to transiently increase cell membrane permeability while maintaining the viability of the cell, a technique known as photoporation. This permeability can be used to aid the passage of membrane-impermeable biologically-relevant substances such as dyes, proteins and nucleic acids into the cell. Ultrashort-pulsed lasers have proven to be indispensable for photoporating mammalian cells but they have rarely been applied to plant cells due to their larger sizes and rigid and thick cell walls, which significantly hinders the intracellular delivery of exogenous substances. Here we demonstrate and quantify femtosecond optical injection of membrane impermeable dyes into intact BY-2 tobacco plant cells growing in culture, investigating both optical and biological parameters. Specifically, we show that the long axial extent of a propagation invariant ("diffraction-free") Bessel beam, which relaxes the requirements for tight focusing on the cell membrane, outperforms a standard Gaussian photoporation beam, achieving up to 70% optoinjection efficiency. Studies on the osmotic effects of culture media show that a hypertonic extracellular medium was found to be necessary to reduce turgor pressure and facilitate molecular entry into the cells.

Near-field marking of gold nanostars by ultrashort pulsed laser irradiation: experiment and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Møller, Søren H.; Vester-Petersen, Joakim; Nazir, Adnan; Eriksen, Emil H.; Julsgaard, Brian; Madsen, Søren P.; Balling, Peter

2018-02-01

Quantitative measurements of the electric near-field distribution of star-shaped gold nanoparticles have been performed by femtosecond laser ablation. Measurements were carried out on and off the plasmon resonance. A detailed comparison with numerical simulations of the electric fields is presented. Semi-quantitative agreement is found, with slight systematic differences between experimentally observed and simulated near-field patterns close to strong electric-field gradients. The deviations are attributed to carrier transport preceding ablation.

Single-shot measurement of ultrafast time-varying phase modulation induced by femtosecond laser pulses with arbitrary polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartinger, Klaus; Bartels, Randy A.

2008-01-01

We demonstrate a single-shot measurement of the transient phase modulation due to field free molecular alignment at the revival times of a rotational wave packet. The wave packet is excited by an arbitrarily polarized ultrashort laser pulse in CO2 at room temperature. With this technique the time dependence along the eigenpolarization directions of the linear susceptibility tensor, i.e., the time dependence of its principle components, can be directly observed with high sensitivity.

Laser ablative nanostructuring of Au in liquid ambience in continuous wave illumination regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucherik, A. O.; Kutrovskaya, S. V.; Arakelyan, S. M.; Ryabchikov, Y. V.; Al-Kattan, A.; Kabashin, A. V.; Itina, T. E.

2016-03-01

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) attract particular attention because of their unique size-dependent chemical, physicochemical and optical properties and, hence, their potential applications in catalysis, nanoelectronics, photovoltaics and medicine. In particular, laser-produced colloidal nanoparticles are not only biocompatible, but also reveal unique chemical properties. Different laser systems can be used for synthesis of these colloids, varying from continuous wave (CW) to ultra-short femtosecond lasers. The choice of an optimum laser system is still a challenge in application development. To bring more light at this issue, we investigate an influence of laser parameters on nanoparticle formation from a gold target immersed in deionized water. First, an optical diagnostics of laser-induced hydrodynamic processes taking place near the gold surface is performed. Then, gold nanoparticle colloids with average particle sizes smaller than 10 nm and a very narrow dispersion are shown to be formed by CW laser ablation. The obtained results are compared with the ones obtained by using the second harmonics and with previous results obtained by using femtosecond laser systems.

22 W average power multiterawatt femtosecond laser chain enabling 1019 W/cm2 at 100 Hz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clady, R.; Azamoum, Y.; Charmasson, L.; Ferré, A.; Utéza, O.; Sentis, M.

2018-05-01

We measure the wavefront distortions of a high peak power ultrashort (23 fs) laser system under high average power load. After 6 min—100 Hz operation of the laser at full average power (> 22 W after compression), the thermally induced wavefront distortions reach a steady state and the far-field profile of the laser beam no longer changes. By means of a deformable mirror located after the vacuum compressor, we apply a static pre-compensation to correct those aberrations allowing us to demonstrate a dramatic improvement of the far-field profile at 100 Hz with the reduction of the residual wavefront distortions below λ/16 before focusing. The applied technique provides 100 Hz operation of the femtosecond laser chain with stable pulse characteristics, corresponding to peak intensity above 1019 W/cm2 and average power of 19 W on target, which enables the study of relativistic optics at high repetition rate using a moderate f-number focusing optics ( f/4.5).

Optical spectroscopy using gas-phase femtosecond laser filamentation.

PubMed

Odhner, Johanan; Levis, Robert

2014-01-01

Femtosecond laser filamentation occurs as a dynamic balance between the self-focusing and plasma defocusing of a laser pulse to produce ultrashort radiation as brief as a few optical cycles. This unique source has many properties that make it attractive as a nonlinear optical tool for spectroscopy, such as propagation at high intensities over extended distances, self-shortening, white-light generation, and the formation of an underdense plasma. The plasma channel that constitutes a single filament and whose position in space can be controlled by its input parameters can span meters-long distances, whereas multifilamentation of a laser beam can be sustained up to hundreds of meters in the atmosphere. In this review, we briefly summarize the current understanding and use of laser filaments for spectroscopic investigations of molecules. A theoretical framework of filamentation is presented, along with recent experimental evidence supporting the established understanding of filamentation. Investigations carried out on vibrational and rotational spectroscopy, filament-induced breakdown, fluorescence spectroscopy, and backward lasing are discussed.

Femtosecond pulsed laser processing of electronic materials: Fundamentals and micro/nano-scale applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Tae-Youl

Ultra-short pulsed laser radiation has been shown to be effective for precision materials processing and surface micro-modification. One of advantages is the substantial reduction of the heat penetration depth, which leads to minimal lateral damage. Other advantages include non-thermal nature of ablation process, controlled ablation and ideal characteristics for precision micro-structuring. Yet, fundamental questions remain unsolved regarding the nature of melting and ablation mechanisms in femtosecond laser processing of materials. In addition to micro engineering problems, nano-structuring and nano-fabrication are emerging fields that are of particular interest in conjunction with femtosecond laser processing. A comprehensive experimental study as well as theoretical development is presented to address these issues. Ultra-short pulsed laser irradiation was used to crystallize 100 nm amorphous silicon (a-Si) films. The crystallization process was observed by time-resolved pump-and-probe reflection imaging in the range of 0.2 ps to 100 ns. The in-situ images in conjunction with post-processed SEM and AFM mapping of the crystallized structure provide evidence for non-thermal ultra-fast phase transition and subsequent surface-initiated crystallization. Mechanisms of ultra-fast laser-induced ablation on crystalline silicon and copper are investigated by time-resolved pump-and-probe microscopy in normal imaging and shadowgraph arrangements. A one-dimensional model of the energy transport is utilized to predict the carrier temperature and lattice temperature as well as the electron and vapor flux emitted from the surface. The temporal delay between the pump and probe pulses was set by a precision translation stage up to about 500 ps and then extended to the nanosecond regime by an optical fiber assembly. The ejection of material was observed at several picoseconds to tens of nanoseconds after the main (pump) pulse by high-resolution, ultra-fast shadowgraphs. The ultrashort laser pulse accompanied by the pre-pulse induces air breakdown that can be detrimental to materials processing. A time-resolved pump-and-probe experiment provides distinct evidence for the occurrence of an air plasma and air breakdown. This highly nonlinear phenomenon takes place before the commencement of the ablation process, which is traced beyond elapsed time of the order of 10 ps with respect to the ablating pulse. The nonlinear refractive index of the generated air plasma is calculated as a function of electron density. The self-focusing of the main pulse is identified by the third order nonlinear susceptibility. A crystalline silicon sample is subjected to two optically separated ultra-fast laser pulses of full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) duration of about 80 femtoseconds. These pulses are delivered at wavelength, lambda = 800 nm. Femtosecond-resolved imaging pump-and-probe experiments in reflective and Schlieren configurations have been performed to investigate plasma dynamics and shock wave propagation during the sample ablation process. By using a diffractive optical element (DOE) for beam shaping, microchannels were fabricated. A super-long working distance objective lens was used to machine silicon materials in the sub-micrometer scale. As an extension of micro-machining, the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is used to assess the feasibility of using near-field distribution of laser light. Gold coated films were machined with nano-scale dimensions and characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Propagation of femtosecond laser pulses through water in the linear absorption regime.

PubMed

Naveira, Lucas M; Strycker, Benjamin D; Wang, Jieyu; Ariunbold, Gombojav O; Sokolov, Alexei V; Kattawar, George W

2009-04-01

We investigate the controversy regarding violations of the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer (BLB) law for ultrashort laser pulses propagating through water. By working at sufficiently low incident laser intensities, we make sure that any nonlinear component in the response of the medium is negligible. We measure the transmitted power and spectrum as functions of water cell length in an effort to confirm or disprove alleged deviations from the BLB law. We perform experiments at two different laser pulse repetition rates and explore the dependence of transmission on pulse duration. Specifically, we vary the laser pulse duration either by cutting its spectrum while keeping the pulse shape near transform-limited or by adjusting the pulses chirp while keeping the spectral intensities fixed. Over a wide range of parameters, we find no deviations from the BLB law and conclude that recent claims of BLB law violations are inconsistent with our experimental data. We present a simple linear theory (based on the BLB law) for propagation of ultrashort laser pulses through an absorbing medium and find our experimental results to be in excellent agreement with this theory.

Ultrashort electron pulses as a four-dimensional diagnosis of plasma dynamics.

PubMed

Zhu, P F; Zhang, Z C; Chen, L; Li, R Z; Li, J J; Wang, X; Cao, J M; Sheng, Z M; Zhang, J

2010-10-01

We report an ultrafast electron imaging system for real-time examination of ultrafast plasma dynamics in four dimensions. It consists of a femtosecond pulsed electron gun and a two-dimensional single electron detector. The device has an unprecedented capability of acquiring a high-quality shadowgraph image with a single ultrashort electron pulse, thus permitting the measurement of irreversible processes using a single-shot scheme. In a prototype experiment of laser-induced plasma of a metal target under moderate pump intensity, we demonstrated its unique capability of acquiring high-quality shadowgraph images on a micron scale with a-few-picosecond time resolution.

Suppressing the memory state of floating gate transistors with repeated femtosecond laser backside irradiations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambonneau, Maxime; Souiki-Figuigui, Sarra; Chiquet, Philippe; Della Marca, Vincenzo; Postel-Pellerin, Jérémy; Canet, Pierre; Portal, Jean-Michel; Grojo, David

2017-04-01

We demonstrate that infrared femtosecond laser pulses with intensity above the two-photon ionization threshold of crystalline silicon induce charge transport through the tunnel oxide in floating gate Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor transistor devices. With repeated irradiations of Flash memory cells, we show how the laser-produced free-electrons naturally redistribute on both sides of the tunnel oxide until the electric field of the transistor is suppressed. This ability enables us to determine in a nondestructive, rapid and contactless way the flat band and the neutral threshold voltages of the tested device. The physical mechanisms including nonlinear ionization, quantum tunneling of free-carriers, and flattening of the band diagram are discussed for interpreting the experiments. The possibility to control the carriers in memory transistors with ultrashort pulses holds promises for fast and remote device analyses (reliability, security, and defectivity) and for considerable developments in the growing field of ultrafast microelectronics.

Detection of polychlorinated biphenyls in transformer oils in Vietnam by multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry using a far-ultraviolet femtosecond laser as an ionization source.

PubMed

Duong, Vu Thi Thuy; Duong, Vu; Lien, Nghiem Thi Ha; Imasaka, Tomoko; Tang, Yuanyuan; Shibuta, Shinpei; Hamachi, Akifumi; Hoa, Do Quang; Imasaka, Totaro

2016-03-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in transformer and food oils were measured using gas chromatography combined with multiphoton ionization mass spectroscopy. An ultrashort laser pulse emitting in the far-ultraviolet region was utilized for efficient ionization of the analytes. Numerous signal peaks were clearly observed for a standard sample mixture of PCBs when the third and fourth harmonic emissions (267 and 200nm) of a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser (800nm) were employed. The signal intensities were found to be greater when measured at 200nm compared with those measured at 267nm, providing lower detection limits especially for highly chlorinated PCBs at shorter wavelengths. After simple pretreatment using disposable columns, PCB congeners were measured and found to be present in the transformer oils used in Vietnam. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long distance measurement with a femtosecond laser based frequency comb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, N.; Cui, M.; Zeitouny, M. G.; Urbach, H. P.; van den Berg, S. A.

2017-11-01

Recent advances in the field of ultra-short pulse lasers have led to the development of reliable sources of carrier envelope phase stabilized femtosecond pulses. The pulse train generated by such a source has a frequency spectrum that consists of discrete, regularly spaced lines known as a frequency comb. In this case both the frequency repetition and the carrier-envelope-offset frequency are referenced to a frequency standard, like an atomic clock. As a result the accuracy of the frequency standard is transferred to the optical domain, with the frequency comb as transfer oscillator. These unique properties allow the frequency comb to be applied as a versatile tool, not only for time and frequency metrology, but also in fundamental physics, high-precision spectroscopy, and laser noise characterization. The pulse-to-pulse phase relationship of the light emitted by the frequency comb has opened up new directions for long range highly accurate distance measurement.

Laser-plasma accelerator and femtosecond photon sources-based ultrafast radiation chemistry and biophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauduel, Y. A.

2017-02-01

The initial distribution of energy deposition triggered by the interaction of ionizing radiations (far UV and X rays, electron, proton and accelerated ions) with molecular targets or integrated biological systems is often decisive for the spatio-temporal behavior of radiation effects that take place on several orders of magnitude. This contribution deals with an interdisciplinary approach that concerns cutting-edge advances on primary radiation events, considering the potentialities of innovating strategies based on ultrafast laser science, from femtosecond photon sources to laser-driven relativistic particles acceleration. Recent advances of powerful TW laser sources (~ 1019 Wcm-2) and laser-plasma interactions providing ultrashort relativistic particle beams in the energy domain 2.5-150 MeV open exciting opportunities for the development of high-energy radiation femtochemistry (HERF). Early radiation damages being dependent on the survival probability of secondary electrons and radial distribution of short-lived radicals inside ionization clusters, a thorough knowledge of these processes involves the real-time probing of primary events in the temporal range 10-14-10-11 s. In the framework of a closed synergy between low-energy radiation femtochemistry (LERF) and the emerging domain of HERF, the paper focuses on early phenomena that occur in the prethermal regime of low-energy secondary electrons, considering very short-lived quantum effects in aqueous environments. A high dose-rate delivered by femtosecond electron beam (~ 1011-1013 Gy s-1) can be used to investigate early radiation processes in native ionization tracks, down to 10-12 s and 10-9 m. We explain how this breakthrough favours the innovating development of real-time nanodosimetry in biologically relevant environments and open new perspectives for spatio-temporal radiation biophysics. The emerging domain of HERF would provide guidance for understanding the specific bioeffects of ultrashort particle bunches. This domain represents also a prerequisite for the control of in vitro and in vivo irradiation at ultrahigh dose-rates or the investigation of ultrafast dose-fractionating phenomena.

[INVITED] Laser welding of glasses at high repetition rates - Fundamentals and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Sören; Zimmermann, Felix; Tünnermann, Andreas; Nolte, Stefan

2016-09-01

We report on the welding of various glasses with ultrashort laser pulses. Femtosecond laser pulses at repetition rates in the MHz range are focused at the interface between two substrates, resulting in multiphoton absorption and heat accumulation from successive pulses. This leads to local melting and subsequent resolidification which can be used to weld the glasses. The fundamental interaction process was studied using an in-situ micro Raman setup to measure the laser induced temperature distribution and its temporal decay. The induced network changes were analyzed by Raman spectrocopy identifying an increase of three and four membered silicon rings within the laser irradiated area. In order to determine the stability of the laser welded samples a three point bending test was used. Thereby, we identified that the maximal achievable breaking strength is limited by laser induced stress surrounding the modified material. To minimize the amount of stress bursts of laser pulses or an post processing annealing step can be applied. Besides fused silica, we welded borosilicate glasses and glasses with a low thermal expansion coefficient. Even the welding of different glass combinations is possible demonstrating the versatility of ultrashort pulse induced laser welding.

Optical circular deflector with attosecond resolution for ultrashort electron beam

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Zhen; Du, Yingchao; Tang, Chuanxiang; ...

2017-05-25

A novel method using high-power laser as a circular deflector is proposed for the measurement of femtosecond (fs) and sub-fs electron beam. In the scheme, the electron beam interacts with a laser pulse operating in a radially polarized doughnut mode ( TEM 01 * ) in a helical undulator, generating angular kicks along the beam in two directions at the same time. The phase difference between the two angular kicks makes the beam form a ring after a propagation section with appropriate phase advance, which can reveal the current profile of the electron beam. Detailed theoretical analysis of the methodmore » and numerical results with reasonable parameters are both presented. Lastly, it is shown that the temporal resolution can reach up to ~ 100 attosecond, which is a significant improvement for the diagnostics of ultrashort electron beam.« less

Optical circular deflector with attosecond resolution for ultrashort electron beam

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Zhen; Du, Yingchao; Tang, Chuanxiang

A novel method using high-power laser as a circular deflector is proposed for the measurement of femtosecond (fs) and sub-fs electron beam. In the scheme, the electron beam interacts with a laser pulse operating in a radially polarized doughnut mode ( TEM 01 * ) in a helical undulator, generating angular kicks along the beam in two directions at the same time. The phase difference between the two angular kicks makes the beam form a ring after a propagation section with appropriate phase advance, which can reveal the current profile of the electron beam. Detailed theoretical analysis of the methodmore » and numerical results with reasonable parameters are both presented. Lastly, it is shown that the temporal resolution can reach up to ~ 100 attosecond, which is a significant improvement for the diagnostics of ultrashort electron beam.« less

Control over high peak-power laser light and laser-driven X-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Baozhen; Banerjee, Sudeep; Yan, Wenchao; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, Jun; Golovin, Grigory; Liu, Cheng; Fruhling, Colton; Haden, Daniel; Chen, Shouyuan; Umstadter, Donald

2018-04-01

An optical system was demonstrated that enables continuous control over the peak power level of ultrashort duration laser light. The optical characteristics of amplified and compressed femtosecond-duration light from a chirped-pulse amplification laser are shown to remain invariant and maintain high-fidelity using this system. When the peak power was varied by an order-of-magnitude, up to its maximum attainable value, the phase, spectral bandwidth, polarization state, and focusability of the light remained constant. This capability led to precise control of the focused laser intensity and enabled a correspondingly high level of control over the power of an all-laser-driven Thomson X-ray light source.

Thermal and non-thermal explosion in metals ablation by femtosecond laser pulse: classical approach of the Two Temperature Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelmalek, Ahmed; Bedrane, Zeyneb; Amara, El-Hachemi

2018-03-01

We propose a classical Two Temperature Model TTMc where we consider the metal film during the irradiation like an ideal plasma. The numerical results are comparing to those finding by the existing TTM and the experimental data. In our model The cooper is taken as a target irradiated by a single laser pulse with 120 fs at 800 nm wavelength in air room. Our numerical results shown that there are a thermal and non-thermal explosion successively occurs in metal ablation by ultrashort laser pulse.

Inter-comb synchronization by mode-to-mode locking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chun, Byung Jae; Kim, Young-Jin; Kim, Seung-Woo

2016-08-01

Two combs of fiber femtosecond lasers are synchronized through the optical frequency reference created by injection-locking of a diode laser to a single comb mode. Maintaining a mHz-level narrow linewidth, the optical frequency reference permits two combs to be stabilized by mode-to-mode locking with a relative stability of 1.52  ×  10-16 at 10 s with a frequency slip of 2.46 mHz. This inter-comb synchronization can be utilized for applications such as dual-comb spectroscopy or ultra-short pulse synthesis without extra narrow-linewidth lasers.

Femtosecond synchronism of x-rays and visible/infrared light in an x-ray free-electron laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, B. W.

2007-12-15

A way is proposed to obtain ultrashort pulses of intense infrared/visible light in few-femtosecond synchronism with x-rays from an x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). It makes use of the recently proposed emittance-slicing technique [Emma et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 074801 (2004)] to both restrict the duration of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) to a few femtoseconds and to lead to a coherence enhancement of near-infrared transition undulator radiation (CTUR). The x-rays and the near-infrared light originate within the XFEL undulator from the same slice of electrons within a bunch and are therefore perfectly synchronized with each other. An example of realizingmore » the scheme at the Linac Coherent Light Source is presented. A few side issues are explored briefly, such as the magnitude of the velocity term versus the acceleration term in the Lienard-Wiechert fields and the possible use of the CTUR as a diagnostic tool for the SASE process itself.« less

Femtosecond laser based enucleation of porcine oocytes for somatic cell nuclear transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kütemeyer, K.; Lucas-Hahn, A.; Petersen, B.; Hassel, P.; Lemme, E.; Niemann, H.; Heisterkamp, A.

2009-07-01

Cloning of several mammalian species has been achieved by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in recent years. However, this method still results in very low efficiencies around 1% which originate from suboptimal culture conditions and highly invasive techniques for oocyte enucleation and injection of the donor cell using micromanipulators. In this paper, we present a new minimal invasive method for oocyte imaging and enucleation based on the application of femtosecond (fs) laser pulses. After imaging of the oocyte with multiphoton microscopy, ultrashort pulses are focused onto the metaphase plate of MII-oocytes in order to ablate the DNA molecules. We show that fs laser based enucleation of porcine oocytes completely inhibits the first mitotic cleavage after parthenogenetic activation while maintaining intact oocyte morphology in most cases. In contrast, control groups without previous irradiation of the metaphase plate are able to develop to the blastocyst stage. Further experiments have to clarify the suitability of fs laser based enucleated oocytes for SCNT.

Near-Resonant Raman Amplification in the Rotational Quantum Wave Packets of Nitrogen Molecular Ions Generated by Strong Field Ionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhaoxiang; Yao, Jinping; Chen, Jinming; Xu, Bo; Chu, Wei; Cheng, Ya

2018-02-01

The generation of laserlike narrow bandwidth emissions from nitrogen molecular ions (N2+ ) generated in intense near- and mid infrared femtosecond laser fields has aroused much interest because of the mysterious physics underlying such a phenomenon. Here, we perform a pump-probe measurement on the nonlinear interaction of rotational quantum wave packets of N2+ generated in midinfrared (e.g., at a wavelength centered at 1580 nm) femtosecond laser fields with an ultrashort probe pulse whose broad spectrum overlaps both P - and R -branch rotational transition lines between the electronic states N2+(B2Σu+,v'=0 ) and N2+(X2Σg+,v =0 ) . The results indicate the occurrence of highly efficient near-resonant stimulated Raman scattering in the quantum wave packets of N2+ ions generated in strong laser fields in the midinfrared region, of which the underlying mechanism is different from that of the air lasers generated in atmospheric environment when pumping with 800 nm intense pulses.

Asymmetry of light absorption upon propagation of focused femtosecond laser pulses with spatiotemporal coupling through glass materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhukov, Vladimir P.; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.

2017-05-01

Ultrashort laser pulses are usually described in terms of temporal and spatial dependences of their electric field, assuming that the spatial dependence is separable from time dependence. However, in most situations this assumption is incorrect as generation of ultrashort pulses and their manipulation lead to couplings between spatial and temporal coordinates resulting in various effects such as pulse front tilt and spatial chirp. One of the most intriguing spatiotemporal coupling effects is the so-called "lighthouse effect", the phase front rotation with the beam propagation distance [Akturk et al., Opt. Express 13, 8642 (2005)]. The interaction of spatiotemporally coupled laser pulses with transparent materials have interesting peculiarities, such as the effect of nonreciprocal writing, which can be used to facilitate microfabrication of photonic structures inside optical glasses. In this work, we make an attempt to numerically investigate the influence of the pulse front tilt and the lighthouse effect on the absorption of laser energy inside fused silica glass. The model, which is based on nonlinear Maxwell's equations supplemented by the hydrodynamic equations for free electron plasma, is applied. As three-dimensional solution of such a problem would require huge computational resources, a simplified two-dimensional model has been proposed. It has enabled to gain a qualitative insight into the features of propagation of ultrashort laser pulses with the tilted front in the regimes of volumetric laser modification of transparent materials, including directional asymmetry upon direct laser writing in glass materials.

Time-resolved serial crystallography captures high-resolution intermediates of photoactive yellow protein

DOE PAGES

Tenboer, Jason; Basu, Shibom; Zatsepin, Nadia; ...

2014-12-05

We report that serial femtosecond crystallography using ultrashort pulses from X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs) offers the possibility to study light-triggered dynamics of biomolecules. Using microcrystals of the blue light photoreceptor, photoactive yellow protein, as a model system, we present high resolution, time-resolved difference electron density maps of excellent quality with strong features, which allow the determination of structures of reaction intermediates to 1.6 Å resolution. These results open the way to the study of reversible and non-reversible biological reactions on time scales as short as femtoseconds under conditions which maximize the extent of reaction initiation throughout the crystal.

Mid-infrared laser filaments in the atmosphere

PubMed Central

Mitrofanov, A. V.; Voronin, A. A.; Sidorov-Biryukov, D. A.; Pugžlys, A.; Stepanov, E. A.; Andriukaitis, G.; Flöry, T.; Ališauskas, S.; Fedotov, A. B.; Baltuška, A.; Zheltikov, A. M.

2015-01-01

Filamentation of ultrashort laser pulses in the atmosphere offers unique opportunities for long-range transmission of high-power laser radiation and standoff detection. With the critical power of self-focusing scaling as the laser wavelength squared, the quest for longer-wavelength drivers, which would radically increase the peak power and, hence, the laser energy in a single filament, has been ongoing over two decades, during which time the available laser sources limited filamentation experiments in the atmosphere to the near-infrared and visible ranges. Here, we demonstrate filamentation of ultrashort mid-infrared pulses in the atmosphere for the first time. We show that, with the spectrum of a femtosecond laser driver centered at 3.9 μm, right at the edge of the atmospheric transmission window, radiation energies above 20 mJ and peak powers in excess of 200 GW can be transmitted through the atmosphere in a single filament. Our studies reveal unique properties of mid-infrared filaments, where the generation of powerful mid-infrared supercontinuum is accompanied by unusual scenarios of optical harmonic generation, giving rise to remarkably broad radiation spectra, stretching from the visible to the mid-infrared. PMID:25687621

Linear build-up of Fano resonance spectral profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovinski, P. A.; Yakovets, A. V.; Astapenko, V. A.

2018-06-01

The build-up dynamics of a continuous spectrum under the action of a weak laser field on a Fano resonance with the use of the pulses with the Lorentz spectrum and ultrashort pulses in the wavelet form is investigated. A dispersion-time excitation dependence of the Fano resonances in a He atom, in an InP impurity semiconductor, in longitudinal optical LO-phonons of a shallow donor exciton in pure ZnO crystals, and in metamaterials are calculated. The numerical simulation of the dynamics has shown time-dependent formation of a Fano spectral profile in the systems of different physical natures under the action of ultrashort pulses with attosecond and femtosecond durations.

The life cycle of infrared ultra-short high intensity laser pulses in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Cunliang; Lin, Wenbin

2015-08-01

The life cycle of ultra-short high intensity laser pulses propagation in air is studied. As the controversial of the high-order Kerr indices measured by Loriot et al. [Opt. Express 18, 3011 (2010)], we focus on two models which are high-order Kerr effect included and not included. Two factors are mainly analyzed, group-velocity-dispersion and the energy evolution of the pulse. It is found that the group-velocity-dispersion can not be simply ignored even though the pulse's duration is as long as several hundreds femtoseconds. The energy loss due to the multi-photon-absorption is very small, and it may hardly change the propagation length of the pulse. Another contribution of this work is to introduce a probability quantity, which may be useful in validating the positive and negative alternating of the Kerr and high-order Kerr indices.

Control of electron excitation and localization in the dissociation of H2(+) and its isotopes using two sequential ultrashort laser pulses.

PubMed

He, Feng; Ruiz, Camilo; Becker, Andreas

2007-08-24

We study the control of dissociation of the hydrogen molecular ion and its isotopes exposed to two ultrashort laser pulses by solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. While the first ultraviolet pulse is used to excite the electron wave packet on the dissociative 2psigma{u} state, a second time-delayed near-infrared pulse steers the electron between the nuclei. Our results show that by adjusting the time delay between the pulses and the carrier-envelope phase of the near-infrared pulse, a high degree of control over the electron localization on one of the dissociating nuclei can be achieved (in about 85% of all fragmentation events). The results demonstrate that current (sub-)femtosecond technology can provide a control over both electron excitation and localization in the fragmentation of molecules.

Enhancement of stability of aqueous suspension of alumina nanoparticles by femtosecond laser irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seo, Youngsang; Ha, Jeonghong; Kim, Dongsik, E-mail: dskim87@postech.ac.kr

2015-09-21

In this work, we report substantially enhanced colloidal stability of aqueous nanoparticle suspensions by ultrashort laser pulse irradiation. A Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser (wavelength: 800 nm; pulse duration: 50 fs at full width at half maximum) was used to modify the electrochemical properties of nanoparticle suspensions at laser fluences below the particle ablation threshold. The colloidal stability of the suspension was evaluated by zeta potential and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The DLS results along with the images from transmission electron microscopy revealed that the laser irradiation caused no distinct morphological change to the individual alumina particles, but a substantial portion of themore » clustered particles was fragmented by the laser pulses, decreasing the apparent size of the suspended particles. Also, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates that the laser irradiation modified the surface chemistry of the alumina particles. The stabilizing capability of the proposed technique was turned out to be better than that of conventional ultrasonic treatments. The stability of the laser-treated sample with no added surfactant was maintained for up to 30 days, without requiring an additional homogenizing process such as magnetic stirring.« less

Convection roll-driven generation of supra-wavelength periodic surface structures on dielectrics upon irradiation with femtosecond pulsed lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsibidis, George D.; Skoulas, Evangelos; Papadopoulos, Antonis; Stratakis, Emmanuel

2016-08-01

The significance of the magnitude of the Prandtl number of a fluid in the propagation direction of induced convection rolls is elucidated. Specifically, we report on the physical mechanism to account for the formation and orientation of previously unexplored supra-wavelength periodic surface structures in dielectrics, following melting and subsequent capillary effects induced upon irradiation with ultrashort laser pulses. Counterintuitively, it is found that such structures exhibit periodicities, which are markedly, even multiple times, higher than the laser excitation wavelength. It turns out that the extent to which the hydrothermal waves relax depends upon the laser beam energy, produced electron densities upon excitation with femtosecond pulsed lasers, the magnitude of the induced initial local roll disturbances, and the magnitude of the Prandtl number with direct consequences on the orientation and size of the induced structures. It is envisaged that this elucidation may be useful for the interpretation of similar, albeit large-scale periodic or quasiperiodic structures formed in other natural systems due to thermal gradients, while it can also be of great importance for potential applications in biomimetics.

Passive, active, and hybrid mode-locking in a self-optimized ultrafast diode laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alloush, M. Ali; Pilny, Rouven H.; Brenner, Carsten; Klehr, Andreas; Knigge, Andrea; Tränkle, Günther; Hofmann, Martin R.

2018-02-01

Semiconductor lasers are promising sources for generating ultrashort pulses. They are directly electrically pumped, allow for a compact design, and therefore they are cost-effective alternatives to established solid-state systems. Additionally, their emission wavelength depends on the bandgap which can be tuned by changing the semiconductor materials. Theoretically, the obtained pulse width can be few tens of femtoseconds. However, the generated pulses are typically in the range of several hundred femtoseconds only. Recently, it was shown that by implementing a spatial light modulator (SLM) for phase and amplitude control inside the resonator the optical bandwidth can be optimized. Consequently, by using an external pulse compressor shorter pulses can be obtained. We present a Fourier-Transform-External-Cavity setup which utilizes an ultrafast edge-emitting diode laser. The used InGaAsP diode is 1 mm long and emits at a center wavelength of 850 nm. We investigate the best conditions for passive, active and hybrid mode-locking operation using the method of self-adaptive pulse shaping. For passive mode-locking, the bandwidth is increased from 2.34 nm to 7.2 nm and ultrashort pulses with a pulse width of 216 fs are achieved after external pulse compression. For active and hybrid mode-locking, we also increased the bandwidth. It is increased from 0.26 nm to 5.06 nm for active mode-locking and from 3.21 nm to 8.7 nm for hybrid mode-locking. As the pulse width is strongly correlated with the bandwidth of the laser, we expect further reduction in the pulse duration by increasing the bandwidth.

Thin films deposited by femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of tungsten carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Bonis, A.; Teghil, R.; Santagata, A.; Galasso, A.; Rau, J. V.

2012-09-01

Ultra-short Pulsed Laser Deposition has been applied to the production of thin films from a tungsten carbide target. The gaseous phase obtained by the laser ablation shows a very weak primary plume, in contrast with a very strong secondary one. The deposited films, investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction, present a mixture of WC and other phases with lower carbon content. All films are amorphous, independently from the substrate temperature. The characteristics of the deposits have been explained in terms of thermal evaporation and cooling rate of molten particles ejected from the target.

Mechanisms of high-regularity periodic structuring of silicon surface by sub-MHz repetition rate ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnilitskyi, Iaroslav; Gruzdev, Vitaly; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.; Mocek, Tomáš; Orazi, Leonardo

2016-10-01

Silicon is one of the most abundant materials which is used in many areas of modern research and technology. A variety of those applications require surface nanopatterning with minimum structure defects. However, the high-quality nanostructuring of large areas of silicon surface at industrially acceptable speed is still a challenge. Here, we report a rapid formation of highly regular laser-induced periodic surface structures (HR-LIPSS) in the regime of strong ablation by infrared femtosecond laser pulses at sub-MHz repetition rate. Parameters of the laser-surface interactions and obtained experimental results suggest an important role of electrostatically assisted bond softening in initiating the HR-LIPSS formation.

A passion for precision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-05-19

For more than three decades, the quest for ever higher precision in laser spectroscopy of the simple hydrogen atom has inspired many advances in laser, optical, and spectroscopic techniques, culminating in femtosecond laser optical frequency combs  as perhaps the most precise measuring tools known to man. Applications range from optical atomic clocks and tests of QED and relativity to searches for time variations of fundamental constants. Recent experiments are extending frequency comb techniques into the extreme ultraviolet. Laser frequency combs can also control the electric field of ultrashort light pulses, creating powerful new tools for the emerging field of attosecondmore » science.Organiser(s): L. Alvarez-Gaume / PH-THNote: * Tea & coffee will be served at 16:00.« less

Chirped pulse inverse free-electron laser vacuum accelerator

DOEpatents

Hartemann, Frederic V.; Baldis, Hector A.; Landahl, Eric C.

2002-01-01

A chirped pulse inverse free-electron laser (IFEL) vacuum accelerator for high gradient laser acceleration in vacuum. By the use of an ultrashort (femtosecond), ultrahigh intensity chirped laser pulse both the IFEL interaction bandwidth and accelerating gradient are increased, thus yielding large gains in a compact system. In addition, the IFEL resonance condition can be maintained throughout the interaction region by using a chirped drive laser wave. In addition, diffraction can be alleviated by taking advantage of the laser optical bandwidth with negative dispersion focusing optics to produce a chromatic line focus. The combination of these features results in a compact, efficient vacuum laser accelerator which finds many applications including high energy physics, compact table-top laser accelerator for medical imaging and therapy, material science, and basic physics.

Dynamics of laser-induced damage of spherical nanoparticles by high-intensity ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komolov, Vladimir L.; Gruzdev, Vitaly E.; Przhibelskii, Sergey G.; Smirnov, Dmitry S.

2012-12-01

Damage of a metal spherical nanoparticle by femtosecond laser pulses is analyzed by splitting the overall process into two steps. The fast step includes electron photoemission from a nanoparticle. It takes place during direct action of a laser pulse and its rate is evaluated as a function of laser and particle parameters by two approaches. Obtained results suggest the formation of significant positive charge of the nanoparticles due to the photoemission. The next step includes ion emission that removes the excessive positive charge and modifies particle structure. It is delayed with respect to the photo-emission and is analyzed by a simple analytical model and modified molecular dynamics. Obtained energy distribution suggests generation of fast ions capable of penetrating into surrounding material and generating defects next to the nanoparticle. The modeling is extended to the case of a nanoparticle on a solid surface to understand the basic mechanism of surface laser damage initiated by nano-contamination. Simulations predict embedding the emitted ions into substrate within a spot with size significantly exceeding the original particle size. We discuss the relation of those effects to the problem of bulk and surface laser-induced damage of optical materials by single and multiple ultrashort laser pulses.

TOPICAL REVIEW: Semiconductors for terahertz photonics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krotkus, Arūnas

2010-07-01

Generation and measurement of ultrashort, subpicosecond pulses of electromagnetic radiation with their characteristic Fourier spectra that reach far into terahertz (THz) frequency range has recently become a versatile tool of far-infrared spectroscopy and imaging. This technique, THz time-domain spectroscopy, in addition to a femtosecond pulse laser, requires semiconductor components manufactured from materials with a short photoexcited carrier lifetime, high carrier mobility and large dark resistivity. Here we will review the most important developments in the field of investigation of such materials. The main characteristics of low-temperature-grown or ion-implanted GaAs and semiconducting compounds sensitive in the wavelength ranges around 1 µm and 1.5 µm will be surveyed. The second part of the paper is devoted to the effect of surface emission of THz transients from semiconductors illuminated by femtosecond laser pulses. The main physical mechanisms leading to this emission as well as their manifestation in various crystals will be described.

Hydrodynamic evolution of plasma waveguides for soft-x-ray amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliva, Eduardo; Depresseux, Adrien; Cotelo, Manuel; Lifschitz, Agustín; Tissandier, Fabien; Gautier, Julien; Maynard, Gilles; Velarde, Pedro; Sebban, Stéphane

2018-02-01

High-density, collisionally pumped plasma-based soft-x-ray lasers have recently delivered hundreds of femtosecond pulses, breaking the longstanding barrier of one picosecond. To pump these amplifiers an intense infrared pulse must propagate focused throughout all the length of the amplifier, which spans several Rayleigh lengths. However, strong nonlinear effects hinder the propagation of the laser beam. The use of a plasma waveguide allows us to overcome these drawbacks provided the hydrodynamic processes that dominate the creation and posterior evolution of the waveguide are controlled and optimized. In this paper we present experimental measurements of the radial density profile and transmittance of such waveguide, and we compare them with numerical calculations using hydrodynamic and particle-in-cell codes. Controlling the properties (electron density value and radial gradient) of the waveguide with the help of numerical codes promises the delivery of ultrashort (tens of femtoseconds), coherent soft-x-ray pulses.

Broadly tunable femtosecond mode-locking in a Tm:KYW laser near 2 μm.

PubMed

Lagatsky, A A; Calvez, S; Gupta, J A; Kisel, V E; Kuleshov, N V; Brown, C T A; Dawson, M D; Sibbett, W

2011-05-09

Efficient mode-locking in a Tm:KY(WO(4))(2) laser is demonstrated by using InGaAsSb quantum-well SESAMs. Self-starting ultrashort pulse generation was realized in the 1979-2074 nm spectral region. Maximum average output power up to 411 mW was produced around 1986 nm with the corresponding pulse duration and repetition rate of 549 fs and 105 MHz respectively. Optimised pulse durations of 386 fs were produced with an average power of 235 mW at 2029 nm. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Biodegradable microsphere-mediated cell perforation in microfluidic channel using femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Atsuhiro; Ariyasu, Kazumasa; Mitsuhashi, Tatsuki; Heinemann, Dag; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Terakawa, Mitsuhiro

2016-05-01

The use of small particles has expanded the capability of ultrashort pulsed laser optoinjection technology toward simultaneous treatment of multiple cells. The microfluidic platform is one of the attractive systems that has obtained synergy with laser-based technology for cell manipulation, including optoinjection. We have demonstrated the delivery of molecules into suspended-flowing cells in a microfluidic channel by using biodegradable polymer microspheres and a near-infrared femtosecond laser pulse. The use of polylactic-co-glycolic acid microspheres realized not only a higher optoinjection ratio compared to that with polylactic acid microspheres but also avoids optical damage to the microfluidic chip, which is attributable to its higher optical intensity enhancement at the localized spot under a microsphere. Interestingly, optoinjection ratios to nucleus showed a difference for adhered cells and suspended cells. The use of biodegradable polymer microspheres provides high throughput optoinjection; i.e., multiple cells can be treated in a short time, which is promising for various applications in cell analysis, drug delivery, and ex vivo gene transfection to bone marrow cells and stem cells without concerns about residual microspheres.

Applications of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonse, Jörn; Kirner, Sabrina V.; Höhm, Sandra; Epperlein, Nadja; Spaltmann, Dirk; Rosenfeld, Arkadi; Krüger, Jörg

2017-02-01

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS, ripples) are a universal phenomenon that can be observed on almost any material after the irradiation by linearly polarized laser beams, particularly when using ultrashort laser pulses with durations in the picosecond to femtosecond range. During the past few years significantly increasing research activities have been reported in the field of LIPSS, since their generation in a single-step process provides a simple way of nanostructuring and surface functionalization towards the control of optical, mechanical or chemical properties. In this contribution current applications of LIPSS are reviewed, including the colorization of technical surfaces, the control of surface wetting, the tailoring of surface colonization by bacterial biofilms, and the improvement of the tribological performance of nanostructured metal surfaces.

Laser-assisted generation of periodic structures on a steel surface: A method for increasing microhardness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razi, Sepehr; Ghasemi, Fatemeh

2018-02-01

Stainless steel grade 316L is a commonly used metal in various industrial applications because of its excellent resistance to corrosion and great welding and biocompatibility characteristics. Here, the laser-induced micro/nanostructures generation on the steel surface is investigated. A femtosecond ultrashort pulsed laser is selected in this regard, and various irradiation circumstances are considered for two groups of specimens possessing different initial roughness. It turns out that regular periodic ripples with spatial periodicities less than the laser wavelength are generated on both groups at irradiation fluences ≤ 2 J/cm2. Furthermore, it figures out that each ripple is composed of the closely created nano dimension structures. Vickers micro-hardness test is also utilized to examine the alterations of the surface hardness features. Moreover, variations of the surface chemistry are studied and discussions related to the most effective factors in surface hardness raise/decrease are presented. Results reveal the potential benefits of the femtosecond laser technique, such as its flexibility and ease of implementation in controlled modification of the surface features. Thus, it might be of interest to manufacturers looking for precise surface morphology, chemistry and hardness alterations.

Characteristics of Ions Emission from Ultrashort Laser Produced Plasma

PubMed Central

Elsied, Ahmed M.; Termini, Nicholas C.; Diwakar, Prasoon K.; Hassanein, Ahmed

2016-01-01

The dynamic characteristics of the ions emitted from ultrashort laser interaction with materials were studied. A series of successive experiments were conducted for six different elements (C, Al, Cu, Mo, Gd, and W) using 40 fs, 800 nm Ti: Sapphire laser. Time-of-flight (TOF) ion profile was analyzed and charge emission dependencies were investigated. The effects of incident laser interaction with each element were studied over a wide range of laser fluences (0.8 J/cm2 to 24 J/cm2) corresponding to laser intensities (2.0 × 1013 W/cm2 to 6.0 × 1014 W/cm2). The dependencies of the angular resolved ion flux and energy were also investigated. The TOF ion profile exhibits two peaks corresponding to a fast and a slow ion regime. The slow ions emission was the result of thermal vaporization while fast ions emission was due to time dependent ambipolar electric field. A theoretical model is proposed to predict the total ion flux emitted during femtosecond laser interaction that depends on laser parameters, material properties, and plume hydrodynamics. Incident laser fluence directly impacts average charge state and in turn affects the ion flux. Slow ions velocity exhibited different behavior from fast ions velocity. The fast ions energy and flux were found to be more collimated. PMID:27905553

Comparative study of CW, nanosecond- and femtosecond-pulsed laser microcutting of AZ31 magnesium alloy stents.

PubMed

Gökhan Demir, Ali; Previtali, Barbara

2014-06-01

Magnesium alloys constitute an interesting solution for cardiovascular stents due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability in human body. Laser microcutting is the industrially accepted method for stent manufacturing. However, the laser-material interaction should be well investigated to control the quality characteristics of the microcutting process that concern the surface roughness, chemical composition, and microstructure of the final device. Despite the recent developments in industrial laser systems, a universal laser source that can be manipulated flexibly in terms of process parameters is far from reality. Therefore, comparative studies are required to demonstrate processing capabilities. In particular, the laser pulse duration is a key factor determining the processing regime. This work approaches the laser microcutting of AZ31 Mg alloy from the perspective of a comparative study to evaluate the machining capabilities in continuous wave (CW), ns- and fs-pulsed regimes. Three industrial grade machining systems were compared to reach a benchmark in machining quality, productivity, and ease of postprocessing. The results confirmed that moving toward the ultrashort pulse domain the machining quality increases, but the need for postprocessing remains. The real advantage of ultrashort pulsed machining was the ease in postprocessing and maintaining geometrical integrity of the stent mesh after chemical etching. Resultantly, the overall production cycle time was shortest for fs-pulsed laser system, despite the fact that CW laser system provided highest cutting speed.

Final Report for High Precision Short-Pulse Laser Ablation System for Medical Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, B.M.; Feit, M.; Rubenchik, A.

2000-03-04

During the three year LDRD funding period, we studied the ablation characteristics of biological tissues using ultrashort pulse lasers (USPL) with pulse widths varying from 100 femtoseconds to tens of picoseconds. During the first year, we performed extensive theoretical studies to develop an improved understanding of the USPL ablation process. Two optical signals were tested for feasibility of use in real-time feedback systems during high repetition rate ablation. In the second year, we devised a real-time, feedback-controlled USPL ablation system, based on luminescence, which may be useful for sensitive micro-spinal surgeries. Effective laser parameters were identified to reduce collateral damage.more » The final year of the project focused on quantification of the pressure pulse induced by USPL ablation of water surfaces representing biological tissues. Results of these studies were presented in invited talks at domestic and international conferences and numerous journal articles were published (see bibliography). This effort has increased our scientific understanding of physical processes important for the therapeutic biomedical application of ultrashort pulse lasers, and has taken the first steps toward practical realization of such applications.« less

Relativistically induced transparency acceleration of light ions by an ultrashort laser pulse interacting with a heavy-ion-plasma density gradient.

PubMed

Sahai, Aakash A; Tsung, Frank S; Tableman, Adam R; Mori, Warren B; Katsouleas, Thomas C

2013-10-01

The relativistically induced transparency acceleration (RITA) scheme of proton and ion acceleration using laser-plasma interactions is introduced, modeled, and compared to the existing schemes. Protons are accelerated with femtosecond relativistic pulses to produce quasimonoenergetic bunches with controllable peak energy. The RITA scheme works by a relativistic laser inducing transparency [Akhiezer and Polovin, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz 30, 915 (1956); Kaw and Dawson, Phys. Fluids 13, 472 (1970); Max and Perkins, Phys. Rev. Lett. 27, 1342 (1971)] to densities higher than the cold-electron critical density, while the background heavy ions are stationary. The rising laser pulse creates a traveling acceleration structure at the relativistic critical density by ponderomotively [Lindl and Kaw, Phys. Fluids 14, 371 (1971); Silva et al., Phys. Rev. E 59, 2273 (1999)] driving a local electron density inflation, creating an electron snowplow and a co-propagating electrostatic potential. The snowplow advances with a velocity determined by the rate of the rise of the laser's intensity envelope and the heavy-ion-plasma density gradient scale length. The rising laser is incrementally rendered transparent to higher densities such that the relativistic-electron plasma frequency is resonant with the laser frequency. In the snowplow frame, trace density protons reflect off the electrostatic potential and get snowplowed, while the heavier background ions are relatively unperturbed. Quasimonoenergetic bunches of velocity equal to twice the snowplow velocity can be obtained and tuned by controlling the snowplow velocity using laser-plasma parameters. An analytical model for the proton energy as a function of laser intensity, rise time, and plasma density gradient is developed and compared to 1D and 2D PIC OSIRIS [Fonseca et al., Lect. Note Comput. Sci. 2331, 342 (2002)] simulations. We model the acceleration of protons to GeV energies with tens-of-femtoseconds laser pulses of a few petawatts. The scaling of proton energy with laser power compares favorably to other mechanisms for ultrashort pulses [Schreiber et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 045005 (2006); Esirkepov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 175003 (2004); Silva et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 015002 (2004); Fiuza et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 215001 (2012)].

New advanced characterization tools for PW-class lasers (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quéré, Fabien

2017-05-01

Spatio-temporal couplings (STC) of laser beams are ubiquitous in ultrafast optics. In the femtosecond range, chirped-pulse amplification (CPA), the key technology of amplified ultrashort pulses, relies on the use of massive STCs induced at different locations in laser systems (for instance by gratings or prisms), which should all eventually perfectly cancel out at the laser output. Residual STCs, for example resulting from imperfect compensation, decrease the peak intensity at focus by increasing both the focal spot size and the pulse duration. This is particularly detrimental for ultrahigh-intensity (UHI) lasers, which aim for the highest possible peak intensities. However, it is precisely with these lasers that such uncontrolled defects are most likely to occur, due to the complexity of these systems and the large diameters of the output beams. Accurately measuring STCs is thus essential in ultrafast optics. Significant progress has been made in the last decade, and several techniques are now available for the partial or complete spatiotemporal characterization of near-visible femtosecond laser beams. However, none of these has yet been applied to UHI femtosecond lasers, due to the difficulty of handling these large and powerful beams. As a result, all UHI lasers are currently characterized under the unjustified and unverified assumption of the absence of STCs, using separate measurements in space and time. This situation is now becoming a major bottleneck for the development of UHI lasers and their applications. In particular, the optimal and reliable operation of PW-class lasers now available or under construction all around the world will simply not be possible without a proper spatiotemporal metrology. In this talk, we present the first complete spatiotemporal experimental reconstruction of the field E(t,r) for a 100 TW peak-power laser, obtained using self-referenced spatially-resolved Fourier transform spectroscopy [1,2], and thus reveal the spatiotemporal distortions that can affect such beams [3]. This new measurement capability opens the way to in-depth characterization and optimization of ultra-intense lasers and ultimately to the advanced control of relativistic motion of matter with femtosecond laser beams structured in space-time.

Investigation of ultrashort pulse laser ablation of the cornea and hydrogels for eye microsurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girard, Guillaume; Zhou, Sheng; Bigaouette, Nicolas; Brunette, Isabelle; Chaker, Mohamed; Germain, Lucie; Lavertu, Pierre-Luc; Martin, François; Olivié, Gilles; Ozaki, Tsuneyuki; Parent, Mireille; Vidal, François; Kieffer, Jean-Claude

2004-10-01

The Femtosecond laser is a very promising tool for performing accurate dissection in various cornea layers. Clearly, the development of this application requires basic knowledge about laser-tissue interaction. One of the most significant parameter in laser applications is the ablation threshold, defined as the minimal laser energy per unit surface required for ablation. This paper investigates the ablation threshold as a function of the laser pulse duration for two corneal layers (endothelium and epithelium) as well as for hydrogel with different hydration degrees. The measured ablation thresholds prove to behave very differently as a function of the pulse duration for the various materials investigated, although the values obtained for the shortest laser pulses are quite similar. Our experimental results are fitted with a simple model for laser-matter interaction in order to determine some intrinsic physical parameters characterizing each target.

Measurement and calculation of ternary oxide mixtures for thin films for ultra short pulse laser optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jupé, M.; Mende, M.; Kolleck, C.; Ristau, D.; Gallais, L.; Mangote, B.

2011-12-01

The femto-second technology gains of increasing importance in industrial applications. In this context, a new generation of compact and low cost laser sources has to be provided on a commercial basis. Typical pulse durations of these sources are specified in the range from a few hundred femtoup to some pico-seconds, and typical wavelengths are centered around 1030-1080nm. As a consequence, also the demands imposed on high power optical components for these laser sources are rapidly increasing, especially in respect to their power handling capability in the ultra-short pulse range. The present contribution is dedicated to some aspects for improving this quality parameter of optical coatings. The study is based on a set of hafnia and silica mixtures with different compositions and optical band gaps. This material combination displays under ultra-short pulse laser irradiation effects, which are typically for thermal processes. For instance, melting had been observed in the morphology of damaged sides. In this context, models for a prediction of the laser damage thresholds and scaling laws are scrutinized, and have been modified calculating the energy of the electron ensemble. Furthermore, a simple first order approach for the calculation of the temperature was included.

Nanomedical science and laser-driven particle acceleration: promising approaches in the prethermal regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauduel, Y. A.

2017-05-01

A major challenge of spatio-temporal radiation biomedicine concerns the understanding of biophysical events triggered by an initial energy deposition inside confined ionization tracks. This contribution deals with an interdisciplinary approach that concerns cutting-edge advances in real-time radiation events, considering the potentialities of innovating strategies based on ultrafast laser science, from femtosecond photon sources to advanced techniques of ultrafast TW laser-plasma accelerator. Recent advances of powerful TW laser sources ( 1019 W cm-2) and laser-plasma interactions providing ultra-short relativistic particle beams in the energy domain 5-200 MeV open promising opportunities for the development of high energy radiation femtochemistry (HERF) in the prethermal regime of secondary low-energy electrons and for the real-time imaging of radiation-induced biomolecular alterations at the nanoscopic scale. New developments would permit to correlate early radiation events triggered by ultrashort radiation sources with a molecular approach of Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE). These emerging research developments are crucial to understand simultaneously, at the sub-picosecond and nanometric scales, the early consequences of ultra-short-pulsed radiation on biomolecular environments or integrated biological entities. This innovating approach would be applied to biomedical relevant concepts such as the emerging domain of real-time nanodosimetry for targeted pro-drug activation and pulsed radio-chimiotherapy of cancers.

Ultrashort pulse laser processing of hard tissue, dental restoration materials, and biocompatibles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yousif, A.; Strassl, M.; Beer, F.; Verhagen, L.; Wittschier, M.; Wintner, E.

2007-07-01

During the last few years, ultra-short laser pulses have proven their potential for application in medical tissue treatment in many ways. In hard tissue ablation, their aptitude for material ablation with negligible collateral damage provides many advantages. Especially teeth representing an anatomically and physiologically very special region with less blood circulation and lower healing rates than other tissues require most careful treatment. Hence, overheating of the pulp and induction of microcracks are some of the most problematic issues in dental preparation. Up till now it was shown by many authors that the application of picosecond or femtosecond pulses allows to perform ablation with very low damaging potential also fitting to the physiological requirements indicated. Beside the short interaction time with the irradiated matter, scanning of the ultra-short pulse trains turned out to be crucial for ablating cavities of the required quality. One main reason for this can be seen in the fact that during scanning the time period between two subsequent pulses incident on the same spot is so much extended that no heat accumulation effects occur and each pulse can be treated as a first one with respect to its local impact. Extension of this advantageous technique to biocompatible materials, i.e. in this case dental restoration materials and titanium plasma-sprayed implants, is just a matter of consequence. Recently published results on composites fit well with earlier data on dental hard tissue. In case of plaque which has to be removed from implants, it turns out that removal of at least the calcified version is harder than tissue removal. Therefore, besides ultra-short lasers, also Diode and Neodymium lasers, in cw and pulsed modes, have been studied with respect to plaque removal and sterilization. The temperature increase during laser exposure has been experimentally evaluated in parallel.

Pulse energy dependence of subcellular dissection by femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heisterkamp, A.; Maxwell, I. Z.; Mazur, E.; Underwood, J. M.; Nickerson, J. A.; Kumar, S.; Ingber, D. E.

2005-01-01

Precise dissection of cells with ultrashort laser pulses requires a clear understanding of how the onset and extent of ablation (i.e., the removal of material) depends on pulse energy. We carried out a systematic study of the energy dependence of the plasma-mediated ablation of fluorescently-labeled subcellular structures in the cytoskeleton and nuclei of fixed endothelial cells using femtosecond, near-infrared laser pulses focused through a high-numerical aperture objective lens (1.4 NA). We find that the energy threshold for photobleaching lies between 0.9 and 1.7 nJ. By comparing the changes in fluorescence with the actual material loss determined by electron microscopy, we find that the threshold for true material ablation is about 20% higher than the photobleaching threshold. This information makes it possible to use the fluorescence to determine the onset of true material ablation without resorting to electron microscopy. We confirm the precision of this technique by severing a single microtubule without disrupting the neighboring microtubules, less than 1 micrometer away. c2005 Optical Society of America.

Femtosecond optical injection of intact plant cells using a reconfigurable platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Claire A.; Kalies, Stefan; Cizmar, Tomas; Bellini, Nicola; Kubasik-Thayil, Anisha; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Torrance, Lesley; Roberts, Alison G.; Gunn-Moore, Frank J.; Dholakia, Kishan

2014-03-01

The use of ultrashort-pulsed lasers for molecule delivery and transfection has proved to be a non-invasive and highly efficient technique for a wide range of mammalian cells. This present study investigates the effectiveness of femtosecond photoporation in plant cells, a hard-to-manipulate yet agriculturally relevant cell type, specifically suspension tobacco BY-2 cells. Both spatial and temporal shaping of the light field is employed to optimise the delivery of membrane impermeable molecules into plant cells using a reconfigurable optical system designed to be able to switch easily between different spatial modes and pulse durations. The use of a propagation invariant Bessel beam was found to increase the number of cells that could be viably optoinjected, when compared to the use of a Gaussian beam. Photoporation with a laser producing sub-12 fs pulses, coupled with a dispersion compensation system to retain the pulse duration at focus, reduced the power required for efficient optical injection by 1.5-1.8 times when compared to a photoporation with a 140 fs laser output.

Generation of 70 fs broadband pulses in a hybrid nonlinear amplification system with mode-locked Yb:YAG ceramic oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Wang, Chao; Luo, Daping; Yang, Chao; Li, Jiang; Ge, Lin; Pan, Yubai; Li, Wenxue

2017-12-01

We demonstrate the passively mode-locked laser performances of bulk Yb:YAG ceramic prepared by non-aqueous tape casting, which generates initial pulses in temporal width of 3 ps and spectrum width of 3 nm without intra-cavity dispersion management. The ceramic laser is further used as seeding oscillator in a fiber nonlinear amplification system, where ultrashort pulses in maximum output power of ˜100 W and pulse duration of 70 fs are achieved. Moreover, the laser spectrum is broadened to be ˜41 nm due to self-phase modulation effects in the gain fiber, overcoming the narrow spectrum limitations of ceramic materials. Our approach opens a new avenue for power-scaling and spectrum-expanding of femtosecond ceramic lasers.

Femtosecond writing of near-surface waveguides in lithium niobate for low-loss electro-optical modulators of broadband emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukharin, Mikhail A.; Skryabin, Nikolay N.; Khudyakov, Dmitriy V.; Vartapetov, Sergey K.

2016-05-01

In the investigation we demonstrated technique of direct femtosecond laser writing of tracks with induced refractive index at record low depth under surface of lithium niobate (3-15 μm). It was shown that with the help of proposed technique one can be written claddings of near surface optical waveguides that plays a key role in fabrication of fast electro-optical modulators with low operating voltage. Fundamental problem resolved in the investigation consists in suppression of negative factors impeding femtosecond inscription of waveguides at low depths. To prevent optical breakdown of crystal surface we used high numerical aperture objectives for focusing of light. It was shown, that advanced heat accumulation regime of femtosecond inscription is inapplicable for writing of near-surface waveguides, and near the surface waveguides should be written in non-thermal regime in contrast to widespread femtosecond writing at depths of tens micrometers. Inscribed waveguides were examined for optical losses and polarization properties. It was experimentally shown, that femtosecond written near surface waveguides have such advantages over widely used proton exchanged and Ti-diffusion waveguides as lower optical losses (down to 0.3 dB/cm) and maintaining of all polarization states of propagation light, which is crucial for development of electro-optical modulators for broadband and ultrashort laser emission. Novelty of the results consists in technique of femtosecond inscription of waveguides at record low depths under the surface of crystals. As compared to previous investigations in the field (structures at depths near 50 um with buried electrodes), the obtained waveguides could be used with simple closely adjacent on-surface electrodes.

Picosecond and femtosecond lasers for industrial material processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayerhofer, R.; Serbin, J.; Deeg, F. W.

2016-03-01

Cold laser materials processing using ultra short pulsed lasers has become one of the most promising new technologies for high-precision cutting, ablation, drilling and marking of almost all types of material, without causing unwanted thermal damage to the part. These characteristics have opened up new application areas and materials for laser processing, allowing previously impossible features to be created and also reducing the amount of post-processing required to an absolute minimum, saving time and cost. However, short pulse widths are only one part of thee story for industrial manufacturing processes which focus on total costs and maximum productivity and production yield. Like every other production tool, ultra-short pulse lasers have too provide high quality results with maximum reliability. Robustness and global on-site support are vital factors, as well ass easy system integration.

Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lemos, N.; Grismayer, T.; Cardoso, L.

2013-06-15

We demonstrate the efficient generation of 4 mm and 8 mm long plasma waveguides in hydrogen and helium. These waveguides have matching spots sizes for 13 to 34 μm laser beams. The plasma waveguides are created by ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) of moderate intensities, ∼10{sup 15}–10{sup 16} W cm{sup −2}, that heat the plasma to initial temperatures of tens of eV in order to create a hot plasma column that will expand into a plasma waveguide. We have determined that the main heating mechanism when using fs laser pulses and plasma densities ∼10{sup 18–19} cm{sup −3} is Above Threshold Ionization.more » Detailed time and space electron density measurements are presented for the laser produced plasma waveguides.« less

Femtosecond two-photon Rabi oscillations in excited He driven by ultrashort intense laser fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fushitani, M.; Liu, C.-N.; Matsuda, A.; Endo, T.; Toida, Y.; Nagasono, M.; Togashi, T.; Yabashi, M.; Ishikawa, T.; Hikosaka, Y.; Morishita, T.; Hishikawa, A.

2016-02-01

Coherent light-matter interaction provides powerful methods for manipulating quantum systems. Rabi oscillation is one such process. As it enables complete population transfer to a target state, it is thus routinely exploited in a variety of applications in photonics, notably quantum information processing. The extension of coherent control techniques to the multiphoton regime offers wider applicability, and access to highly excited or dipole-forbidden transition states. However, the multiphoton Rabi process is often disrupted by other competing nonlinear effects such as the a.c. Stark shift, especially at the high laser-field intensities necessary to achieve ultrafast Rabi oscillations. Here we demonstrate a new route to drive two-photon Rabi oscillations on timescales as short as tens of femtoseconds, by utilizing the strong-field phenomenon known as Freeman resonance. The scenario is not specific to atomic helium as investigated in the present study, but broadly applicable to other systems, thus opening new prospects for the ultrafast manipulation of Rydberg states.

Fresh-slice multicolour X-ray free-electron lasers

DOE PAGES

Lutman, Alberto A.; Maxwell, Timothy J.; MacArthur, James P.; ...

2016-10-24

X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) provide femtosecond X-ray pulses with a narrow energy bandwidth and unprecedented brightness. Ultrafast physical and chemical dynamics, initiated with a site-specific X-ray pulse, can be explored using XFELs with a second ultrashort X-ray probe pulse. However, existing double-pulse schemes are complicated, difficult to customize or provide only low-intensity pulses. Here we present the novel fresh-slice technique for multicolour pulse production, wherein different temporal slices of an electron bunch lase to saturation in separate undulator sections. This method combines electron bunch tailoring from a passive wakefield device with trajectory control to provide multicolour pulses. The fresh-slice schememore » outperforms existing techniques at soft X-ray wavelengths. It produces femtosecond pulses with a power of tens of gigawatts and flexible colour separation. The pulse delay can be varied from temporal overlap to almost one picosecond. As a result, we also demonstrate the first three-colour XFEL and variably polarized two-colour pulses.« less

The method for scanning reshaping the spectrum of chirped laser pulse based on the quadratic electro-optic effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Rong; Yin, Ming; Wu, Xianyun; Tan, Hang

2017-10-01

T A new method for scanning reshaping the spectrum of chirped laser pulse based on quadratic electro-optic effects is proposed. The scanning reshaping scheme with a two-beam interference system is designed and the spectrum reshaping properties are analyzed theoretically. For the Gaussian chirped laser pulse with central wavelength λ0=800nm, nearly flat-topped spectral profiles with wider bandwidth is obtained with the proposed scanning reshaping method, which is beneficial to compensate for the gain narrowing effect in CPA and OPCPA. Further numerical simulations show that the reshaped spectrum is sensitive to the time-delay and deviation of the voltage applied to the crystal. In order to avoid narrowing or distorting the reshaped spectrum pointing to target, it is necessary to reduce the unfavorable deviations. With the rapid and wide applications of ultra-short laser pulse supported by some latter research results including photo-associative formation of ultra-cold molecules from ultra-cold atoms[1-3], laser-induced communications[4], capsule implosions on the National Ignition Facility(NIF)[5-6], the control of the temporal and spectral profiles of laser pulse is very important and urgently need to be addressed. Generally, the control of the pulse profiles depends on practical applications, ranging from femtosecond and picosecond to nanosecond. For instance, the basic shaping setup is a Fourier transform system for ultra-short laser pulse. The most important element is a spatially patterned mask which modulates the phase or amplitude, or sometimes the polarization after the pulse is decomposed into its constituent spectral components by usually a grating and a lens[7]. One of the generation techniques of ultra-short laser pulse is the chirped pulse amplifications(CPA), which brings a new era of development for high energy and high peak intensity ultra-short laser pulse, proposed by D. Strcik and G. Mourou from the chirping radar technology in microwave region since 1985[8]. The other generation technique of ultra-short pulse is the optical parametric chirped pulse amplification(OPCPA) invented by Dubietis et al. in 1992, which combined the respective superiorities of CPA and optical parametric amplification(OPA). However, there are disadvantages for the both technologies such as gain narrowing, gain saturation effects, and even spectrum shift. The first one among the three is the most significant which narrows the spectrum after amplification so that it limits the minimum durations of ultra-short laser pulse. This paper proposed a approach for scanning reshaping the spectrum of chirped laser pulse to compensate for the gain narrowing effect, according to the characteristics of the chirped laser pulse, i.e. the frequency varies with time linearly. The spectral characteristics of the scanning reshaping was analyzed quantitatively. Furthermore, the influence of the time-delay and deviation of the controlling voltage employed on the electro-optic crystal on the reshaped spectrum was also been discussed in detail.

Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes using agar-agar water solution and femtosecond pulse laser irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almeida de Matos, Ricardo; da Silva Cordeiro, Thiago; Elgul Samad, Ricardo; Dias Vieira, Nilson; Coronato Courrol, Lilia

2012-11-01

We report a method to create gold nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes using agar-agar water solution and irradiation with light from a xenon lamp, followed by ultrashort laser pulses. No additives, such as solvents, surfactants or reducing agents, were used in the procedure. Laser irradiation (laser ablation) was important to the reduction of the nanoparticles diameter and formation of another shapes. Distilled water was used as solvent and agar-agar (hydrophilic colloid extracted from certain seaweeds) was important for the stabilization of gold nanoparticles, avoiding their agglomeration. The formation of gold nanoparticles was confirmed with ultraviolet-visible absorption and TEM microscopy. The gold nanoparticles acquired spherical, prism, and rod shapes depending on the laser parameters. Variation of laser irradiation parameters as pulse energy, irradiation time and repetition rate was assessed. The relevant mechanisms contributing for the gold nanoparticles production are discussed.

Dipolar effects on propagation of ultrashort laser pulse in one-dimensional para-nitroaniline (pNA) molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Ke; Li, Hong-Yu; Liu, Ji-Cai; Wang, Chuan-Kui; Luo, Yi

2005-12-01

The dynamic behaviour of ultrashort (femtosecond) laser pulses in a molecular medium is studied by solving the full Maxwell-Bloch equations beyond the limits of the slowly varying envelope approximation and the rotating-wave approximation under the resonant and the non-resonant conditions. A one-dimensional asymmetric charge-transfer molecule, para-nitroaniline, is used as a model molecule whose electronic properties are calculated with the time-dependent hybrid density functional theory. Under the one-photon resonant condition, 4π pulse is separated into two sub-pulses. The weight of the second-harmonic component mainly contributed by the two-photon excitation becomes stronger with longer propagation time. Under the two-photon resonant condition, the separation of 4π pulse is not induced and many higher-order spectral components beyond the second-harmonic generation occur. Interestingly, when the pulse propagates for long enough, the carrier modification becomes so significant that a continuous spectrum is generated. The Fourier transform of the high-harmonic spectrum demonstrates that an even shorter laser pulse can be produced in both resonant and non-resonant propagations. The effects of permanent dipole moments on the pulse evolution are discussed.

No effect of femtosecond laser pulses on M13, E. coli, DNA, or protein.

PubMed

Wigle, Jeffrey C; Holwitt, Eric A; Estlack, Larry E; Noojin, Gary D; Saunders, Katharine E; Yakovlev, Valdislav V; Rockwell, Benjamin A

2014-01-01

Data showing what appears to be nonthermal inactivation of M13 bacteriophage (M13), Tobacco mosaic virus, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Jurkatt T-cells following exposure to 80-fs pulses of laser radiation have been published. Interest in the mechanism led to attempts to reproduce the results for M13 and E. coli. Bacteriophage plaque-forming and bacteria colony-forming assays showed no inactivation of the microorganisms; therefore, model systems were used to see what, if any, damage might be occurring to biologically important molecules. Purified plasmid DNA (pUC19) and bovine serum albumin were exposed to and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), respectively, and no effect was found. DNA and coat proteins extracted from laser-exposed M13 and analyzed by AGE or PAGE found no effect. Raman scattering by M13 in phosphate buffered saline was measured to determine if there was any physical interaction between M13 and femtosecond laser pulses, and none was found. Positive controls for the endpoints measured produced the expected results with the relevant assays. Using the published methods, we were unable to reproduce the inactivation results or to show any interaction between ultrashort laser pulses and buffer/water, DNA, protein, M13 bacteriophage, or E. coli.

No effect of femtosecond laser pulses on M13, E. coli, DNA, or protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wigle, Jeffrey C.; Holwitt, Eric A.; Estlack, Larry E.; Noojin, Gary D.; Saunders, Katharine E.; Yakovlev, Valdislav V.; Rockwell, Benjamin A.

2014-01-01

Data showing what appears to be nonthermal inactivation of M13 bacteriophage (M13), Tobacco mosaic virus, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Jurkatt T-cells following exposure to 80-fs pulses of laser radiation have been published. Interest in the mechanism led to attempts to reproduce the results for M13 and E. coli. Bacteriophage plaque-forming and bacteria colony-forming assays showed no inactivation of the microorganisms; therefore, model systems were used to see what, if any, damage might be occurring to biologically important molecules. Purified plasmid DNA (pUC19) and bovine serum albumin were exposed to and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), respectively, and no effect was found. DNA and coat proteins extracted from laser-exposed M13 and analyzed by AGE or PAGE found no effect. Raman scattering by M13 in phosphate buffered saline was measured to determine if there was any physical interaction between M13 and femtosecond laser pulses, and none was found. Positive controls for the endpoints measured produced the expected results with the relevant assays. Using the published methods, we were unable to reproduce the inactivation results or to show any interaction between ultrashort laser pulses and buffer/water, DNA, protein, M13 bacteriophage, or E. coli.

Ultrafast Independent N-H and N-C Bond Deformation Investigated with Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eckert, Sebastian; Norell, Jesper; Miedema, Piter S.

Here, the femtosecond excited-state dynamics following resonant photoexcitation enable the selective deformation of N-H and N-C chemical bonds in 2-thiopyridone in aqueous solution with optical or X-ray pulses. In combination with multiconfigurational quantum-chemical calculations, the orbital-specific electronic structure and its ultrafast dynamics accessed with resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the N 1s level using synchrotron radiation and the soft X-ray free-electron laser LCLS provide direct evidence for this controlled photoinduced molecular deformation and its ultrashort timescale.

Ultrafast Independent N-H and N-C Bond Deformation Investigated with Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering

DOE PAGES

Eckert, Sebastian; Norell, Jesper; Miedema, Piter S.; ...

2017-04-04

Here, the femtosecond excited-state dynamics following resonant photoexcitation enable the selective deformation of N-H and N-C chemical bonds in 2-thiopyridone in aqueous solution with optical or X-ray pulses. In combination with multiconfigurational quantum-chemical calculations, the orbital-specific electronic structure and its ultrafast dynamics accessed with resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the N 1s level using synchrotron radiation and the soft X-ray free-electron laser LCLS provide direct evidence for this controlled photoinduced molecular deformation and its ultrashort timescale.

Precise ablation of dental hard tissues with ultra-short pulsed lasers. Preliminary exploratory investigation on adequate laser parameters.

PubMed

Bello-Silva, Marina Stella; Wehner, Martin; Eduardo, Carlos de Paula; Lampert, Friedrich; Poprawe, Reinhart; Hermans, Martin; Esteves-Oliveira, Marcella

2013-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of introducing ultra-short pulsed lasers (USPL) in restorative dentistry by maintaining the well-known benefits of lasers for caries removal, but also overcoming disadvantages, such as thermal damage of irradiated substrate. USPL ablation of dental hard tissues was investigated in two phases. Phase 1--different wavelengths (355, 532, 1,045, and 1,064 nm), pulse durations (picoseconds and femtoseconds) and irradiation parameters (scanning speed, output power, and pulse repetition rate) were assessed for enamel and dentin. Ablation rate was determined, and the temperature increase measured in real time. Phase 2--the most favorable laser parameters were evaluated to correlate temperature increase to ablation rate and ablation efficiency. The influence of cooling methods (air, air-water spray) on ablation process was further analyzed. All parameters tested provided precise and selective tissue ablation. For all lasers, faster scanning speeds resulted in better interaction and reduced temperature increase. The most adequate results were observed for the 1064-nm ps-laser and the 1045-nm fs-laser. Forced cooling caused moderate changes in temperature increase, but reduced ablation, being considered unnecessary during irradiation with USPL. For dentin, the correlation between temperature increase and ablation efficiency was satisfactory for both pulse durations, while for enamel, the best correlation was observed for fs-laser, independently of the power used. USPL may be suitable for cavity preparation in dentin and enamel, since effective ablation and low temperature increase were observed. If adequate laser parameters are selected, this technique seems to be promising for promoting the laser-assisted, minimally invasive approach.

Characterization of Ultrafast Laser Pulses using a Low-dispersion Frequency Resolved Optical Grating Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitelock, Hope; Bishop, Michael; Khosravi, Soroush; Obaid, Razib; Berrah, Nora

2016-05-01

A low dispersion frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) spectrometer was designed to characterize ultrashort (<50 femtosecond) laser pulses from a commercial regenerative amplifier, optical parametric amplifier, and a home-built non-colinear optical parametric amplifier. This instrument splits a laser pulse into two replicas with a 90:10 intensity ratio using a thin pellicle beam-splitter and then recombines the pulses in a birefringent medium. The instrument detects a wavelength-sensitive change in polarization of the weak probe pulse in the presence of the stronger pump pulse inside the birefringent medium. Scanning the time delay between the two pulses and acquiring spectra allows for characterization of the frequency and time content of ultrafast laser pulses, that is needed for interpretation of experimental results obtained from these ultrafast laser systems. Funded by the DoE-BES, Grant No. DE-SC0012376.

ac Stark-mediated quantum control with femtosecond two-color laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serrat, Carles

2005-11-15

A critical dependence of the quantum interference on the optical Stark spectral shift produced when two-color laser pulses interact with a two-level medium is observed. The four-wave mixing of two ultrashort phase-locked {omega}-3{omega} laser pulses propagating coherently in a two-level system depends on the pulses' relative phase. The phase dominating the efficiency of the coupling to the anti-Stokes Raman component is found to be determined by the sign of the total ac Stark shift induced in the system, in such a way that the phase sensitivity disappears precisely where the ac Stark effect due to both pulses is compensated. Amore » coherent control scheme based on this phenomenon can be contemplated as the basis for nonlinear optical spectroscopy techniques.« less

Mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser based on liquid phase exfoliated Sb2Te3 topological insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boguslawski, J.; Sotor, J.; Sobon, G.; Tarka, J.; Jagiello, J.; Macherzynski, W.; Lipinska, L.; Abramski, K. M.

2014-10-01

In this paper, femtosecond pulse generation in an Er-doped fiber laser is reported. The laser is passively mode-locked by an antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) topological insulator (TI) saturable absorber (SA) placed on a side-polished fiber. The Sb2Te3/chitosan suspension used to prepare the SA was obtained via liquid phase exfoliation from bulk Sb2Te3.Ultra-short 449 fs soliton pulses were generated due to the interaction between the evanescent field propagated in the fiber cladding and the Sb2Te3 layers. The optical spectrum is centered at 1556 nm with 6 nm of full-width at half maximum bandwidth. The presented method benefits from a much better repeatability compared to mechanical exfoliation.

Laser induced THz emission from femtosecond photocurrents in Co/ZnO/Pt and Co/Cu/Pt multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, G.; Mikhaylovskiy, R. V.; Grishunin, K. A.; Costa, J. D.; Rasing, Th; Kimel, A. V.

2018-04-01

The ultrashort laser excitation of Co/Pt magnetic heterostructures can effectively generate spin and charge currents at the interfaces between magnetic and nonmagnetic layers. The direction of these photocurrents can be controlled by the helicity of the circularly polarized laser light and an external magnetic field. Here, we employ THz time-domain spectroscopy to investigate further the role of interfaces in these photo-galvanic phenomena. In particular, the effects of either Cu or ZnO interlayers on the photocurrents in Co/X/Pt (X  =  Cu, ZnO) have been studied by varying the thickness of the interlayers up to 5 nm. The results are discussed in terms of spin-diffusion phenomena and interfacial spin-orbit torque.

Nanometer-scale characterization of laser-driven compression, shocks, and phase transitions, by x-ray scattering using free electron lasers

DOE PAGES

Kluge, T.; Rödel, C.; Rödel, M.; ...

2017-10-23

In this paper, we study the feasibility of using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as a new experimental diagnostic for intense laser-solid interactions. By using X-ray pulses from a hard X-ray free electron laser, we can simultaneously achieve nanometer and femtosecond resolution of laser-driven samples. This is an important new capability for the Helmholtz international beamline for extreme fields at the high energy density endstation currently built at the European X-ray free electron laser. We review the relevant SAXS theory and its application to transient processes in solid density plasmas and report on first experimental results that confirm the feasibilitymore » of the method. Finally, we present results of two test experiments where the first experiment employs ultra-short laser pulses for studying relativistic laser plasma interactions, and the second one focuses on shock compression studies with a nanosecond laser system.« less

Nanometer-scale characterization of laser-driven compression, shocks, and phase transitions, by x-ray scattering using free electron lasers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kluge, T.; Rödel, C.; Rödel, M.

In this paper, we study the feasibility of using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as a new experimental diagnostic for intense laser-solid interactions. By using X-ray pulses from a hard X-ray free electron laser, we can simultaneously achieve nanometer and femtosecond resolution of laser-driven samples. This is an important new capability for the Helmholtz international beamline for extreme fields at the high energy density endstation currently built at the European X-ray free electron laser. We review the relevant SAXS theory and its application to transient processes in solid density plasmas and report on first experimental results that confirm the feasibilitymore » of the method. Finally, we present results of two test experiments where the first experiment employs ultra-short laser pulses for studying relativistic laser plasma interactions, and the second one focuses on shock compression studies with a nanosecond laser system.« less

Capturing relativistic wakefield structures in plasmas using ultrashort high-energy electrons as a probe

DOE PAGES

Zhang, C. J.; Hua, J. F.; Xu, X. L.; ...

2016-07-11

A new method capable of capturing coherent electric field structures propagating at nearly the speed of light in plasma with a time resolution as small as a few femtoseconds is proposed. This method uses a few femtoseconds long relativistic electron bunch to probe the wake produced in a plasma by an intense laser pulse or an ultra-short relativistic charged particle beam. As the probe bunch traverses the wake, its momentum is modulated by the electric field of the wake, leading to a density variation of the probe after free-space propagation. This variation of probe density produces a snapshot of themore » wake that can directly give many useful information of the wake structure and its evolution. Furthermore, this snapshot allows detailed mapping of the longitudinal and transverse components of the wakefield. We develop a theoretical model for field reconstruction and verify it using 3-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. This model can accurately reconstruct the wakefield structure in the linear regime, and it can also qualitatively map the major features of nonlinear wakes. As a result, the capturing of the injection in a nonlinear wake is demonstrated through 3D PIC simulations as an example of the application of this new method.« less

Femtosecond laser corneal surgery with in situ determination of the laser attenuation and ablation threshold by second harmonic generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plamann, Karsten; Nuzzo, Valeria; Albert, Olivier; Mourou, Gérard A.; Savoldelli, Michèle; Dagonet, Françoise; Donate, David; Legeais, Jean-Marc

2007-02-01

Femtosecond lasers start to be routinely used in refractive eye surgery. Current research focuses on their application to glaucoma and cataract surgery as well as cornea transplant procedures. To avoid unwanted tissue damage during the surgical intervention it is of utmost importance to maintain a working energy just above the ablation threshold and maintain the laser energy at this working point independently of the local and global tissue properties. To quantify the attenuation of the laser power density in the tissue by absorption, scattering and modification of the point spread function we monitor the second harmonic radiation generated in the collagen matrix of the cornea when exposed to ultrashort laser pulses. We use a CPA system with a regenerative amplifier delivering pulses at a wavelength of 1.06 μm, pulse durations of 400 fs and a maximum energy of 60 μJ. The repetition rate is adjustable from single shot up to 10 kHz. The experiments are performed on human corneas provided by the French Eye bank. To capture the SHG radiation we use a photomultiplier tube connected to a lockin amplifier tuned to the laser repetition rate. The measured data indicates an exponential decay of the laser beam intensity in the volume of the sample and allows for the quantification of the attenuation coefficient and its correlation with the optical properties of the cornea. Complementary analyses were performed on the samples by ultrastructural histology.

Impact of input field characteristics on vibrational femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering thermometry.

PubMed

Yang, Chao-Bo; He, Ping; Escofet-Martin, David; Peng, Jiang-Bo; Fan, Rong-Wei; Yu, Xin; Dunn-Rankin, Derek

2018-01-10

In this paper, three ultrashort-pulse coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) thermometry approaches are summarized with a theoretical time-domain model. The difference between the approaches can be attributed to variations in the input field characteristics of the time-domain model. That is, all three approaches of ultrashort-pulse (CARS) thermometry can be simulated with the unified model by only changing the input fields features. As a specific example, the hybrid femtosecond/picosecond CARS is assessed for its use in combustion flow diagnostics; thus, the examination of the input field has an impact on thermometry focuses on vibrational hybrid femtosecond/picosecond CARS. Beginning with the general model of ultrashort-pulse CARS, the spectra with different input field parameters are simulated. To analyze the temperature measurement error brought by the input field impacts, the spectra are fitted and compared to fits, with the model neglecting the influence introduced by the input fields. The results demonstrate that, however the input pulses are depicted, temperature errors still would be introduced during an experiment. With proper field characterization, however, the significance of the error can be reduced.

Mass spectrometric imaging and laser desorption ionization (LDI) with ice as a matrix using femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, Jamal Ihsan

The desorption of biomolecules from frozen aqueous solutions on metal substrates with femtosecond laser pulses is presented for the first time. Unlike previous studies using nanosecond pulses, this approach produces high quality mass spectra of biomolecules repeatedly and reproducibly. This novel technique allows analysis of biomolecules directly from their native frozen environments. The motivation for this technique stems from molecular dynamics computer simulations comparing nanosecond and picosecond heating of water overlayers frozen on Au substrates which demonstrate large water cluster formation and ejection upon substrate heating within ultrashort timescales. As the frozen aqueous matrix and analyte molecules are transparent at the wavelengths used, the laser energy is primarily absorbed by the substrate, causing rapid heating and explosive boiling of the ice overlayer, followed by the ejection of ice clusters and the entrained analyte molecule. Spectral characteristics at a relatively high fluence of 10 J/cm 2 reveal the presence of large molecular weight metal clusters when a gold substrate is employed, with smaller cluster species observed from frozen aqueous solutions on Ag, Cu, and Pb substrates. The presence of the metal clusters is indicative of an evaporative cooling mechanism which stabiles cluster ion formation and the ejection of biomolecules from frozen aqueous solutions. Solvation is necessary as the presence of metal clusters and biomolecular ion signals are not observed from bare metal substrates in absence of the frozen overlayer. The potential for mass spectrometric imaging with femtosecond LDI of frozen samples is also presented. The initial results for the characterization of peptides and peptoids linked to combinatorial beads frozen in ice and the assay of frozen brain tissue from the serotonin transporter gene knockout mouse via LDI imaging are discussed. Images of very good quality and resolution are obtained with 400 nm, 200 fs pulses at a fluence of 1.25 J/cm2 . An attractive feature of this technique is that images are acquired within minutes for large sample areas. Additionally, the images obtained with femtosecond laser desorption are high in lateral resolution with the laser capable of being focused to a spot size of 30 mum. Femtosecond laser desorption from ice is unique in that unlike matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry, it does not employ an organic UV absorbing matrix to desorb molecular ions. Instead, the laser energy is absorbed by the metal substrate causing explosive boiling and ejection of the frozen overlayer. This approach is significant in that femtosecond laser desorption possess the potential of analyzing and assaying biomolecules directly from their frozen native environments. This technique was developed to compliment existing ToF-SIMS imaging capability for analysis of tissue and cells, as well as other biological systems of interest.

Time-resolved x-ray imaging of a laser-induced nanoplasma and its neutral residuals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fluckiger, L.; Rupp, D.; Adolph, M.

The evolution of individual, large gas-phase xenon clusters, turned into a nanoplasma by a high power infrared laser pulse, is tracked from femtoseconds up to nanoseconds after laser excitation via coherent diffractive imaging, using ultra-short soft x-ray free electron laser pulses. A decline of scattering signal at high detection angles with increasing time delay indicates a softening of the cluster surface. Here we demonstrate, for the first time a representative speckle pattern of a new stage of cluster expansion for xenon clusters after a nanosecond irradiation. The analysis of the measured average speckle size and the envelope of the intensitymore » distribution reveals a mean cluster size and length scale of internal density fluctuations. Furthermore, the measured diffraction patterns were reproduced by scattering simulations which assumed that the cluster expands with pronounced internal density fluctuations hundreds of picoseconds after excitation.« less

Generation regimes of bidirectional hybridly mode-locked ultrashort pulse erbium-doped all-fiber ring laser with a distributed polarizer.

PubMed

Krylov, Alexander A; Chernykh, Dmitriy S; Arutyunyan, Natalia R; Grebenyukov, Vyacheslav V; Pozharov, Anatoly S; Obraztsova, Elena D

2016-05-20

We report on the stable picosecond and femtosecond pulse generation from the bidirectional erbium-doped all-fiber ring laser hybridly mode-locked with a coaction of a single-walled carbon nanotube-based saturable absorber and nonlinear polarization evolution that was introduced through the insertion of the short-segment polarizing fiber. Depending on the total intracavity dispersion value, the laser emits conservative solitons, transform-limited Gaussian pulses, or highly chirped stretched pulses with almost 20 nm wide parabolic spectrum in both clockwise (CW) and counterclockwise (CCW) directions of the ring. Owing to the polarizing action in the cavity, we have demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, an efficient tuning of soliton pulse characteristics for both CW and CCW channels via an appropriate polarization control. We believe that the bidirectional laser presented may be highly promising for gyroscopic and other dual-channel applications.

Time-resolved x-ray imaging of a laser-induced nanoplasma and its neutral residuals

DOE PAGES

Fluckiger, L.; Rupp, D.; Adolph, M.; ...

2016-04-13

The evolution of individual, large gas-phase xenon clusters, turned into a nanoplasma by a high power infrared laser pulse, is tracked from femtoseconds up to nanoseconds after laser excitation via coherent diffractive imaging, using ultra-short soft x-ray free electron laser pulses. A decline of scattering signal at high detection angles with increasing time delay indicates a softening of the cluster surface. Here we demonstrate, for the first time a representative speckle pattern of a new stage of cluster expansion for xenon clusters after a nanosecond irradiation. The analysis of the measured average speckle size and the envelope of the intensitymore » distribution reveals a mean cluster size and length scale of internal density fluctuations. Furthermore, the measured diffraction patterns were reproduced by scattering simulations which assumed that the cluster expands with pronounced internal density fluctuations hundreds of picoseconds after excitation.« less

Intensity autocorrelation measurements of frequency combs in the terahertz range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benea-Chelmus, Ileana-Cristina; Rösch, Markus; Scalari, Giacomo; Beck, Mattias; Faist, Jérôme

2017-09-01

We report on direct measurements of the emission character of quantum cascade laser based frequency combs, using intensity autocorrelation. Our implementation is based on fast electro-optic sampling, with a detection spectral bandwidth matching the emission bandwidth of the comb laser, around 2.5 THz. We find the output of these frequency combs to be continuous even in the locked regime, but accompanied by a strong intensity modulation. Moreover, with our record temporal resolution of only few hundreds of femtoseconds, we can resolve correlated intensity modulation occurring on time scales as short as the gain recovery time, about 4 ps. By direct comparison with pulsed terahertz light originating from a photoconductive emitter, we demonstrate the peculiar emission pattern of these lasers. The measurement technique is self-referenced and ultrafast, and requires no reconstruction. It will be of significant importance in future measurements of ultrashort pulses from quantum cascade lasers.

Influence of the Liquid on Femtosecond Laser Ablation of Iron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanitz, A.; Hoppius, J. S.; Gurevich, E. L.; Ostendorf, A.

Ultrashort pulse laser ablation has become a very important industrial method for highly precise material removal ranging from sensitive thin film processing to drilling and cutting of metals. Over the last decade, a new method to produce pure nanoparticles emerged from this technique: Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquids (PLAL). By this method, the ablation of material by a laser beam is used to generate a metal vapor within the liquid in order to obtain nanoparticles from its recondensation process. It is well known that the liquid significantly alters the ablation properties of the substrate, in our case iron. For example, the ablation rate and crater morphology differ depending on the used liquid. We present our studies on the efficiency and quality of ablated grooves in water, methanol, acetone, ethanol and toluene. The produced grooves are investigated by means of white-light interferometry, EDX and SEM.

Coherent blue emission generated by Rb two-photon excitation using diode and femtosecond lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez, Jesus P.; Moreno, Marco P.; de Miranda, Marcio H. G.; Vianna, Sandra S.

2017-04-01

The coherent blue light generated in rubidium vapor due to the combined action of an ultrashort pulse train and a continuous wave diode laser is investigated. Each step of the two-photon transition 5S-5P{}3/2-5D is excited by one of the lasers, and the induced coherence between the 5S and 6P{}3/2 states is responsible for generating the blue beam. Measurements of the excitation spectrum reveal the frequency comb structure and allow us to identify the resonant modes responsible for inducing the nonlinear process. Further, each resonant mode excites a different group of atoms, making the process selective in atomic velocity. The signal dependency on the atomic density is characterized by a sharp growth and a rapid saturation. We also show that for high intensity of the diode laser, the Stark shift at resonance causes the signal suppression observed at low atomic density.

Generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures on transparent material-fused silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Simon; Rung, Stefan; Hellmann, Ralf

2016-05-01

We report on a comparison between simulated and experimental results for the generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures with low spatial frequency on dielectrics. Using the established efficacy factor theory extended by a Drude model, we determine the required carrier density for the generation of low spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) and forecast their periodicity and orientation. In a subsequent calculative step, we determine the fluence of ultrashort laser pulses necessary to excite this required carrier density in due consideration of the pulse number dependent ablation threshold. The later calculation is based on a rate equation including photo- and avalanche ionization and derives appropriate process parameters for a selective generation of LSFL. Exemplarily, we apply this approach to the generation of LSFL on fused silica using a 1030 nm femtosecond laser. The experimental results for the orientation and spatial periodicity of LSFL reveal excellent agreement with the simulation.

Generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures on transparent material-fused silica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwarz, Simon; Rung, Stefan; Hellmann, Ralf

2016-05-02

We report on a comparison between simulated and experimental results for the generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures with low spatial frequency on dielectrics. Using the established efficacy factor theory extended by a Drude model, we determine the required carrier density for the generation of low spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) and forecast their periodicity and orientation. In a subsequent calculative step, we determine the fluence of ultrashort laser pulses necessary to excite this required carrier density in due consideration of the pulse number dependent ablation threshold. The later calculation is based on a rate equation including photo- and avalanche ionizationmore » and derives appropriate process parameters for a selective generation of LSFL. Exemplarily, we apply this approach to the generation of LSFL on fused silica using a 1030 nm femtosecond laser. The experimental results for the orientation and spatial periodicity of LSFL reveal excellent agreement with the simulation.« less

Femtosecond noncollinear SFG dynamics in autocorrelator setup at low level of photons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenishev, Vladimir P.; Persson, A.; Larsson, J.

2004-06-01

We report here the characteristics of noncollinear sum frequency generation in nonlinear KDP crystals by ultrashort (80 fsec) IR pulses irradiated by the intense Ti:Sapphire laser and their behavior in single shot auto-crosscorrelator (ACC) configuration. In particular we study the case where one of the beams is very weak. Our aim is to develop a procedure to provide delay time signal between light pulses for time resolved pump probe experiments based on the extraction of the phase-matched SHG spatial distribution by means of pulse shape analysis technique. We intend to apply these results to synchronize a weak short-pulse source and an intense Ti:Sapphire laser and to measure the pulse time jitter between them.

Air-guided photonic-crystal-fiber pulse-compression delivery of multimegawatt femtosecond laser output for nonlinear-optical imaging and neurosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanin, Aleksandr A.; Fedotov, Il'ya V.; Sidorov-Biryukov, Dmitrii A.; Doronina-Amitonova, Lyubov V.; Ivashkina, Olga I.; Zots, Marina A.; Sun, Chi-Kuang; Ömer Ilday, F.; Fedotov, Andrei B.; Anokhin, Konstantin V.; Zheltikov, Aleksei M.

2012-03-01

Large-core hollow photonic-crystal fibers (PCFs) are shown to enable a fiber-format air-guided delivery of ultrashort infrared laser pulses for neurosurgery and nonlinear-optical imaging. With an appropriate dispersion precompensation, an anomalously dispersive 15-μm-core hollow PCF compresses 510-fs, 1070-nm light pulses to a pulse width of about 110 fs, providing a peak power in excess of 5 MW. The compressed PCF output is employed to induce a local photodisruption of corpus callosum tissues in mouse brain and is used to generate the third harmonic in brain tissues, which is captured by the PCF and delivered to a detector through the PCF cladding.

Initiation of air ionization by ultrashort laser pulses: evidence for a role of metastable-state air molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgakov, A. V.; Mirza, I.; Bulgakova, N. M.; Zhukov, V. P.; Machulka, R.; Haderka, O.; Campbell, E. E. B.; Mocek, T.

2018-06-01

Transmission measurements for femtosecond laser pulses focused in air with spectral analysis of emission from the focal region have been carried out for various pulse energies and air pressures. The air breakdown threshold and pulse attenuation due to plasma absorption are evaluated and compared with calculations based on the multiphoton ionization model. The plasma absorption is found to depend on the pulse repetition rate and is considerably stronger at 1 kHz than at 1–10 Hz. This suggests that accumulation of metastable states of air molecules plays an important role in initiation of air breakdown, enhancing the ionization efficiency at high repetition rates. Possible channels of metastable-state-assisted air ionization and the role of the observed accumulation effect in laser material processing are discussed.

High-efficiency, broad band, high-damage threshold high-index gratings for femtosecond pulse compression.

PubMed

Canova, Frederico; Clady, Raphael; Chambaret, Jean-Paul; Flury, Manuel; Tonchev, Svtelen; Fechner, Renate; Parriaux, Olivier

2007-11-12

High efficiency, broad-band TE-polarization diffraction over a wavelength range centered at 800 nm is obtained by high index gratings placed on a non-corrugated mirror. More than 96% efficiency wide band top-hat diffraction efficiency spectra, as well as more than 1 J/cm(2) damage threshold under 50 fs pulses are demonstrated experimentally. This opens the way to high-efficiency Chirped Pulse Amplification for high average power laser machining by means of all-dielectric structures as well as for ultra-short high energy pulses by means of metal-dielectric structures.

Femtosecond Laser Texturing of Surfaces for Tribological Applications

PubMed Central

Kirner, Sabrina V.; Griepentrog, Michael; Spaltmann, Dirk

2018-01-01

Laser texturing is an emerging technology for generating surface functionalities on basis of optical, mechanical, or chemical properties. Taking benefit of laser sources with ultrashort (fs) pulse durations features outstanding precision of machining and negligible rims or burrs surrounding the laser-irradiation zone. Consequently, additional mechanical or chemical post-processing steps are usually not required for fs-laser surface texturing (fs-LST). This work aimed to provide a bridge between research in the field of tribology and laser materials processing. The paper reviews the current state-of-the-art in fs-LST, with a focus on the tribological performance (friction and wear) of specific self-organized surface structures (so-called ripples, grooves, and spikes) on steel and titanium alloys. On the titanium alloy, specific sickle-shaped hybrid micro-nanostructures were also observed and tribologically tested. Care is taken to identify accompanying effects affecting the materials hardness, superficial oxidation, nano- and microscale topographies, and the role of additives contained in lubricants, such as commercial engine oil. PMID:29762544

Femtosecond Laser Texturing of Surfaces for Tribological Applications.

PubMed

Bonse, Jörn; Kirner, Sabrina V; Griepentrog, Michael; Spaltmann, Dirk; Krüger, Jörg

2018-05-15

Laser texturing is an emerging technology for generating surface functionalities on basis of optical, mechanical, or chemical properties. Taking benefit of laser sources with ultrashort (fs) pulse durations features outstanding precision of machining and negligible rims or burrs surrounding the laser-irradiation zone. Consequently, additional mechanical or chemical post-processing steps are usually not required for fs-laser surface texturing (fs-LST). This work aimed to provide a bridge between research in the field of tribology and laser materials processing. The paper reviews the current state-of-the-art in fs-LST, with a focus on the tribological performance (friction and wear) of specific self-organized surface structures (so-called ripples, grooves, and spikes) on steel and titanium alloys. On the titanium alloy, specific sickle-shaped hybrid micro-nanostructures were also observed and tribologically tested. Care is taken to identify accompanying effects affecting the materials hardness, superficial oxidation, nano- and microscale topographies, and the role of additives contained in lubricants, such as commercial engine oil.

On-axis non-linear effects with programmable Dammann lenses under femtosecond illumination.

PubMed

Pérez Vizcaíno, Jorge; Mendoza-Yero, Omel; Borrego-Varillas, Rocío; Mínguez-Vega, Gladys; Vázquez de Aldana, Javier R; Láncis, Jesús

2013-05-15

We demonstrate the utilization of Dammann lenses codified onto a spatial light modulator (SLM) for triggering non-linear effects. With continuous wave illumination Dammann lenses are binary phase optical elements that generate a set of equal intensity foci. We theoretically calculate the influence of ultrashort pulse illumination on the uniformity of the generated pattern, which is affected by chromatic aberration for pulses with temporal widths lower than 100 fs. The simulations also indicate that acceptable uniformity can be achieved for pulses of several fs by shortening the distance among foci which can be easily modified with the SLM. Multifocal second-harmonic generation (SHG) and on-axis multiple filamentation are produced and actively controlled in β-BaB2O4 (BBO) and fused silica samples, respectively, with an amplified Ti: Sapphire femtosecond laser of 30 fs pulse duration. Experimental results are in very good agreement with theoretical calculations.

Dose-rate effect of ultrashort electron beam radiation on DNA damage and repair in vitro.

PubMed

Babayan, Nelly; Hovhannisyan, Galina; Grigoryan, Bagrat; Grigoryan, Ruzanna; Sarkisyan, Natalia; Tsakanova, Gohar; Haroutiunian, Samvel; Aroutiounian, Rouben

2017-11-01

Laser-generated electron beams are distinguished from conventional accelerated particles by ultrashort beam pulses in the femtoseconds to picoseconds duration range, and their application may elucidate primary radiobiological effects. The aim of the present study was to determine the dose-rate effect of laser-generated ultrashort pulses of 4 MeV electron beam radiation on DNA damage and repair in human cells. The dose rate was increased via changing the pulse repetition frequency, without increasing the electron energy. The human chronic myeloid leukemia K-562 cell line was used to estimate the DNA damage and repair after irradiation, via the comet assay. A distribution analysis of the DNA damage was performed. The same mean level of initial DNA damages was observed at low (3.6 Gy/min) and high (36 Gy/min) dose-rate irradiation. In the case of low-dose-rate irradiation, the detected DNA damages were completely repairable, whereas the high-dose-rate irradiation demonstrated a lower level of reparability. The distribution analysis of initial DNA damages after high-dose-rate irradiation revealed a shift towards higher amounts of damage and a broadening in distribution. Thus, increasing the dose rate via changing the pulse frequency of ultrafast electrons leads to an increase in the complexity of DNA damages, with a consequent decrease in their reparability. Since the application of an ultrashort pulsed electron beam permits us to describe the primary radiobiological effects, it can be assumed that the observed dose-rate effect on DNA damage/repair is mainly caused by primary lesions appearing at the moment of irradiation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

Bibliography of Soviet Laser Developments, Number 81, January-February 1986

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-24

Lasers , Liquid Lasers ; Gas Lasers ; Chemical Lasers , Laser Components Nonlinear Optics, Spectroscopy of Laser Materials, Ultrashort Pulse Generation...spectroscopy of laser materials; ultrashort pulse generation; theoretical aspects of advanced lasers ; and general laser theory. Laser applications are...28 6. Acoustic Interaction ................ 28 G. Spectroscopy of Laser Materials ......... 28 H. Ultrashort

Bibliography of Soviet Laser Developments, Number 44 November - December 1979.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-13

Laser Materials, Ultrashort Pulse Generation, X-ray Lasers , Gamma Lasers , Laser Theory, Laser Biological Effects, Laser Communications, Laser Beam... lasers ; components; nonlinear optics; spectroscopy of laser materials; ultrashort pulse generation; theoretical aspects of advanced lasers ; and...and V.P. Feshchenko (51). Stimulated Raman scattering in absorbing media during pumping by ultrashort laser

Pros and cons of characterising an optical translocation setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maphanga, Charles; Malabi, Rudzani; Ombinda-Lemboumba, Saturnin; Maaza, Malik; Mthunzi-Kufa, Patience

2017-02-01

The delivery of genetic material and drugs into mammalian cells using femtosecond (fs) laser pulses is escalating rapidly. This novel light based technique achieved through a precise focusing of a laser beam on the plasma membrane is called photoporation. This technique is attained using ultrashort laser pulses to irradiate plasma membrane of mammalian cells, thus resulting in the accumulation of a vast amount of free electrons. These generated electrons react photochemically with the cell membrane, resulting in the generation of sub-microscopic pores on the cell membrane enabling a variety of extracellular media to diffuse into the cell. This study is aimed at critically analysing the "do's and don'ts" of designing, assembling, and characterising an optical translocation setup using a femtosecond legend titanium sapphire regenerative amplifier pulsed laser (Gaussian beam, 800 nm, 1 kHz, 113 fs, and an output power of 850 mW). The main objective in our study is to determine optical phototranslocation parameters which are compatible to the plasma membrane and cell viability. Such parameters included beam profiling, testing a range of laser fluencies suitable for photoporation, assessment of the beam quality and laser-cell interaction time. In our study, Chinese Hamster Ovary-K1 (CHO-K1) cells were photoporated in the presence of trypan blue to determine optimal parameters for photoporation experiment. An average power of 4.5 μW, exposure time of 7 ms, with a laser beam spot of 1.1 μm diameter at the focus worked optimally without any sign of cell stress and cytoplasmic bleeding. Cellular responses post laser treatment were analysed using cell morphology studies.

All-polarization maintaining erbium fiber laser based on carbon nanowalls saturable absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurata, Shintaro; Izawa, Jun; Kawaguchi, Norihito

2018-02-01

We report a soliton mode locked femtosecond oscillation with all-polarization maintaining erbuim doped fiber laser based on Carbon Nanowalls saturable absorber (CNWs SA). To improve the stability and the capability of the oscillator, the all-polarization maintaining(all-PM) fiber is generally used since PM fiber is tolerant of stretches and bends. The saturable absorber is an optical device that placed in a laser cavity to suppress continuous wave operation to promote cooperation between many modes to sustain ultrashort pulse operation. We apply CNWs for the material of SAs in our oscillator. CNWs are one of the nanocarbon materials, which are a high-aspect-ratio structure in the cross-section, where, although their width and height range in a few micrometers, the thickness is as small as ten nanometers or so. A sheet of CNWs is made up of nano-size graphite grain aggregates. Then CNWs structure is expected to have a high absorption to the incident light and large modulation depth due to a small number of carbon layers as well as CNT and Graphene. With this all-PM fiber laser oscillator based on CNWs SA, the soliton mode-locked laser oscillated with 66.3MHz repetition frequency and its spectrum width is 5.6nm in FWHM. Average output power is 8.1mW with 122.5mW laser diode pump power. In addition, the laser amplification system with erbium-doped fiber is constructed and amplifies the femtosecond pulse laser into 268.2mW and 3000mW pumping power.

Optical control of hard X-ray polarization by electron injection in a laser wakefield accelerator

PubMed Central

Schnell, Michael; Sävert, Alexander; Uschmann, Ingo; Reuter, Maria; Nicolai, Maria; Kämpfer, Tino; Landgraf, Björn; Jäckel, Oliver; Jansen, Oliver; Pukhov, Alexander; Kaluza, Malte Christoph; Spielmann, Christian

2013-01-01

Laser-plasma particle accelerators could provide more compact sources of high-energy radiation than conventional accelerators. Moreover, because they deliver radiation in femtosecond pulses, they could improve the time resolution of X-ray absorption techniques. Here we show that we can measure and control the polarization of ultra-short, broad-band keV photon pulses emitted from a laser-plasma-based betatron source. The electron trajectories and hence the polarization of the emitted X-rays are experimentally controlled by the pulse-front tilt of the driving laser pulses. Particle-in-cell simulations show that an asymmetric plasma wave can be driven by a tilted pulse front and a non-symmetric intensity distribution of the focal spot. Both lead to a notable off-axis electron injection followed by collective electron–betatron oscillations. We expect that our method for an all-optical steering is not only useful for plasma-based X-ray sources but also has significance for future laser-based particle accelerators. PMID:24026068

High flux femtosecond x-ray emission from the electron-hose instability in laser wakefield accelerators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong, C. F.; Zhao, T. Z.; Behm, K.

Here, bright and ultrashort duration x-ray pulses can be produced by through betatron oscillations of electrons during laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). Our experimental measurements using the Hercules laser system demonstrate a dramatic increase in x-ray flux for interaction distances beyond the depletion/dephasing lengths, where the initial electron bunch injected into the first wake bucket catches up with the laser pulse front and the laser pulse depletes. A transition from an LWFA regime to a beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration regime consequently occurs. The drive electron bunch is susceptible to the electron-hose instability and rapidly develops large amplitude oscillations in its tail,more » which leads to greatly enhanced x-ray radiation emission. We measure the x-ray flux as a function of acceleration length using a variable length gas cell. 3D particle-in-cell simulations using a Monte Carlo synchrotron x-ray emission algorithm elucidate the time-dependent variations in the radiation emission processes.« less

High flux femtosecond x-ray emission from the electron-hose instability in laser wakefield accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, C. F.; Zhao, T. Z.; Behm, K.; Cummings, P. G.; Nees, J.; Maksimchuk, A.; Yanovsky, V.; Krushelnick, K.; Thomas, A. G. R.

2018-04-01

Bright and ultrashort duration x-ray pulses can be produced by through betatron oscillations of electrons during laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). Our experimental measurements using the Hercules laser system demonstrate a dramatic increase in x-ray flux for interaction distances beyond the depletion/dephasing lengths, where the initial electron bunch injected into the first wake bucket catches up with the laser pulse front and the laser pulse depletes. A transition from an LWFA regime to a beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration regime consequently occurs. The drive electron bunch is susceptible to the electron-hose instability and rapidly develops large amplitude oscillations in its tail, which leads to greatly enhanced x-ray radiation emission. We measure the x-ray flux as a function of acceleration length using a variable length gas cell. 3D particle-in-cell simulations using a Monte Carlo synchrotron x-ray emission algorithm elucidate the time-dependent variations in the radiation emission processes.

Surgical lasers and hard dental tissue.

PubMed

Parker, S

2007-04-28

The cutting of dental hard tissue during restorative procedures presents considerable demands on the ability to selectively remove diseased carious tissue, obtain outline and retention form and maintain the integrity of supporting tooth tissue without structural weakening. In addition, the requirement to preserve healthy tissue and prevent further breakdown of the restoration places the choice of instrumentation and clinical technique as prime factors for the dental surgeon. The quest for an alternative treatment modality to the conventional dental turbine has been, essentially, patient-driven and has led to the development of various mechanical and chemical devices. The review of the literature has endorsed the beneficial effects of current laser machines. However utopian, there is additional evidence to support the development of ultra-short (nano- and femto-second) pulsed lasers that are stable in use and commercially viable, to deliver more efficient hard tissue ablation with less risk of collateral thermal damage. This paper explores the interaction of laser energy with dental hard tissues and bone and the integration of current laser wavelengths into restorative and surgical dentistry.

High flux femtosecond x-ray emission from the electron-hose instability in laser wakefield accelerators

DOE PAGES

Dong, C. F.; Zhao, T. Z.; Behm, K.; ...

2018-04-24

Here, bright and ultrashort duration x-ray pulses can be produced by through betatron oscillations of electrons during laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). Our experimental measurements using the Hercules laser system demonstrate a dramatic increase in x-ray flux for interaction distances beyond the depletion/dephasing lengths, where the initial electron bunch injected into the first wake bucket catches up with the laser pulse front and the laser pulse depletes. A transition from an LWFA regime to a beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration regime consequently occurs. The drive electron bunch is susceptible to the electron-hose instability and rapidly develops large amplitude oscillations in its tail,more » which leads to greatly enhanced x-ray radiation emission. We measure the x-ray flux as a function of acceleration length using a variable length gas cell. 3D particle-in-cell simulations using a Monte Carlo synchrotron x-ray emission algorithm elucidate the time-dependent variations in the radiation emission processes.« less

TruMicro Series 2000 sub-400 fs class industrial fiber lasers: adjustment of laser parameters to process requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanal, Florian; Kahmann, Max; Tan, Chuong; Diekamp, Holger; Jansen, Florian; Scelle, Raphael; Budnicki, Aleksander; Sutter, Dirk

2017-02-01

The matchless properties of ultrashort laser pulses, such as the enabling of cold processing and non-linear absorption, pave the way to numerous novel applications. Ultrafast lasers arrived in the last decade at a level of reliability suitable for the industrial environment.1 Within the next years many industrial manufacturing processes in several markets will be replaced by laser-based processes due to their well-known benefits: These are non-contact wear-free processing, higher process accuracy or an increase of processing speed and often improved economic efficiency compared to conventional processes. Furthermore, new processes will arise with novel sources, addressing previously unsolved challenges. One technical requirement for these exciting new applications will be to optimize the large number of available parameters to the requirements of the application. In this work we present an ultrafast laser system distinguished by its capability to combine high flexibility and real time process-inherent adjustments of the parameters with industry-ready reliability. This industry-ready reliability is ensured by a long experience in designing and building ultrashort-pulse lasers in combination with rigorous optimization of the mechanical construction, optical components and the entire laser head for continuous performance. By introducing a new generation of mechanical design in the last few years, TRUMPF enabled its ultrashort-laser platforms to fulfill the very demanding requirements for passively coupling high-energy single-mode radiation into a hollow-core transport fiber. The laser architecture presented here is based on the all fiber MOPA (master oscillator power amplifier) CPA (chirped pulse amplification) technology. The pulses are generated in a high repetition rate mode-locked fiber oscillator also enabling flexible pulse bursts (groups of multiple pulses) with 20 ns intra-burst pulse separation. An external acousto-optic modulator (XAOM) enables linearization and multi-level quad-loop stabilization of the output power of the laser.2 In addition to the well-established platform latest developments addressed single-pulse energies up to 50 μJ and made femtosecond pulse durations available for the TruMicro Series 2000. Beyond these stabilization aspects this laser architecture together with other optical modules and combined with smart laser control software enables process-driven adjustments of the parameters (e. g. repetition rate, multi-pulse functionalities, pulse energy, pulse duration) by external signals, which will be presented in this work.

Femtosecond response time measurements of a Cs2Te photocathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aryshev, A.; Shevelev, M.; Honda, Y.; Terunuma, N.; Urakawa, J.

2017-07-01

Success in design and construction of a compact, high-brightness accelerator system is strongly related to the production of ultra-short electron beams. Recently, the approach to generate short electron bunches or pre-bunched beams in RF guns directly illuminating a high quantum efficiency semiconductor photocathode with femtosecond laser pulses has become attractive. The measurements of the photocathode response time in this case are essential. With an approach of the interferometer-type pulse splitter deep integration into a commercial Ti:Sa laser system used for RF guns, it has become possible to generate pre-bunched electron beams and obtain continuously variable electron bunch separation. In combination with a well-known zero-phasing technique, it allows us to estimate the response time of the most commonly used Cs2Te photocathode. It was demonstrated that the peak-to-peak rms time response of Cs2Te is of the order of 370 fs, and thereby, it is possible to generate and control a THz sequence of relativistic electron bunches by a conventional S-band RF gun. This result can also be applied for investigation of other cathode materials and electron beam temporal shaping and further opens a possibility to construct wide-range tunable, table-top THz free electron laser.

Spectral Effects for an Ultrashort Pulse Train Propagating in a Two-Level Atom Medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bing-Xin; Gong, Shang-Qing; Song, Xiao-Hong; Li, Ru-Xin; Xu, Zhi-Zhan

2005-06-01

We investigate the spectra of a femtosecond pulse train propagating in a resonant two-level atom (TLA) medium. It is found that higher spectral components can be produced even for a 2π femtosecond pulse train. Furthermore, the spectral effects depend crucially on both the relative shift Φ and the delay time τ between the successive pulses of the femtosecond pulse train.

Photodynamic therapy and knocking out of single tumor cells by multiphoton excitation processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riemann, Iris; Fischer, Peter; Koenig, Karsten

2004-09-01

Near infrared (NIR) ultrashort laser pulses of 780 nm have been used to induce intracellular photodynamic reactions by nonlinear excitation of porphyrin photosensitizers. Intracellular accumulation and photobleaching of the fluorescent photosensitizers protoporphyrin IX and Photofrin (PF) have been studied by non-resonant two-photon fluorescence excitation of PF and aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-labeled Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. To testify the efficacy of both substrates to induce irreversible destructive effects, the cloning efficiency (CE) of cells exposed to femtosecond pulses of a multiphoton laser scanning microscope (40x/1.3) was determined. In the case of Photofrin accumulation, CEs of 50% and 0% were obtained after 17 laserscans (2 mW?, 16 s/ frame) and 50 scans, respectively. All cells exposed to 50 scans died within 48h after laser exposure. 100 scans were required to induce lethal effects in ALA labeled cells. Sensitizer-free control cells could be scanned 250 times (1.1 h) and more without impact on the reproduction behavior, morphology, and vitality. In addition to the slow phototoxic effect by photooxidation processes, another destructive but immediate effect based on optical breakdown was induced when employing high intense NIR femtosecond laser beams. This was used to optically knock out single tumor cells in living mice (solid Ehrlich-Carcinoma) in a depth of 10 to 100 μm.

Characterization of fast photoelectron packets in weak and strong laser fields in ultrafast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Plemmons, Dayne A; Tae Park, Sang; Zewail, Ahmed H; Flannigan, David J

2014-11-01

The development of ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM) and variants thereof (e.g., photon-induced near-field electron microscopy, PINEM) has made it possible to image atomic-scale dynamics on the femtosecond timescale. Accessing the femtosecond regime with UEM currently relies on the generation of photoelectrons with an ultrafast laser pulse and operation in a stroboscopic pump-probe fashion. With this approach, temporal resolution is limited mainly by the durations of the pump laser pulse and probe electron packet. The ability to accurately determine the duration of the electron packets, and thus the instrument response function, is critically important for interpretation of dynamics occurring near the temporal resolution limit, in addition to quantifying the effects of the imaging mode. Here, we describe a technique for in situ characterization of ultrashort electron packets that makes use of coupling with photons in the evanescent near-field of the specimen. We show that within the weakly-interacting (i.e., low laser fluence) regime, the zero-loss peak temporal cross-section is precisely the convolution of electron packet and photon pulse profiles. Beyond this regime, we outline the effects of non-linear processes and show that temporal cross-sections of high-order peaks explicitly reveal the electron packet profile, while use of the zero-loss peak becomes increasingly unreliable. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Femtosecond fiber laser additive manufacturing and welding for 3D manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Huan; Nie, Bai; Wan, Peng; Yang, Lih-Mei; Bai, Shuang; Liu, Jian

2015-03-01

Due to the unique ultra-short pulse duration and high peak power, femtosecond (fs) laser has emerged as a powerful tool for many applications but has rarely been studied for 3D printing. In this paper, welding of both bulk and powder materials is demonstrated for the first time by using high energy and high repetition rate fs fiber lasers. It opens up new scenarios and opportunities for 3D printing with the following advantages - greater range of materials especially with high melting temperature, greater-than-ever level of precision (sub-micron) and less heat-affected-zone (HAZ). Mechanical properties (strength and hardness) and micro-structures (grain size) of the fabricated parts are investigated. For dissimilar materials bulk welding, good welding quality with over 210 MPa tensile strength is obtained. Also full melting of the micron-sized refractory powders with high melting temperature (above 3000 degree C) is achieved for the first time. 3D parts with shapes like ring and cube are fabricated. Not only does this study explore the feasibility of melting dissimilar and high melting temperature materials using fs lasers, but it also lays out a solid foundation for 3D printing of complex structure with designed compositions, microstructures and properties. This can greatly benefit the applications in automobile, aerospace and biomedical industries, by producing parts like nozzles, engines and miniaturized biomedical devices.

Relativistically induced transparency acceleration of light ions by an ultrashort laser pulse interacting with a heavy-ion-plasma density gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahai, Aakash A.; Tsung, Frank S.; Tableman, Adam R.; Mori, Warren B.; Katsouleas, Thomas C.

2013-10-01

The relativistically induced transparency acceleration (RITA) scheme of proton and ion acceleration using laser-plasma interactions is introduced, modeled, and compared to the existing schemes. Protons are accelerated with femtosecond relativistic pulses to produce quasimonoenergetic bunches with controllable peak energy. The RITA scheme works by a relativistic laser inducing transparency [Akhiezer and Polovin, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz 30, 915 (1956); Kaw and Dawson, Phys. FluidsPFLDAS0031-917110.1063/1.1692942 13, 472 (1970); Max and Perkins, Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.27.1342 27, 1342 (1971)] to densities higher than the cold-electron critical density, while the background heavy ions are stationary. The rising laser pulse creates a traveling acceleration structure at the relativistic critical density by ponderomotively [Lindl and Kaw, Phys. FluidsPFLDAS0031-917110.1063/1.1693437 14, 371 (1971); Silva , Phys. Rev. E1063-651X10.1103/PhysRevE.59.2273 59, 2273 (1999)] driving a local electron density inflation, creating an electron snowplow and a co-propagating electrostatic potential. The snowplow advances with a velocity determined by the rate of the rise of the laser's intensity envelope and the heavy-ion-plasma density gradient scale length. The rising laser is incrementally rendered transparent to higher densities such that the relativistic-electron plasma frequency is resonant with the laser frequency. In the snowplow frame, trace density protons reflect off the electrostatic potential and get snowplowed, while the heavier background ions are relatively unperturbed. Quasimonoenergetic bunches of velocity equal to twice the snowplow velocity can be obtained and tuned by controlling the snowplow velocity using laser-plasma parameters. An analytical model for the proton energy as a function of laser intensity, rise time, and plasma density gradient is developed and compared to 1D and 2D PIC OSIRIS [Fonseca , Lect. Note Comput. Sci.9783-540410.1007/3-540-47789-6_36 2331, 342 (2002)] simulations. We model the acceleration of protons to GeV energies with tens-of-femtoseconds laser pulses of a few petawatts. The scaling of proton energy with laser power compares favorably to other mechanisms for ultrashort pulses [Schreiber , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.97.045005 97, 045005 (2006); Esirkepov , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.92.175003 92, 175003 (2004); Silva , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.92.015002 92, 015002 (2004); Fiuza , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.109.215001 109, 215001 (2012)].

Ultrafast spintronics roadmap: from femtosecond spin current pulses to terahertz non-uniform spin dynamics via nano-confined spin transfer torques (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnikov, Alexey; Razdolski, Ilya; Alekhin, Alexandr; Ilin, Nikita; Meyburg, Jan; Diesing, Detlef; Roddatis, Vladimir; Rungger, Ivan; Stamenova, Maria; Sanvito, Stefano; Bovensiepen, Uwe

2016-10-01

Further development of spintronics requires miniaturization and reduction of characteristic timescales of spin dynamics combining the nanometer spatial and femtosecond temporal ranges. These demands shift the focus of interest towards the fundamental open question of the interaction of femtosecond spin current (SC) pulses with a ferromagnet (FM). The spatio-temporal properties of the spin transfer torque (STT) exerted by ultrashort SC pulses on the FM open the time domain for studying STT fingerprint on spatially non-uniform magnetization dynamics. Using the sensitivity of magneto-induced second harmonic generation to SC, we develop technique for SC monitoring. With 20 fs resolution, we demonstrate the generation of 250 fs-long SC pulses in Fe/Au/Fe/MgO(001) structures. Their temporal profile indicates (i) nearly-ballistic hot electron transport in Au and (ii) that the pulse duration is primarily determined by the thermalization time of laser-excited hot carriers in Fe. Together with strongly spin-dependent Fe/Au interface transmission calculated for these carriers, this suggests the non-thermal spin-dependent Seebeck effect dominating the generation of ultrashort SC pulses. The analysis of SC transmission/reflection at the Au/Fe interface shows that hot electron spins orthogonal to the Fe magnetization rotate gaining huge parallel (anti-parallel) projection in transmitted (reflected) SC. This is accompanied by a STT-induced perturbation of the magnetization localized at the interface, which excites the inhomogeneous high-frequency spin dynamics in the FM. Time-resolved magneto-optical studies reveal the excitation of several standing spin wave modes in the Fe film with their spectrum extending up to 0.6 THz and indicating the STT spatial confinement to 2 nm.

Bibliography of Soviet Laser Developments, Number 85, September - October 1986.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-01

Ultrashort Pulse Generation, Laser Crystal Growing, Free Electron Lasers , Laser Theory, Laser Biological Effects, Laser Communications, Laser ...liquid, gas, and chemical lasers ; components; nonlinear optics; spectroscopy of laser materials; ultrashort pulse generation; crystal growing; theoretical...30 5. Self-focusing 30 6. Acoustic Interaction ................ 30 G. Spectroscopy of Laser Materials ......... 33 H. Ultrashort

Reversed Cherenkov emission of terahertz waves from an ultrashort laser pulse in a sandwich structure with nonlinear core and left-handed cladding.

PubMed

Bakunov, M I; Mikhaylovskiy, R V; Bodrov, S B; Luk'yanchuk, B S

2010-01-18

We propose a scheme for an experimental verification of the reversed Cherenkov effect in left-handed media. The scheme uses optical-to-terahertz conversion in a planar sandwichlike structure that consists of a nonlinear core cladded with a material that exhibits left-handedness at terahertz frequencies. The focused into a line femtosecond laser pulse propagates in the core and emits Cherenkov wedge of terahertz waves in the cladding. We developed a theory that describes terahertz generation in such a structure and calculated spatial distribution of the generated terahertz field, its energy spectrum, and optical-to-terahertz conversion efficiency. The proposed structure can be a useful tool for characterization of the electromagnetic properties of metamaterials in the terahertz frequency range.

Progress in ultrafast laser processing and future prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugioka, Koji

2017-03-01

The unique characteristics of ultrafast lasers have rapidly revolutionized materials processing after their first demonstration in 1987. The ultrashort pulse width of the laser suppresses heat diffusion to the surroundings of the processed region, which minimizes the formation of a heat-affected zone and thereby enables ultrahigh precision micro- and nanofabrication of various materials. In addition, the extremely high peak intensity can induce nonlinear multiphoton absorption, which extends the diversity of materials that can be processed to transparent materials such as glass. Nonlinear multiphoton absorption enables three-dimensional (3D) micro- and nanofabrication by irradiation with tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses inside transparent materials. Thus, ultrafast lasers are currently widely used for both fundamental research and practical applications. This review presents progress in ultrafast laser processing, including micromachining, surface micro- and nanostructuring, nanoablation, and 3D and volume processing. Advanced technologies that promise to enhance the performance of ultrafast laser processing, such as hybrid additive and subtractive processing, and shaped beam processing are discussed. Commercial and industrial applications of ultrafast laser processing are also introduced. Finally, future prospects of the technology are given with a summary.

Comprehensive studies of ultrashort laser pulse ablation of tin target at terawatt power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsied, Ahmed M.; Diwakar, Prasoon K.; Hassanein, Ahmed

2018-01-01

The fundamental properties of ultrashort laser interactions with metals using up to terawatt power were comprehensively studied, i.e., specifically mass ablation, nanoparticle formation, and ion dynamics using multitude of diagnostic techniques. Results of this study can be useful in many fields of research including spectroscopy, micromachining, thin film fabrication, particle acceleration, physics of warm dense matter, and equation-of-state determination. A Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser system (110 mJ maximum energy, 40 fs, 800 nm, P-polarized, single pulse mode) was used, which delivered up to 3 terawatt laser power to ablate 1 mm tin film in vacuum. The experimental analysis includes the effect of the incident laser fluence on the ablated mass, size of the ablated area, and depth of ablation using white light profilometer. Atomic force microscope was used to measure the emitted particles size distribution at different laser fluence. Faraday cup (FC) detector was used to analyze the emitted ions flux by measuring the velocity, and the total charge of the emitted ions. The study shows that the size of emitted particles follows log-normal distribution with peak shifts depending on incident laser fluence. The size of the ablated particles ranges from 20 to 80 nm. The nanoparticles deposited on the wafer tend to aggregate and to be denser as the incident laser fluence increases as shown by AFM images. Laser ablation depth was found to increase logarithmically with laser fluence then leveling off at laser fluence > 400 J/cm2. The total ablated mass tends to increase logarithmically with laser fluence up to 60 J/cm2 while, increases gradually at higher fluence due to the increase in the ablated area. The measured ion emitted flux shows a linear dependence on laser fluence with two distinct regimes. Strong dependence on laser fluence was observed at fluences < 350 J/cm2. Also, a slight enhancement in ion velocity was observed with increasing laser fluence up to 350 J/cm2.

Formation mechanism of self-assembled polarization-dependent periodic nanostructures in β-Ga2O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakanishi, Y.; Shimotsuma, Y.; Sakakura, M.; Shimizu, M.; Miura, K.

2018-02-01

We have successfully observed self-assembled periodic nanostructures inside Si single crystal and GaP crystal, by the femtosecond double-pulse irradiation. These results experimentally indicate that the self-assembly of the periodic nanostructures inside semiconductors triggered by ultrashort pulses irradiation are possibly associated with a direct or an indirect band gap. More recently we have also empirically classified the photoinduced bulk nanogratings into the following three types: (1) structural deficiency, (2) compressed structure, (3) partial crystallization. We have still a big question about what material properties are involved in the bulk nanograting structure formation. In this study, to expand the selectivity of the material for bulk nanograting formation, we have employed β-Ga2O3 crystals (indirect bandgap Eg 4.8 eV) as a sample for femtosecond laser irradiation. The nanograting structure inside β-Ga2O3 crystal was aligned perpendicular to the laser polarization direction. Such phenomenon is similar to the nanograting in SiO2 glass (Eg 9 eV). Moreover, to clarify the band structure, we have also investigate the photoinduced structure in Sn doped β-Ga2O3 crystals, which exhibit direct bandgap according to the first principle calculation.

Towards a petawatt-class few-cycle infrared laser system via dual-chirped optical parametric amplification.

PubMed

Fu, Yuxi; Midorikawa, Katsumi; Takahashi, Eiji J

2018-05-16

Expansion of the wavelength range for an ultrafast laser is an important ingredient for extending its range of applications. Conventionally, optical parametric amplification (OPA) has been employed to expand the laser wavelength to the infrared (IR) region. However, the achievable pulse energy and peak power have been limited to the mJ and the GW level, respectively. A major difficulty in the further energy scaling of OPA results from a lack of suitable large nonlinear crystals. Here, we circumvent this difficulty by employing a dual-chirped optical parametric amplification (DC-OPA) scheme. We successfully generate a multi-TW IR femtosecond laser pulse with an energy of 100 mJ order, which is higher than that reported in previous works. We also obtain excellent energy scaling ability, ultrashort pulses, flexiable wavelength tunability, and high-energy stability, which prove that DC-OPA is a superior method for the energy scaling of IR pulses to the 10 J/PW level.

Super-luminescent jet light generated by femtosecond laser pulses

PubMed Central

Xu, Zhijun; Zhu, Xiaonong; Yu, Yang; Zhang, Nan; Zhao, Jiefeng

2014-01-01

Phenomena of nonlinear light-matter interaction that occur during the propagation of intense ultrashort laser pulses in continuous media have been extensively studied in ultrafast optical science. In this vibrant research field, conversion of the input laser beam into optical filament(s) is commonly encountered. Here, we demonstrate generation of distinctive single or double super-luminescent optical jet beams as a result of strong spatial-temporal nonlinear interaction between focused 50 fs millijoule laser pulses and their induced micro air plasma. Such jet-like optical beams, being slightly divergent and coexisting with severely distorted conical emission of colored speckles, are largely different from optical filaments, and obtainable when the focal lens of proper f-number is slightly tilted or shifted. Once being collimated, the jet beams can propagate over a long distance in air. These beams not only reveal a potentially useful approach to coherent optical wave generation, but also may find applications in remote sensing. PMID:24463611

Laser-Neuron Interaction with Femtosecond Beat-Modulated 800-1200 nm Photon Beams, as the Treatment of Brain Cancer Tissue. Laser Neurophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefan, V. Alexander

2011-03-01

I propose a novel mechanism for the brain cancer tissue treatment: nonlinear interaction of ultrashort pulses of beat-photon, (ω1 -- ω2) , or double-photon, (ω1 +ω2) , beams with the cancer tissue. The multiphoton scattering is described via photon diffusion equation. The open-scull cerebral tissue can be irradiated with the beat-modulated photon pulses with the laser irradiances in the range of a few mW/cm2 , and repetition rate of a few 100s Hz generated in the beat-wave driven free electron laser. V. Stefan, B. I. Cohen, and C. Joshi, Nonlinear Mixing of Electromagnetic Waves in PlasmasScience 27 January 1989: V. Alexander Stefan, Genomic Medical Physics: A New Physics in the Making, (S-U-Press, 2008).} This highly accurate cancer tissue ablation removal may prove to be an efficient method for the treatment of brain cancer. Work supported in part by Nikola Tesla Laboratories (Stefan University), La Jolla, CA.

Direct laser writing of microstructures on optically opaque and reflective surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rekštytė, S.; Jonavičius, T.; Malinauskas, M.

2014-02-01

Direct laser writing (DLW) based on ultra-localized polymerization is an efficient way to produce three-dimensional (3D) micro/nano-structures for diverse applications in science and industry. It is attractive for its flexibility to materialize CAD models out of wide spectrum of materials on the desired substrates. In case of direct laser lithography, photo-crosslinking can be achieved by tightly focusing ultrashort laser pulses to a photo- or thermo-polymers. Selectively exposing material to laser radiation allows creating fully 3D structures with submicrometer spatial resolution. In this paper we present DLW results of hybrid organic-inorganic material SZ2080 on optically opaque and reflective surfaces, such as silicon and various metals (Cr, Ti, Au). Our studies prove that one can precisely fabricate 2D and 3D structures with lower than 1 μm spatial resolution even on glossy or rough surfaces (surface roughness rms 0.068-0.670 μm) using sample translation velocities of up to 1 mm/s. Using femtosecond high pulse repetition rate laser, sample translation velocity can reach over 1 mm/s ensuring repeatable submicrometer structuring resolution.

Femtosecond UV-laser pulses to unveil protein-protein interactions in living cells.

PubMed

Itri, Francesco; Monti, Daria M; Della Ventura, Bartolomeo; Vinciguerra, Roberto; Chino, Marco; Gesuele, Felice; Lombardi, Angelina; Velotta, Raffaele; Altucci, Carlo; Birolo, Leila; Piccoli, Renata; Arciello, Angela

2016-02-01

A hallmark to decipher bioprocesses is to characterize protein-protein interactions in living cells. To do this, the development of innovative methodologies, which do not alter proteins and their natural environment, is particularly needed. Here, we report a method (LUCK, Laser UV Cross-linKing) to in vivo cross-link proteins by UV-laser irradiation of living cells. Upon irradiation of HeLa cells under controlled conditions, cross-linked products of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) were detected, whose yield was found to be a linear function of the total irradiation energy. We demonstrated that stable dimers of GAPDH were formed through intersubunit cross-linking, as also observed when the pure protein was irradiated by UV-laser in vitro. We proposed a defined patch of aromatic residues located at the enzyme subunit interface as the cross-linking sites involved in dimer formation. Hence, by this technique, UV-laser is able to photofix protein surfaces that come in direct contact. Due to the ultra-short time scale of UV-laser-induced cross-linking, this technique could be extended to weld even transient protein interactions in their native context.

Single-wall carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide-based saturable absorbers for low phase noise mode-locked fiber lasers

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaohui; Wu, Kan; Sun, Zhipei; Meng, Bo; Wang, Yonggang; Wang, Yishan; Yu, Xuechao; Yu, Xia; Zhang, Ying; Shum, Perry Ping; Wang, Qi Jie

2016-01-01

Low phase noise mode-locked fiber laser finds important applications in telecommunication, ultrafast sciences, material science, and biology, etc. In this paper, two types of carbon nano-materials, i.e. single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) and graphene oxide (GO), are investigated as efficient saturable absorbers (SAs) to achieve low phase noise mode-locked fiber lasers. Various properties of these wall-paper SAs, such as saturable intensity, optical absorption and degree of purity, are found to be key factors determining the performance of the ultrafast pulses. Reduced-noise femtosecond fiber lasers based on such carbon-based SAs are experimentally demonstrated, for which the phase noise has been reduced by more than 10 dB for SWNT SAs and 8 dB for GO SAs at 10 kHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation on the relationship between different carbon material based SAs and the phase noise of mode-locked lasers. This work paves the way to generate high-quality low phase noise ultrashort pulses in passively mode-locked fiber lasers. PMID:27126900

Femtosecond-laser induced dynamics of CO on Ru(0001): Deep insights from a hot-electron friction model including surface motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, Robert; Floß, Gereon; Saalfrank, Peter; Füchsel, Gernot; Lončarić, Ivor; Juaristi, J. I.

2016-10-01

A Langevin model accounting for all six molecular degrees of freedom is applied to femtosecond-laser induced, hot-electron driven dynamics of Ru(0001)(2 ×2 ):CO. In our molecular dynamics with electronic friction approach, a recently developed potential energy surface based on gradient-corrected density functional theory accounting for van der Waals interactions is adopted. Electronic friction due to the coupling of molecular degrees of freedom to electron-hole pairs in the metal are included via a local density friction approximation, and surface phonons by a generalized Langevin oscillator model. The action of ultrashort laser pulses enters through a substrate-mediated, hot-electron mechanism via a time-dependent electronic temperature (derived from a two-temperature model), causing random forces acting on the molecule. The model is applied to laser induced lateral diffusion of CO on the surface, "hot adsorbate" formation, and laser induced desorption. Reaction probabilities are strongly enhanced compared to purely thermal processes, both for diffusion and desorption. Reaction yields depend in a characteristic (nonlinear) fashion on the applied laser fluence, as well as branching ratios for various reaction channels. Computed two-pulse correlation traces for desorption and other indicators suggest that aside from electron-hole pairs, phonons play a non-negligible role for laser induced dynamics in this system, acting on a surprisingly short time scale. Our simulations on precomputed potentials allow for good statistics and the treatment of long-time dynamics (300 ps), giving insight into this system which hitherto has not been reached. We find generally good agreement with experimental data where available and make predictions in addition. A recently proposed laser induced population of physisorbed precursor states could not be observed with the present low-coverage model.

Photochemical gas lasers and hybrid (solid/gas) blue-green femtosecond systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikheev, L. D.; Tcheremiskine, V. I.; Uteza, O. P.; Sentis, M. L.

2012-01-01

The review summarizes milestones and major breakthrough results obtained in the course of the development of a photochemical method applied to optical excitation of gas lasers on electronic molecular transitions by radiation from such unconventional pump sources as high-temperature electrical discharges and strong shock waves in gas. It also describes principles and techniques applied in hybrid (solid/gas) high-intensity laser systems emitting in the blue-green spectral region, and discusses wavelength scaling of laser-matter interaction by the example of laser wake-field acceleration (LWFA), high-order harmonic generation (HHG) and “water window” soft X-ray lasers. One of the most significant results of the photochemical method development consists in emerging broad bandwidth lasers (XeF(C-A), Xe2Cl, and Kr2F) operating in the blue-green spectral range, which have potential for amplification of ultra-short (down to 10 fs) optical pulses towards the Petawatt peak power level. The main goal of this review is to argue that the active media of these lasers may provide a basis for the development of fs systems generating super-intense ultrashort laser pulses in the visible spectral range. Some specific hybrid schemes, comprising solid state front-ends and photodissociation XeF(C-A) power boosting amplifiers, are described. They are now under development at the Lasers Plasmas and Photonic Processes (LP3) Laboratory (Marseille, France), the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute (Moscow, Russia) and the Institute of High-Current Electronics (Tomsk, Russia) with the aim of conducting proof-of-principle experiments. Some consequences of the visible-wavelength laser field interaction with matter are also surveyed to demonstrate advantages of short driver wavelength in the considered examples. One of the most important consequences is the possibility of coherent soft X-ray generation within the “water window” spectral range with the use of short wavelength driver pulses to pump a recombination laser.

Single-Shot Measurement of Temporally-Dependent Polarization State of Femtosecond Pulses by Angle-Multiplexed Spectral-Spatial Interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ming-Wei; Jovanovic, Igor

2016-09-01

We demonstrate that temporally-dependent polarization states of ultrashort laser pulses can be reconstructed in a single shot by use of an angle-multiplexed spatial-spectral interferometry. This is achieved by introducing two orthogonally polarized reference pulses and interfering them with an arbitrarily polarized ultrafast pulse under measurement. A unique calibration procedure is developed for this technique which facilitates the subsequent polarization state measurements. The accuracy of several reconstructed polarization states is verified by comparison with that obtained from an analytic model that predicts the polarization state on the basis of its method of production. Laser pulses with mJ-level energies were characterized via this technique, including a time-dependent polarization state that can be used for polarization-gating of high-harmonic generation for production of attosecond pulses.

4D multiple-cathode ultrafast electron microscopy

PubMed Central

Baskin, John Spencer; Liu, Haihua; Zewail, Ahmed H.

2014-01-01

Four-dimensional multiple-cathode ultrafast electron microscopy is developed to enable the capture of multiple images at ultrashort time intervals for a single microscopic dynamic process. The dynamic process is initiated in the specimen by one femtosecond light pulse and probed by multiple packets of electrons generated by one UV laser pulse impinging on multiple, spatially distinct, cathode surfaces. Each packet is distinctly recorded, with timing and detector location controlled by the cathode configuration. In the first demonstration, two packets of electrons on each image frame (of the CCD) probe different times, separated by 19 picoseconds, in the evolution of the diffraction of a gold film following femtosecond heating. Future elaborations of this concept to extend its capabilities and expand the range of applications of 4D ultrafast electron microscopy are discussed. The proof-of-principle demonstration reported here provides a path toward the imaging of irreversible ultrafast phenomena of materials, and opens the door to studies involving the single-frame capture of ultrafast dynamics using single-pump/multiple-probe, embedded stroboscopic imaging. PMID:25006261

4D multiple-cathode ultrafast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Baskin, John Spencer; Liu, Haihua; Zewail, Ahmed H

2014-07-22

Four-dimensional multiple-cathode ultrafast electron microscopy is developed to enable the capture of multiple images at ultrashort time intervals for a single microscopic dynamic process. The dynamic process is initiated in the specimen by one femtosecond light pulse and probed by multiple packets of electrons generated by one UV laser pulse impinging on multiple, spatially distinct, cathode surfaces. Each packet is distinctly recorded, with timing and detector location controlled by the cathode configuration. In the first demonstration, two packets of electrons on each image frame (of the CCD) probe different times, separated by 19 picoseconds, in the evolution of the diffraction of a gold film following femtosecond heating. Future elaborations of this concept to extend its capabilities and expand the range of applications of 4D ultrafast electron microscopy are discussed. The proof-of-principle demonstration reported here provides a path toward the imaging of irreversible ultrafast phenomena of materials, and opens the door to studies involving the single-frame capture of ultrafast dynamics using single-pump/multiple-probe, embedded stroboscopic imaging.

Femtosecond Optical and X-Ray Measurement of the Semiconductor-to-Metal Transition in VO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavalleri, Andrea; Toth, Csaba; Squier, Jeff; Siders, Craig; Raksi, Ferenc; Forget, Patrick; Kieffer, Jean-Claude

2001-03-01

While the use of ultrashort visible pulses allows access to ultrafast changes in the optical properties during phase transitions, measurement of the correlation between atomic movement and electronic rearrangement has proven more elusive. Here, we report on the conjunct measurement of ultrafast electronic and structural dynamics during a semiconductor-to-metal phase transition in VO2. Rearrangement of the unit cell from monoclinic to rutile (measured by ultrafast x-ray diffraction) is accompanied by a sharp increase in the electrical conductivity and perturbation of the optical properties (measured with ultrafast visible spectroscopy). Ultrafast x-ray diffraction experiments were performed using femtosecond bursts of Cu-Ka from a laser generated plasma source. A clear rise of the diffraction signal originating from the impulsively generated metallic phase was observable on the sub-picosecond timescale. Optical experiments were performed using time-resolved microscopy, providing temporally and spatially resolved measurements of the optical reflectivity at 800 nm. The data indicate that the reflectivity of the low-temperature semiconducting solid is driven to that of the equilibrium, high-temperature metallic phase within 400 fs after irradiation with a 50-fs laser pulse at fluences in excess of 10 mJ/cm2. In conclusion, the data presented in this contribution suggest that the semiconductor-to-metal transition in VO2 occurs within 500 fs after laser-irradiation. A nonthermal physical mechanism governs the re-arrangement.

ZnO synthesized in air by fs laser irradiation on metallic Zn thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esqueda-Barrón, Y.; Herrera, M.; Camacho-López, S.

2018-05-01

We present results on rapid femtosecond laser synthesis of nanostructured ZnO. We used metallic Zn thin films to laser scan along straight tracks, until forming nanostructured ZnO. The synthesis dependence on laser irradiation parameters such as the per pulse fluence, integrated fluence, laser scan speed, and number of scans were explored carefully. SEM characterization showed that the morphology of the obtained ZnO is dictated by the integrated fluence and the laser scan speed; micro Raman and XRD results allowed to identify optimal laser processing conditions for getting good quality ZnO; and cathodoluminescence measurements demonstrated that a single laser scan at high per pulse laser fluence, but a medium integrated laser fluence and a medium laser scan speed favors a low density of point-defects in the lattice. Electrical measurements showed a correlation between resistivity of the laser produced ZnO and point-defects created during the synthesis. Transmittance measurements showed that, the synthesized ZnO can reach down to the supporting fused silica substrate under the right laser irradiation conditions. The physical mechanism for the formation of ZnO, under ultrashort pulse laser irradiation, is discussed in view of the distinct times scales given by the laser pulse duration and the laser pulse repetition rate.

Propagation of ultrashort laser pulses in water: linear absorption and onset of nonlinear spectral transformation.

PubMed

Sokolov, Alexei V; Naveira, Lucas M; Poudel, Milan P; Strohaber, James; Trendafilova, Cynthia S; Buck, William C; Wang, Jieyu; Strycker, Benjamin D; Wang, Chao; Schuessler, Hans; Kolomenskii, Alexandre; Kattawar, George W

2010-01-20

We study propagation of short laser pulses through water and use a spectral hole filling technique to essentially perform a sensitive balanced comparison of absorption coefficients for pulses of different duration. This study is motivated by an alleged violation of the Bouguer-Lambert-Beer law at low light intensities, where the pulse propagation is expected to be linear, and by a possible observation of femtosecond optical precursors in water. We find that at low intensities, absorption of laser light is determined solely by its spectrum and does not directly depend on the pulse duration, in agreement with our earlier work and in contradiction to some work of others. However, as the laser fluence is increased, interaction of light with water becomes nonlinear, causing energy exchange among the pulse's spectral components and resulting in peak-intensity dependent (and therefore pulse-duration dependent) transmission. For 30 fs pulses at 800 nm center wavelength, we determine the onset of nonlinear propagation effects to occur at a peak value of about 0.12 mJ/cm(2) of input laser energy fluence.

Tunable, stable source of femtosecond pulses near 2 μm via supercontinuum of an Erbium mode-locked laser.

PubMed

Klose, Andrew; Ycas, Gabriel; Maser, Daniel L; Diddams, Scott A

2014-11-17

A source of ultrashort pulses of light in the 2 μm region was constructed using supercontinuum broadening from an erbium mode-locked laser. The output spectrum spanned 1000 nm to 2200 nm with an average power of 250 mW. A pulse width of 39 fs for part of the spectrum in the 2000 nm region, corresponding to less than six optical cycles, was achieved. A heterodyne measurement of the free-running mode-locked laser with a narrow-linewidth continuous wave laser resulted in a near shot noise-limited beat note with a signal-to-noise ratio of 45 dB in a 10 kHz resolution bandwidth. The relative intensity noise of the broadband system was investigated over the entire supercontinuum, and the integrated relative intensity noise of the 2000 nm portion of the spectrum was 1.7 × 10(-3). The long-term stability of the system was characterized, and intensity fluctuations in the spectrum were found to be highly correlated throughout the supercontinuum. Spectroscopic limitations due to the laser noise characteristics are discussed.

Quantum control of the normal modes of benzene with ultrafast laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauer, Petra; Dou, Yusheng; Torralva, Ben; Allen, Roland

2005-03-01

Remarkable innovations in laser technology have made it possible to create laser pulses with ultrashort durations (below 100 femtoseconds) and ultrahigh intensities (above 1 terawatt per cm^2). To understand the behavior of complex molecules and materials in this new regime of physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science requires innovative techniques which complement experiment and standard theory, and which can treat situations in which conventional approximations like the Born- Oppenheimer approximation, the Franck-Condon principle, and Fermi's golden rule are no longer valid. In this talk we describe a method that we are developing, semiclassical electron-radiation-ion dyanmics (SERID), which can be used to perform simulations of the coupled dynamics of electrons and nuclei in an intense radiation field. We have employed this technique in studying the normal modes of benzene, and the possibility of controlling these modes by optimizing the laser pulses that are applied to the molecule. Animations will be shown of particular normal modes, including the breathing and beating modes, illustrating their symmetries and other properties, and of the photodissociation of benzene when the laser pulse exceeds a threshold intensity.

Fundus oculi pigmentation studies simulating the fs-LASIK process Fundus oculi pigmentation studies simulating the fs-LASIK process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sander, M.; Minet, O.; Zabarylo, U.; Müller, M.; Tetz, M. R.

2012-06-01

The femtosecond-laser in situ keratomileusis (fs-LASIK) technique has successfully entered the refractive surgery market to correct ametropia by cutting transparent corneal tissue with ultra-short laser pulses based on photodisruption. The laser pulses in the near infrared range (NIR) generate a laser-induced breakdown (LIOB) in the cornea. By propagating through the eye, a certain amount of the pulse is deposited in the cornea and the remaining energy interacts with the strong absorbing tissue behind. Due to the absorption by the retinal pigment epithelium and the transfer of the thermal energy to surrounding tissue, the transmitted energy can induce damage to the retina. The aim of this project was to find out the threshold influences concerning the tissue and the correlation between the results of the macroscopical appraisal and the fundus oculi pigmentation by simulating the fs-LASIK procedure with two various laser systems in the continuous wave (CW) and fs-regime. Therefore ex-vivo determinations were carried out macroscopically and histopathologically on porcine tissue.

Dynamics of laser ablation at the early stage during and after ultrashort pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilnitsky, D. K.; Khokhlov, V. A.; Zhakhovsky, V. V.; Petrov, Yu V.; Migdal, K. P.; Inogamov, N. A.

2016-11-01

Study of material flow in two-temperature states is needed for a fundamental understanding the physics of femtosecond laser ablation. To explore phenomena at a very early stage of laser action on a metallic target our in-house two-temperature hydrodynamics code is used here. The early stage covers duration of laser pulse with next first few picoseconds. We draw attention to the difference in behavior at this stage between the cases: (i) of an ultrathin film (thickness of order of skin depth d skin or less), (ii) thin films (thickness of a film is 4-7 of d skin for gold), and (iii) bulk targets (more than 10d skin for gold). We demonstrate that these differences follow from a competition among conductive cooling of laser excited electrons in a skin layer, electron-ion coupling, and hydrodynamics of unloading caused by excess of pressure of excited free electrons. Conductive cooling of the skin needs a heat sink, which is performed by the cold material outside the skin. Such sink is unavailable in the ultrathin films.

Basic Research of Intrinsic Tamper Indication Markings Defined by Pulsed Laser Irradiation (Quad Chart).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moody, Neville R.

Objective: We will research how short (ns) and ultrashort (fs) laser pulses interact with the surfaces of various materials to create complex color layers and morphological patterns. Method: We are investigating the site-specific, formation of microcolor features. Also, research includes a fundamental study of the physics underlying periodic ripple formation during femtosecond laser irradiation. Status of effort: Laser induced color markings were demonstrated on an increased number of materials (including metal thin films) and investigated for optical properties and microstructure. Technology that allows for marking curved surfaces (and large areas) has been implemented. We have used electro-magnetic solvers to modelmore » light-solid interactions leading to periodic surface ripple patterns. This includes identifying the roles of surface plasmon polaritons. Goals/Milestones: Research corrosion resistance of oxide color markings (salt spray, fog, polarization tests); Through modeling, investigate effects of multi-source scattering and interference on ripple patterns; Investigate microspectrophotometry for mapping color; and Investigate new methods for laser color marking curved surfaces and large areas.« less

Detection of carbon monoxide (CO) in sooting hydrocarbon flames using femtosecond two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (fs-TPLIF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yejun; Kulatilaka, Waruna D.

2018-01-01

Ultrashort-pulse, femtosecond (fs)-duration, two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (fs-TPLIF) measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) are reported in rich, sooting hydrocarbon flames. CO-TPLIF detection using conventional nanosecond or picosecond lasers are often plagued by photochemical interferences, specifically under fuel-rich flames conditions. In the current study, we investigate the commonly used CO two-photon excitation scheme of the B1Σ+ ← X1Σ+ electronic transition, using approximately 100-fs-duration excitation pulses. Fluorescence emission was observed in the Ångström band originating from directly populated B1Σ+ upper state, as well as, in the third positive band from collisionally populated b3Σ+ upper state. The current work was focused on the Ångström band emission. Interference from nascent C2 emissions originating from hot soot particles in the flame could be reduced to a negligible level using a narrower detection gate width. In contrast, avoiding interferences from laser-generated C2 Swan-band emissions required specific narrowband spectral filtering in sooting flame conditions. The observed less than quadratic laser pulse energy dependence of the TPLIF signal suggests the presence of strong three-photon ionization and stimulated emission processes. In a range of CH4/air and C2H4/air premixed flames investigated, the measured CO fluorescence signals agree well with the calculated equilibrium CO number densities. Reduced-interference CO-TPLIF imaging in premixed C2H4/O2/N2 jet flames is also reported.

Degradation mechanism of SESAMs under intense ultrashort pulses in modelocked VECSELs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addamane, Sadhvikas; Shima, Darryl; Laurain, Alexandre; Chan, Hsiu-Ting; Balakrishnan, Ganesh; Moloney, Jerome V.

2018-02-01

Mode-locked VECSELs using SESAMs are a relatively less complex and cost-effective alternative to state-of-the-art ultrafast lasers based on solid-state or fiber lasers. VECSELs have seen considerable progress in device performance in terms of pulse width and peak power in the recent years. However, it appears that the combination of high power and short pulses can cause some irreversible damage to the SESAM. The degradation mechanism, which can lead to a reduction of the VECSEL output power over time, is not fully understood and deserves to be investigated and alleviated in order to achieve stable mode-locking over long periods of time. It is particularly important for VECSEL systems meant to be commercialized, needing long term operation with a long product lifetime. Here, we investigate the performance and robustness of a SESAM-modelocked VECSEL system under intense pulse intensity excitation. The effect of the degradation on the VECSEL performance is investigated using the SESAM in a VECSEL cavity supporting ultrashort pulses, while the degradation mechanism was investigated by exciting the SESAMs with an external femtosecond laser source. The decay of the photoluminescence (PL) and reflectivity under high excitation was monitored and the damaged samples were further analyzed using a thorough Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis. It is found that the major contribution to the degradation is the field intensity and that the compositional damage is confined to the DBR region of the SESAM.

Ultrashort laser pulse processing of wave guides for medical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashkenasi, David; Rosenfeld, Arkadi; Spaniol, Stefan B.; Terenji, Albert

2003-06-01

The availability of ultra short (ps and sub-ps) pulsed lasers has stimulated a growing interest in exploiting the enhanced flexibility of femtosecond and/or picosecond laser technology for micro-machining. The high peak powers available at relatively low single pulse energies potentially allow for a precise localization of photon energy, either on the surface or inside (transparent) materials. Three dimensional micro structuring of bulk transparent media without any sign of mechanical cracking has been demonstrated. In this study, the potential of ultra short laser processing was used to modify the cladding-core interface in normal fused silica wave guides. The idea behind this technique is to enforce a local mismatch for total reflection at the interface at minimal mechanic stress. The laser-induced modifications were studied in dependence of pulse width, focal alignment, single pulse energy and pulse overlap. Micro traces with a thickness between 3 and 8 μm were generated with a spacing of 10 μm in the sub-surface region using sub-ps and ps laser pulses at a wavelength of 800 nm. The optical leakage enforced by a micro spiral pattern is significant and can be utilized for medical applications or potentially also for telecommunications and fiber laser technology.

Ultrashort pulse laser ablation of dielectrics: Thresholds, mechanisms, role of breakdown

PubMed Central

Mirza, Inam; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.; Tomáštík, Jan; Michálek, Václav; Haderka, Ondřej; Fekete, Ladislav; Mocek, Tomáš

2016-01-01

In this paper, we establish connections between the thresholds and mechanisms of the damage and white-light generation upon femtosecond laser irradiation of wide-bandgap transparent materials. On the example of Corning Willow glass, evolution of ablation craters, their quality, and white-light emission were studied experimentally for 130-fs, 800-nm laser pulses. The experimental results indicate co-existence of several ablation mechanisms which can be separated in time. Suppression of the phase explosion mechanism of ablation was revealed at the middle of the irradiation spots. At high laser fluences, air ionization was found to strongly influence ablation rate and quality and the main mechanisms of the influence are analysed. To gain insight into the processes triggered by laser radiation in glass, numerical simulations have been performed with accounting for the balance of laser energy absorption and its distribution/redistribution in the sample, including bremsstrahlung emission from excited free-electron plasma. The simulations have shown an insignificant role of avalanche ionization at such short durations of laser pulses while pointing to high average energy of electrons up to several dozens of eV. At multi-pulse ablation regimes, improvement of crater quality was found as compared to single/few pulses. PMID:27991543

Ultrashort pulse laser ablation of dielectrics: Thresholds, mechanisms, role of breakdown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirza, Inam; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.; Tomáštík, Jan; Michálek, Václav; Haderka, Ondřej; Fekete, Ladislav; Mocek, Tomáš

2016-12-01

In this paper, we establish connections between the thresholds and mechanisms of the damage and white-light generation upon femtosecond laser irradiation of wide-bandgap transparent materials. On the example of Corning Willow glass, evolution of ablation craters, their quality, and white-light emission were studied experimentally for 130-fs, 800-nm laser pulses. The experimental results indicate co-existence of several ablation mechanisms which can be separated in time. Suppression of the phase explosion mechanism of ablation was revealed at the middle of the irradiation spots. At high laser fluences, air ionization was found to strongly influence ablation rate and quality and the main mechanisms of the influence are analysed. To gain insight into the processes triggered by laser radiation in glass, numerical simulations have been performed with accounting for the balance of laser energy absorption and its distribution/redistribution in the sample, including bremsstrahlung emission from excited free-electron plasma. The simulations have shown an insignificant role of avalanche ionization at such short durations of laser pulses while pointing to high average energy of electrons up to several dozens of eV. At multi-pulse ablation regimes, improvement of crater quality was found as compared to single/few pulses.

Ultrashort pulse laser ablation of dielectrics: Thresholds, mechanisms, role of breakdown.

PubMed

Mirza, Inam; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M; Tomáštík, Jan; Michálek, Václav; Haderka, Ondřej; Fekete, Ladislav; Mocek, Tomáš

2016-12-19

In this paper, we establish connections between the thresholds and mechanisms of the damage and white-light generation upon femtosecond laser irradiation of wide-bandgap transparent materials. On the example of Corning Willow glass, evolution of ablation craters, their quality, and white-light emission were studied experimentally for 130-fs, 800-nm laser pulses. The experimental results indicate co-existence of several ablation mechanisms which can be separated in time. Suppression of the phase explosion mechanism of ablation was revealed at the middle of the irradiation spots. At high laser fluences, air ionization was found to strongly influence ablation rate and quality and the main mechanisms of the influence are analysed. To gain insight into the processes triggered by laser radiation in glass, numerical simulations have been performed with accounting for the balance of laser energy absorption and its distribution/redistribution in the sample, including bremsstrahlung emission from excited free-electron plasma. The simulations have shown an insignificant role of avalanche ionization at such short durations of laser pulses while pointing to high average energy of electrons up to several dozens of eV. At multi-pulse ablation regimes, improvement of crater quality was found as compared to single/few pulses.

Role of thermal stresses on pulsed laser irradiation of thin films under conditions of microbump formation and nonvaporization forward transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meshcheryakov, Yuri P.; Shugaev, Maxim V.; Mattle, Thomas; Lippert, Thomas; Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.

2013-11-01

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the processes in thin solid films irradiated by short and ultrashort laser pulses in the regimes of film structuring and laser-induced forward transfer. The regimes are considered at which vaporization of the film materials is insignificant and film dynamics is governed mainly by mechanical processes. Thermoelastoplastic modeling has been performed for a model film in one- and two-dimensional geometries. A method has been proposed to estimate the height of microbumps produced by nanosecond laser irradiation of solid films. Contrary to femtosecond laser pulses, in nanosecond pulse regimes, stress waves across the film are weak and cannot induce film damage. The main role in laser-induced dynamics of irradiated films is played by radial thermal stresses which lead to the formation of a bending wave propagating along the film and drawing the film matter to the center of the irradiation spot. The bending wave dynamics depends on the hardness of the substrate underlying the film. The causes of the receiver substrate damage sometimes observed upon laser-induced forward transfer in the scheme of the direct contact between the film and the receiver are discussed.

Generation of High Brightness X-rays with the PLEIADES Thomson X-ray Source

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, W J; Anderson, S G; Barty, C P J

2003-05-28

The use of short laser pulses to generate high peak intensity, ultra-short x-ray pulses enables exciting new experimental capabilities, such as femtosecond pump-probe experiments used to temporally resolve material structural dynamics on atomic time scales. PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser Electron InterAction for Dynamic Evaluation of Structures) is a next generation Thomson scattering x-ray source being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Ultra-fast picosecond x-rays (10-200 keV) are generated by colliding an energetic electron beam (20-100 MeV) with a high intensity, sub-ps, 800 nm laser pulse. The peak brightness of the source is expected to exceed 10{sup 20} photons/s/0.1% bandwidth/mm2/mrad2. Simulationsmore » of the electron beam production, transport, and final focus are presented. Electron beam measurements, including emittance and final focus spot size are also presented and compared to simulation results. Measurements of x-ray production are also reported and compared to theoretical calculations.« less

Ultrashort-pulse laser generated nanoparticles of energetic materials

DOEpatents

Welle, Eric J [Niceville, NM; Tappan, Alexander S [Albuquerque, NM; Palmer, Jeremy A [Albuquerque, NM

2010-08-03

A process for generating nanoscale particles of energetic materials, such as explosive materials, using ultrashort-pulse laser irradiation. The use of ultrashort laser pulses in embodiments of this invention enables one to generate particles by laser ablation that retain the chemical identity of the starting material while avoiding ignition, deflagration, and detonation of the explosive material.

Laser-combined scanning tunnelling microscopy for probing ultrafast transient dynamics.

PubMed

Terada, Yasuhiko; Yoshida, Shoji; Takeuchi, Osamu; Shigekawa, Hidemi

2010-07-07

The development of time-resolved scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), in particular, attempts to combine STM with ultrafast laser technology, is reviewed with emphasis on observed physical quantities and spatiotemporal resolution. Ultrashort optical pulse technology has allowed us to observe transient phenomena in the femtosecond range, which, however, has the drawback of a relatively low spatial resolution due to the electromagnetic wavelength used. In contrast, STM and its related techniques, although the time resolution is limited by the circuit bandwidth (∼100 kHz), enable us to observe structures at the atomic level in real space. Our purpose has been to combine these two techniques to achieve a new technology that satisfies the requirements for exploring the ultrafast transient dynamics of the local quantum functions in organized small structures, which will advance the pursuit of future nanoscale scientific research in terms of the ultimate temporal and spatial resolutions. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd

Native phasing of x-ray free-electron laser data for a G protein-coupled receptor.

PubMed

Batyuk, Alexander; Galli, Lorenzo; Ishchenko, Andrii; Han, Gye Won; Gati, Cornelius; Popov, Petr A; Lee, Ming-Yue; Stauch, Benjamin; White, Thomas A; Barty, Anton; Aquila, Andrew; Hunter, Mark S; Liang, Mengning; Boutet, Sébastien; Pu, Mengchen; Liu, Zhi-Jie; Nelson, Garrett; James, Daniel; Li, Chufeng; Zhao, Yun; Spence, John C H; Liu, Wei; Fromme, Petra; Katritch, Vsevolod; Weierstall, Uwe; Stevens, Raymond C; Cherezov, Vadim

2016-09-01

Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) takes advantage of extremely bright and ultrashort pulses produced by x-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), allowing for the collection of high-resolution diffraction intensities from micrometer-sized crystals at room temperature with minimal radiation damage, using the principle of "diffraction-before-destruction." However, de novo structure factor phase determination using XFELs has been difficult so far. We demonstrate the ability to solve the crystallographic phase problem for SFX data collected with an XFEL using the anomalous signal from native sulfur atoms, leading to a bias-free room temperature structure of the human A 2A adenosine receptor at 1.9 Å resolution. The advancement was made possible by recent improvements in SFX data analysis and the design of injectors and delivery media for streaming hydrated microcrystals. This general method should accelerate structural studies of novel difficult-to-crystallize macromolecules and their complexes.

Influence of ambient pressure on surface structures generated by ultrashort laser pulse irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

JJ Nivas, J.; Allahyari, E.; Gesuele, F.; Maddalena, P.; Fittipaldi, R.; Vecchione, A.; Bruzzese, R.; Amoruso, S.

2018-02-01

We report an experimental investigation on the surface structures induced by linearly polarized ≈ 900 fs laser pulses, at λ = 1055 nm, on silicon at different values of the ambient pressure, from 10-4 mbar to one atmosphere. Our experimental findings address interesting influences of the surrounding pressure on: (1) the spatial period of ripples; (2) the formation of micro-grooves; (3) the shape of the structured area. Moreover, the effects of various states of polarization in vacuum as well as of circularly polarized pulses in air vs vacuum are also addressed. We identify as one possible key element of such experimental observations: the fact that as the pressure raises the ablated nanoparticles produced during the femtosecond ablation process of the target get deposited more and more on the sample surface covering the irradiated spot area and influencing the structuring process.

Emerging opportunities in structural biology with X-ray free-electron lasers

PubMed Central

Schlichting, Ilme; Miao, Jianwei

2012-01-01

X-ray free-electron lasers (X-FELs) produce X-ray pulses with extremely brilliant peak intensity and ultrashort pulse duration. It has been proposed that radiation damage can be “outrun” by using an ultra intense and short X-FEL pulse that passes a biological sample before the onset of significant radiation damage. The concept of “diffraction-before-destruction” has been demonstrated recently at the Linac Coherent Light Source, the first operational hard X-ray FEL, for protein nanocrystals and giant virus particles. The continuous diffraction patterns from single particles allow solving the classical “phase problem” by the oversampling method with iterative algorithms. If enough data are collected from many identical copies of a (biological) particle, its three-dimensional structure can be reconstructed. We review the current status and future prospects of serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) and single-particle coherent diffraction imaging (CDI) with X-FELs. PMID:22922042

Ultrashort pulse laser micro-welding of cyclo-olefin copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Gian-Luca; Rung, Stefan; Hellmann, Ralf

2017-06-01

We report on the joining of transparent thermoplastic polymers using infrared femtosecond laser pulses. Due to nonlinear absorption, the developed micro-welding process for cyclo-olefin copolymers does not require any intermediate absorbing layers or any surface pre-processing of the welding partners. In view of an optimized and stable micro-welding process, the influence of the welding speed and focal position on both, the quality and shear force strength are investigated. We highlight that welding seam widths of down to 65 μm are feasible for welding speeds of up to 75 mm/s. However, a variation of the welding speed affects the required focal position for a successful joining process. The shear force strength of the welding seam is determined to 37 MPa, which corresponds to 64% of the shear strength of the bulk material and is not affected by the welding speed.

United time-frequency spectroscopy for dynamics and global structure.

PubMed

Marian, Adela; Stowe, Matthew C; Lawall, John R; Felinto, Daniel; Ye, Jun

2004-12-17

Ultrashort laser pulses have thus far been used in two distinct modes. In the time domain, the pulses have allowed probing and manipulation of dynamics on a subpicosecond time scale. More recently, phase stabilization has produced optical frequency combs with absolute frequency reference across a broad bandwidth. Here we combine these two applications in a spectroscopic study of rubidium atoms. A wide-bandwidth, phase-stabilized femtosecond laser is used to monitor the real-time dynamic evolution of population transfer. Coherent pulse accumulation and quantum interference effects are observed and well modeled by theory. At the same time, the narrow linewidth of individual comb lines permits a precise and efficient determination of the global energy-level structure, providing a direct connection among the optical, terahertz, and radio-frequency domains. The mechanical action of the optical frequency comb on the atomic sample is explored and controlled, leading to precision spectroscopy with an appreciable reduction in systematic errors.

Ultrashort vortex from a Gaussian pulse - An achromatic-interferometric approach.

PubMed

Naik, Dinesh N; Saad, Nabil A; Rao, D Narayana; Viswanathan, Nirmal K

2017-05-24

The more than a century old Sagnac interferometer is put to first of its kind use to generate an achromatic single-charge vortex equivalent to a Laguerre-Gaussian beam possessing orbital angular momentum (OAM). The interference of counter-propagating polychromatic Gaussian beams of beam waist ω λ with correlated linear phase (ϕ 0  ≥ 0.025 λ) and lateral shear (y 0  ≥ 0.05 ω λ ) in orthogonal directions is shown to create a vortex phase distribution around the null interference. Using a wavelength-tunable continuous-wave laser the entire range of visible wavelengths is shown to satisfy the condition for vortex generation to achieve a highly stable white-light vortex with excellent propagation integrity. The application capablitiy of the proposed scheme is demonstrated by generating ultrashort optical vortex pulses, its nonlinear frequency conversion and transforming them to vector pulses. We believe that our scheme for generating robust achromatic vortex (implemented with only mirrors and a beam-splitter) pulses in the femtosecond regime, with no conceivable spectral-temporal range and peak-power limitations, can have significant advantages for a variety of applications.

Shaped cathodes for the production of ultra-short multi-electron pulses

PubMed Central

Petruk, Ariel Alcides; Pichugin, Kostyantyn; Sciaini, Germán

2017-01-01

An electrostatic electron source design capable of producing sub-20 femtoseconds (rms) multi-electron pulses is presented. The photoelectron gun concept builds upon geometrical electric field enhancement at the cathode surface. Particle tracer simulations indicate the generation of extremely short bunches even beyond 40 cm of propagation. Comparisons with compact electron sources commonly used for femtosecond electron diffraction are made. PMID:28191483

Patterning of organic photovoltaic on R2R processed thin film barriers using IR laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fledderus, H.; Akkerman, H. B.; Salem, A.; Friedrich Schilling, N.; Klotzbach, U.

2017-02-01

We present the development of laser processes for flexible OPV on roll-to-roll (RR2R) produced thin film barrier with indium tin oxide (ITO) as transparent conductive (TC) bottom electrode. Direct laser structuring of ITO on such barrier films (so-called P1 process) is very challenging since the layers are all transparent, a complete electrical isolation is required, and the laser process should not influence the barrier performance underneath the scribes. Based on the optical properties off the SiN and ITTO, ultra-short pulse lasers inn picosecond and femtosecond regime with standard infrared (IR) wavelength as well as lasers with new a wavelength (22 μm regime) are tested for this purpose. To determine a process window for a specific laser a fixed methodology is adopted. Single pulse ablation tests were followed by scribing experiments where the pulse overlap was tuned by varying laser pulse fluence, writing speed and frequency. To verify that the laser scribing does not result inn barrier damage underneath, a new test method was developed based on the optical Ca-test. This method shows a clear improvement in damage analysis underneath laser scribes over normal optical inspection methods (e.g. microscope, optical profiler, SEM). This way clear process windows can be obtained for IR TC patterning.

Controlling the high frequency response of H2 by ultra-short tailored laser pulses: A time-dependent configuration interaction study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schönborn, Jan Boyke; Saalfrank, Peter; Klamroth, Tillmann

2016-01-01

We combine the stochastic pulse optimization (SPO) scheme with the time-dependent configuration interaction singles method in order to control the high frequency response of a simple molecular model system to a tailored femtosecond laser pulse. For this purpose, we use H2 treated in the fixed nuclei approximation. The SPO scheme, as similar genetic algorithms, is especially suited to control highly non-linear processes, which we consider here in the context of high harmonic generation. Here, we will demonstrate that SPO can be used to realize a "non-harmonic" response of H2 to a laser pulse. Specifically, we will show how adding low intensity side frequencies to the dominant carrier frequency of the laser pulse and stochastically optimizing their contribution can create a high-frequency spectral signal of significant intensity, not harmonic to the carrier frequency. At the same time, it is possible to suppress the harmonic signals in the same spectral region, although the carrier frequency is kept dominant during the optimization.

Response of dosemeters in the radiation field generated by a TW-class laser system.

PubMed

Olšovcová, V; Klír, D; Krása, J; Krůs, M; Velyhan, A; Zelenka, Z; Rus, B

2014-10-01

State-of-the-art laser systems are able to generate ionising radiation of significantly high energies by focusing ultra-short and intense pulses onto targets. Thus, measures ensuring the radiation protection of both working personnel and the general public are required. However, commercially available dosemeters are primarily designed for measurement in continuous fields. Therefore, it is important to explore their response to very short pulses. In this study, the responses of dosemeters in a radiation field generated by iodine high-power and Ti:Sapphire laser systems are examined in proton and electron acceleration experiments. Within these experiments, electron bunches of femtosecond pulse duration and 100-MeV energy and proton bunches with sub-nanosecond pulse duration and energy of several megaelectronvolts were generated in single-shot regimes. Responses of typical detectors (TLD, films and electronic personal dosemeter) were analysed and compared. Further, a first attempt was carried out to characterise the radiation field generated by TW-class laser systems. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Controlling the high frequency response of H{sub 2} by ultra-short tailored laser pulses: A time-dependent configuration interaction study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schönborn, Jan Boyke; Saalfrank, Peter; Klamroth, Tillmann, E-mail: klamroth@uni-potsdam.de

2016-01-28

We combine the stochastic pulse optimization (SPO) scheme with the time-dependent configuration interaction singles method in order to control the high frequency response of a simple molecular model system to a tailored femtosecond laser pulse. For this purpose, we use H{sub 2} treated in the fixed nuclei approximation. The SPO scheme, as similar genetic algorithms, is especially suited to control highly non-linear processes, which we consider here in the context of high harmonic generation. Here, we will demonstrate that SPO can be used to realize a “non-harmonic” response of H{sub 2} to a laser pulse. Specifically, we will show howmore » adding low intensity side frequencies to the dominant carrier frequency of the laser pulse and stochastically optimizing their contribution can create a high-frequency spectral signal of significant intensity, not harmonic to the carrier frequency. At the same time, it is possible to suppress the harmonic signals in the same spectral region, although the carrier frequency is kept dominant during the optimization.« less

Unidirectional, dual-comb lasing under multiple pulse formation mechanisms in a passively mode-locked fiber ring laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ya; Zhao, Xin; Hu, Guoqing; Li, Cui; Zhao, Bofeng; Zheng, Zheng

2016-09-01

Dual-comb lasers from which asynchronous ultrashort pulses can be simultaneously generated have recently become an interesting research subject. They could be an intriguing alternative to the current dual-laser optical-frequency-comb source with highly sophisticated electronic control systems. If generated through a common light path traveled by all pulses, the common-mode noises between the spectral lines of different pulse trains could be significantly reduced. Therefore, coherent dual-comb generation from a completely common-path, unidirectional lasing cavity would be an interesting territory to explore. In this paper, we demonstrate such a dual-comb lasing scheme based on a nanomaterial saturable absorber with additional pulse narrowing and broadening mechanisms concurrently introduced into a mode-locked fiber laser. The interactions between multiple soliton formation mechanisms result in unusual bifurcation into two-pulse states with quite different characteristics. Simultaneous oscillation of pulses with four-fold difference in pulsewidths and tens of Hz repetition rate difference is observed. The coherence between these spectral-overlapped, picosecond and femtosecond pulses is further verified by the corresponding asynchronous cross-sampling and dual-comb spectroscopy measurements.

Thin disk lasers: history and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speiser, Jochen

2016-04-01

During the early 1990s, collaboration between the German Aerospace Center and the University of Stuttgart started to work on the Thin Disk concept. The core idea behind the thin disk design is the use of a thin, disk-shaped active medium that is cooled through one of the flat faces of the disk. This ensures a large surface-to-volume ratio and therefore provides very efficient thermal management. Today, the thin disk concept is used in various commercial lasers - ranging from compact, efficient low power systems to multi-kW lasers, including cw lasers and also pulsed (femtosecond to nanosecond) oscillators and amplifiers. The whole development of the Thin Disk laser was and will be accompanied by numerical modeling and optimization of the thermal and thermo-mechanic behavior of the disk and also the heat sink structure, mostly based on finite element models. For further increasing the energy and efficiency of pulsed Thin Disk lasers, the effects of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) are a core issue. Actual efforts are oriented towards short pulse and ultra-short pulse amplifiers with (multi-)kW average power or Joule-class Thin Disk amplifiers, but also on new designs for cw thin disk MOPA designs.

Bibliography of Soviet Laser Developments, September-October 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

Lasers , Gas Lasers , Chemical Lasers , Laser Components Nonlinear Optics, Spectroscopy of Laser Materials, Ultrashort Pulse Generation, Laser ...optics; spectroscopy of laser materials; ultrashort pulse generation; crystal growing; theoretical aspects of advanced lasers ; and general laser theory...focusing ....................... 26 6. Acoustic Interaction ................ 26 G. Spectroscopy of Laser Materials ......... 28 H.

Angular-split/temporal-delay approach to ultrafast protein dynamics at XFELs.

PubMed

Ren, Zhong; Yang, Xiaojing

2016-07-01

X-ray crystallography promises direct insights into electron-density changes that lead to and arise from structural changes such as electron and proton transfer and the formation, rupture and isomerization of chemical bonds. The ultrashort pulses of hard X-rays produced by free-electron lasers present an exciting opportunity for capturing ultrafast structural events in biological macromolecules within femtoseconds after photoexcitation. However, shot-to-shot fluctuations, which are inherent to the very process of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) that generates the ultrashort X-ray pulses, are a major source of noise that may conceal signals from structural changes. Here, a new approach is proposed to angularly split a single SASE pulse and to produce a temporal delay of picoseconds between the split pulses. These split pulses will allow the probing of two distinct states before and after photoexcitation triggered by a laser pulse between the split X-ray pulses. The split pulses originate from a single SASE pulse and share many common properties; thus, noise arising from shot-to-shot fluctuations is self-canceling. The unambiguous interpretation of ultrafast structural changes would require diffraction data at atomic resolution, as these changes may or may not involve any atomic displacement. This approach, in combination with the strategy of serial crystallography, offers a solution to study ultrafast dynamics of light-initiated biochemical reactions or biological processes at atomic resolution.

Single-pass high harmonic generation at high repetition rate and photon flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hädrich, Steffen; Rothhardt, Jan; Krebs, Manuel; Demmler, Stefan; Klenke, Arno; Tünnermann, Andreas; Limpert, Jens

2016-09-01

Sources of short wavelength radiation with femtosecond to attosecond pulse durations, such as synchrotrons or free electron lasers, have already made possible numerous, and will facilitate more, seminal studies aimed at understanding atomic and molecular processes on fundamental length and time scales. Table-top sources of coherent extreme ultraviolet to soft x-ray radiation enabled by high harmonic generation (HHG) of ultrashort pulse lasers have also gained significant attention in the last few years due to their enormous potential for addressing a plethora of applications, therefore constituting a complementary source to large-scale facilities (synchrotrons and free electron lasers). Ti:sapphire based laser systems have been the workhorses for HHG for decades, but are limited in repetition rate and average power. On the other hand, it has been widely recognized that fostering applications in fields such as photoelectron spectroscopy and microscopy, coincidence detection, coherent diffractive imaging and frequency metrology requires a high repetition rate and high photon flux HHG sources. In this article we will review recent developments in realizing the demanding requirement of producing a high photon flux and repetition rate at the same time. Particular emphasis will be put on suitable ultrashort pulse and high average power lasers, which directly drive harmonic generation without the need for external enhancement cavities. To this end we describe two complementary schemes that have been successfully employed for high power fiber lasers, i.e. optical parametric chirped pulse amplifiers and nonlinear pulse compression. Moreover, the issue of phase-matching in tight focusing geometries will be discussed and connected to recent experiments. We will highlight the latest results in fiber laser driven high harmonic generation that currently produce the highest photon flux of all existing sources. In addition, we demonstrate the first promising applications and discuss the future direction and challenges of this new type of HHG source.

Morphological effects of nanosecond- and femtosecond-pulsed laser ablation on human middle ear ossicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilgner, Justus F.; Wehner, Martin; Lorenzen, Johann; Bovi, Manfred; Westhofen, Martin

2004-07-01

Introduction: Since the early 1980's, a considerable number of different laser systems have been introduced into reconstructive middle ear surgery. Depending on the ablation mode, however, pressure transients or thermal load to inner ear structures continue to be subject to discussion. Material and methods: We examined single spot ablations by a nanosecond-pulsed, frequency-tripled Nd:YAG-Laser (355 nm, beam diameter 10 μm, pulse rate 2 kHz, power 250 mW) on isolated human mallei. In a second set-up, a similar system (355 nm, beam diameter 20 μm, pulse rate 10 kHz, power 160-1500 mW) was coupled to a scanner to examine the morphology of bone surface ablation over an area of 1mm2. A third set-up employed a femtosecond-pulsed CrLiSAF-Oscillator (850 nm, pulse duration 100 fs, pulse energy 40μJ, beam diameter 36 μm, pulse rate 1 kHz) to compare these results with the former and with those obtained from a commercially available Er:YAG laser for ear surgery (Zeiss ORL E, 2940 nm, single pulse, energy 10-25 mJ). Results: In set-up 1 and 2, thermal effects in terms of marginal carbonization were visible in all single spot ablations of 1 s and longer. With ablations of 0.5 seconds, precise cutting margins with preservation of surrounding tissue could be observed. Cooling with saline solution resulted in no carbonization at 1500 mW and a scan speed of 500 mm/s. Set-up 3 equally showed no carbonization, although scanning times were longer and ablation less pronounced. Conclusion: Ultrashort pulsed laser systems could potentially aid further refinement of reconstructive microsurgery of the middle ear.

Tunable femtosecond lasers with low pump thresholds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppo, Karen

The work in this thesis is concerned with the development of tunable, femtosecond laser systems, exhibiting low pump threshold powers. The main motive for this work was the development of a low threshold, self-modelocked Ti:Al2O3 laser in order to replace the conventional large-frame argon-ion pump laser with a more compact and efficient all-solid-state alternative. Results are also presented for an all-solid-state, self-modelocked Cr:LiSAF laser, however most of this work is concerned with self-modelocked Ti:Al2O3 laser systems. In chapter 2, the operation of a regeneratively-initiated, and a hard-aperture self- modelocked Ti:Al2O3 laser, pumped by an argon-ion laser, is discussed. Continuous- wave oscillation thresholds as low as 160mW have been demonstrated, along with self-modelocked threshold powers as low as 500mW. The measurement and suppression of phase noise on modelocked lasers is discussed in chapter 3. This is followed by a comparison of the phase noise characteristics of the regeneratively-initiated, and hard-aperture self-modelocked Ti:Al2O3 lasers. The use of a synchronously-operating, high resolution electron-optical streak camera in the evaluation of timing jitter is also presented. In chapter 4, the construction and self-modelocked operation of an all-solid-state Ti:Al2O3 laser is described. The all-solid-state alternative to the conventional argon-ion pump laser was a continuous-wave, intracavity-frequency doubled, diode-laser pumped Nd:YLF ring laser. At a total diode-laser pump power of 10W, this minilaser was capable of producing a single frequency output of 1W, at 523.5nm in a TEM00 beam. The remainder of this thesis looks at the operation of a self-modelocked Ti:Al2O3 laser generating ultrashort pulses at wavelengths as long as 1053nm. The motive for this work was the development of an all-solid-state, self- modelocked Ti:Al2O3 laser operating at 1053nm, for use as a master oscillator in a Nd:glass power chain.

Review of laser-driven ion sources and their applications.

PubMed

Daido, Hiroyuki; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Pirozhkov, Alexander S

2012-05-01

For many years, laser-driven ion acceleration, mainly proton acceleration, has been proposed and a number of proof-of-principle experiments have been carried out with lasers whose pulse duration was in the nanosecond range. In the 1990s, ion acceleration in a relativistic plasma was demonstrated with ultra-short pulse lasers based on the chirped pulse amplification technique which can provide not only picosecond or femtosecond laser pulse duration, but simultaneously ultra-high peak power of terawatt to petawatt levels. Starting from the year 2000, several groups demonstrated low transverse emittance, tens of MeV proton beams with a conversion efficiency of up to several percent. The laser-accelerated particle beams have a duration of the order of a few picoseconds at the source, an ultra-high peak current and a broad energy spectrum, which make them suitable for many, including several unique, applications. This paper reviews, firstly, the historical background including the early laser-matter interaction studies on energetic ion acceleration relevant to inertial confinement fusion. Secondly, we describe several implemented and proposed mechanisms of proton and/or ion acceleration driven by ultra-short high-intensity lasers. We pay special attention to relatively simple models of several acceleration regimes. The models connect the laser, plasma and proton/ion beam parameters, predicting important features, such as energy spectral shape, optimum conditions and scalings under these conditions for maximum ion energy, conversion efficiency, etc. The models also suggest possible ways to manipulate the proton/ion beams by tailoring the target and irradiation conditions. Thirdly, we review experimental results on proton/ion acceleration, starting with the description of driving lasers. We list experimental results and show general trends of parameter dependences and compare them with the theoretical predictions and simulations. The fourth topic includes a review of scientific, industrial and medical applications of laser-driven proton or ion sources, some of which have already been established, while the others are yet to be demonstrated. In most applications, the laser-driven ion sources are complementary to the conventional accelerators, exhibiting significantly different properties. Finally, we summarize the paper.

Bibliography of Soviet Laser Developments. Number 43, September-October 1979.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

Laser Materials, Ultrashort Pulse Generation, X-ray Lasers , Gamma Lasers , Laser Theory, Laser Biological Effects, Laser Communications, Laser ...chemical lasers ; components; nonlinear optics; spectroscopy of laser materials; ultrashort pulse generation; theoretical aspects of advanced lasers ; and...and A.L. Traynin (0). Study on single crystals of shaped germanium, irradiated by a pulsed CO 2 laser .

Ponderomotive Generation and Detection of Attosecond Free-Electron Pulse Trains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozák, M.; Schönenberger, N.; Hommelhoff, P.

2018-03-01

Atomic motion dynamics during structural changes or chemical reactions have been visualized by pico- and femtosecond pulsed electron beams via ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy. Imaging the even faster dynamics of electrons in atoms, molecules, and solids requires electron pulses with subfemtosecond durations. We demonstrate here the all-optical generation of trains of attosecond free-electron pulses. The concept is based on the periodic energy modulation of a pulsed electron beam via an inelastic interaction, with the ponderomotive potential of an optical traveling wave generated by two femtosecond laser pulses at different frequencies in vacuum. The subsequent dispersive propagation leads to a compression of the electrons and the formation of ultrashort pulses. The longitudinal phase space evolution of the electrons after compression is mapped by a second phase-locked interaction. The comparison of measured and calculated spectrograms reveals the attosecond temporal structure of the compressed electron pulse trains with individual pulse durations of less than 300 as. This technique can be utilized for tailoring and initial characterization of suboptical-cycle free-electron pulses at high repetition rates for stroboscopic time-resolved experiments with subfemtosecond time resolution.

Excited-State Vibrational Coherence in Perylene Bisimide Probed by Femtosecond Broadband Pump-Probe Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Son, Minjung; Park, Kyu Hyung; Yoon, Min-Chul; Kim, Pyosang; Kim, Dongho

2015-06-18

Broadband laser pulses with ultrashort duration are capable of triggering impulsive excitation of the superposition of vibrational eigenstates, giving rise to quantum beating signals originating from coherent wave packet motions along the potential energy surface. In this work, coherent vibrational wave packet dynamics of an N,N'-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)perylene bisimide (DMP-PBI) were investigated by femtosecond broadband pump-probe spectroscopy which features fast and balanced data acquisition with a wide spectral coverage of >200 nm. Clear modulations were observed in the envelope of the stimulated emission decay profiles of DMP-PBI with the oscillation frequencies of 140 and 275 cm(-1). Fast Fourier transform analysis of each oscillatory mode revealed characteristic phase jumps near the maxima of the steady-state fluorescence, indicating that the observed vibrational coherence originates from an excited-state wave packet motion. Quantum calculations of the normal modes at the low-frequency region suggest that low-frequency C-C (C═C) stretching motions accompanied by deformation of the dimethylphenyl substituents are responsible for the manifestation of such coherent wave packet dynamics.

Ultrashort Pulse (USP) Laser-Matter Interactions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-05

spectroscopy • Frequency/time transfer • High-capacity comms • Coherent LIDAR • Optical clocks • Calibration Material Science ultrashort, high...Laboratory 41 Laser -driven x-rays generation (0.1 – 10 MeV) • Scattering from a 300 MeV electron beam can Doppler shift a 1-eV energy laser ...1 Integrity  Service  Excellence Ultrashort Pulse (USP) Laser – Matter Interactions 5 MAR 2013 Dr. Riq Parra Program Officer AFOSR/RTB

Ultrashort-Pulse Laser System: Theory of Operation and Operating Procedures

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

Nov 89 - Jul 92 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Ultrashort-Pulse Laser System : Theory of Operation and C - F33615-88-C-0631 Operating...i ’IR~A&, D2;" T.&B [E] al uicod [] j 0 Avhi lp.bilty C: oded’ Avail i Qiv ULTRASHORT-PULSE LASER SYSTEM : THEORY OF OPERATION AND OPERATING PROCEDURES

Generation and characterization of ultra-short electron beams for single spike infrared FEL radiation at SPARC_LAB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villa, F.; Anania, M. P.; Artioli, M.; Bacci, A.; Bellaveglia, M.; Bisesto, F. G.; Biagioni, A.; Carpanese, M.; Cardelli, F.; Castorina, G.; Chiadroni, E.; Cianchi, A.; Ciocci, F.; Croia, M.; Curcio, A.; Dattoli, G.; Gallo, A.; Di Giovenale, D.; Di Palma, E.; Di Pirro, G.; Ferrario, M.; Filippi, F.; Giannessi, L.; Giribono, A.; Marocchino, A.; Massimo, F.; Mostacci, A.; Petralia, A.; Petrarca, M.; Petrillo, V.; Piersanti, L.; Pioli, S.; Pompili, R.; Romeo, S.; Rossi, A. R.; Scifo, J.; Shpakov, V.; Vaccarezza, C.

2017-09-01

The technique for producing and measuring few tens of femtosecond electron beams, and the consequent generation of few tens femtoseconds single spike FEL radiation pulses at SPARC_LAB is presented. The undulator has been used in the double role of radiation source and diagnostic tool for the characterization of the electron beam. The connection between the electron bunch length and the radiation bandwidth is analyzed.

Cross-Phase Modulation: A New Technique for Controlling the Spectral, Temporal, and Spatial Properties of Ultrashort Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldeck, P. L.; Ho, P. P.; Alfano, Robert R.

Self-phase modulation (SPM) is the principal mechanism responsible for the generation of picosecond and femtosecond white-light supercontinua. When an intense ultrashort pulse progagates through a medium, it distorts the atomic configuration of the material, which changes the refractive index. The pulse phase is time modulated, which causes the generation of new frequencies. This phase modulation originates from the pulse itself (self-phase modulation). It can also be generated by a copropagating pulse (cross-phase modulation).

The development of novel Ytterbium fiber lasers and their applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nie, Bai

The aim of my Ph.D. research is to push the fundamental limits holding back the development of novel Yb fiber lasers with high pulse energy and short pulse duration. The purpose of developing these lasers is to use them for important applications such as multiphoton microscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. My first project was to develop a short-pulse high-energy ultrafast fiber laser for multiphoton microscopy. To achieve high multiphoton efficiency and depth resolved tissue imaging, ultrashort pulse duration and high pulse energy are required. In order to achieve this, an all-normal dispersion cavity design was adopted. Output performances of the built lasers were investigated by varying several cavity parameters, such as pump laser power, fiber length and intra-cavity spectral filter bandwidth. It was found that the length of the fiber preceding the gain fiber is critical to the laser performance. Generally, the shorter the fiber is, the broader the output spectrum is. The more interesting parameter is the intra-cavity spectral filter bandwidth. Counter intuitively, laser cavities using narrower bandwidth spectral filters generated much broader spectra. It was also found that fiber lasers with very narrow spectral filters produced laser pulses with parabolic profile, which are referred to as self-similar pulses or similaritons. This type of pulse can avoid wave-breaking and is an optimal approach to generate pulses with high pulse energy and ultrashort pulse duration. With a 3nm intra-cavity spectral filter, output pulses with about 20 nJ pulse energy were produced and compressed to about 41 fs full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) pulse duration. Due to the loss in the compression device, the peak power of the compressed pulses is about 250 kW. It was the highest peak power generated from a fiber oscillator when this work was published. This laser was used for multiphoton microscopy on living tissues like Drosophila larva and fruit fly wings. Several imaging methods, such as two-photon-excited fluorescence, second harmonic generation, and third harmonic generation, were performed. Not only were single layers of thin tissue imaged, but also depth resolved imaging of thick samples was tested, and three-dimensional image reconstruction was demonstrated. The other project was to develop a simple fiber oscillator for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Laser pulses with high energy, high ablation efficiency and low ablation threshold are desirable for this application. We built a fiber laser using up to 200 m long fiber and scaled the output pulse energy up to 450 nJ. This laser was operated in an unusual mode-locking regime and produced noise-like pulses, which have a picosecond long pulse envelope containing multiple irregular femtosecond sub-pulses. This type of pulse was mostly ignored by many earlier researchers. Intra-cavity spectral filters did not affect the laser performance as much as in the similariton lasers and were removed from the laser cavity. Characteristics of our noise-like laser, such as MHz repetition rate, broad spectrum, and picosecond-long pulse envelope containing multiple femtosecond sub-pulses, were found to meet the requirement of an ideal laser source for LIBS. A simple LIBS setup using our laser was demonstrated and atomic emission spectra with very good signal-to-noise ratio were obtained. Composition detection, qualitative concentration determination, and trace detection were also tested. These tests show that our noise-like fiber laser is an ideal laser source for a low-cost and portable LIBS system.

Open data set of live cyanobacterial cells imaged using an X-ray laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Schot, Gijs; Svenda, Martin; Maia, Filipe R. N. C.; Hantke, Max F.; Deponte, Daniel P.; Seibert, M. Marvin; Aquila, Andrew; Schulz, Joachim; Kirian, Richard A.; Liang, Mengning; Stellato, Francesco; Bari, Sadia; Iwan, Bianca; Andreasson, Jakob; Timneanu, Nicusor; Bielecki, Johan; Westphal, Daniel; Nunes de Almeida, Francisca; Odić, Duško; Hasse, Dirk; Carlsson, Gunilla H.; Larsson, Daniel S. D.; Barty, Anton; Martin, Andrew V.; Schorb, Sebastian; Bostedt, Christoph; Bozek, John D.; Carron, Sebastian; Ferguson, Ken; Rolles, Daniel; Rudenko, Artem; Epp, Sascha W.; Foucar, Lutz; Rudek, Benedikt; Erk, Benjamin; Hartmann, Robert; Kimmel, Nils; Holl, Peter; Englert, Lars; Loh, N. Duane; Chapman, Henry N.; Andersson, Inger; Hajdu, Janos; Ekeberg, Tomas

2016-08-01

Structural studies on living cells by conventional methods are limited to low resolution because radiation damage kills cells long before the necessary dose for high resolution can be delivered. X-ray free-electron lasers circumvent this problem by outrunning key damage processes with an ultra-short and extremely bright coherent X-ray pulse. Diffraction-before-destruction experiments provide high-resolution data from cells that are alive when the femtosecond X-ray pulse traverses the sample. This paper presents two data sets from micron-sized cyanobacteria obtained at the Linac Coherent Light Source, containing a total of 199,000 diffraction patterns. Utilizing this type of diffraction data will require the development of new analysis methods and algorithms for studying structure and structural variability in large populations of cells and to create abstract models. Such studies will allow us to understand living cells and populations of cells in new ways. New X-ray lasers, like the European XFEL, will produce billions of pulses per day, and could open new areas in structural sciences.

Selective rear side ablation of thin nickel-chromium-alloy films using ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pabst, Linda; Ullmann, Frank; Ebert, Robby; Exner, Horst

2018-03-01

In recent years, the selective laser structuring from the transparent substrate side plays an increased role in thin film processing. The rear side ablation is a highly effective ablation method for thin film structuring and revels a high structuring quality. Therefore, the rear side ablation of nickel-chromium-alloy thin films on glass substrate was investigated using femtosecond laser irradiation. Single and multiple pulses ablation thresholds as well as the incubation coefficient were determined. By irradiation from the transparent substrate side at low fluences a cracking or a partly delamination of the film could be observed. By increasing the fluence the most part of the film was ablated, however, a very thin film remained at the interface of the glass substrate. This thin remaining layer could be completely ablated by two pulses. A further increase of the pulse number had no influence on the ablation morphology. The ablated film was still intact and an entire disc or fragments could be collected near the ablation area. The fragments showed no morphology change and were still in solid state.

Open data set of live cyanobacterial cells imaged using an X-ray laser.

PubMed

van der Schot, Gijs; Svenda, Martin; Maia, Filipe R N C; Hantke, Max F; DePonte, Daniel P; Seibert, M Marvin; Aquila, Andrew; Schulz, Joachim; Kirian, Richard A; Liang, Mengning; Stellato, Francesco; Bari, Sadia; Iwan, Bianca; Andreasson, Jakob; Timneanu, Nicusor; Bielecki, Johan; Westphal, Daniel; Nunes de Almeida, Francisca; Odić, Duško; Hasse, Dirk; Carlsson, Gunilla H; Larsson, Daniel S D; Barty, Anton; Martin, Andrew V; Schorb, Sebastian; Bostedt, Christoph; Bozek, John D; Carron, Sebastian; Ferguson, Ken; Rolles, Daniel; Rudenko, Artem; Epp, Sascha W; Foucar, Lutz; Rudek, Benedikt; Erk, Benjamin; Hartmann, Robert; Kimmel, Nils; Holl, Peter; Englert, Lars; Loh, N Duane; Chapman, Henry N; Andersson, Inger; Hajdu, Janos; Ekeberg, Tomas

2016-08-01

Structural studies on living cells by conventional methods are limited to low resolution because radiation damage kills cells long before the necessary dose for high resolution can be delivered. X-ray free-electron lasers circumvent this problem by outrunning key damage processes with an ultra-short and extremely bright coherent X-ray pulse. Diffraction-before-destruction experiments provide high-resolution data from cells that are alive when the femtosecond X-ray pulse traverses the sample. This paper presents two data sets from micron-sized cyanobacteria obtained at the Linac Coherent Light Source, containing a total of 199,000 diffraction patterns. Utilizing this type of diffraction data will require the development of new analysis methods and algorithms for studying structure and structural variability in large populations of cells and to create abstract models. Such studies will allow us to understand living cells and populations of cells in new ways. New X-ray lasers, like the European XFEL, will produce billions of pulses per day, and could open new areas in structural sciences.

Simulation of ablation and plume dynamics under femtosecond double-pulse laser irradiation of aluminum: Comparison of atomistic and continual approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fokin, Vladimir B.; Povarnitsyn, Mikhail E.; Levashov, Pavel R.

2017-02-01

We elaborated two numerical methods, two-temperature hydrodynamics and hybrid two-temperature molecular dynamics, which take into account basic mechanisms of a metal target response to ultrashort laser irradiation. The model used for the description of the electronic subsystem is identical for both approaches, while the ionic part is defined by an equation of state in hydrodynamics and by an interatomic potential in molecular dynamics. Since the phase diagram of the equation of state and corresponding potential match reasonably well, the dynamics of laser ablation obtained by both methods is quite similar. This correspondence can be considered as a first step towards the development of a self-consistent combined model. Two important processes are highlighted in simulations of double-pulse ablation: (1) the crater depth decrease as a result of recoil flux formation in the nascent plume when the delay between the pulses increases; (2) the plume reheating by the second pulse that gives rise to two- three-fold growth of the electron temperature with the delay varying from 0 to 200 ps.

Controlling laser-induced magnetization reversal dynamics in a rare-earth iron garnet across the magnetization compensation point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deb, Marwan; Molho, Pierre; Barbara, Bernard; Bigot, Jean-Yves

2018-04-01

In this work we explore the ultrafast magnetization dynamics induced by femtosecond laser pulses in a doped film of gadolinium iron garnet over a broad temperature range including the magnetization compensation point TM. By exciting the phonon-assisted 6S→4G and 6S→4P electronic d -d transitions simultaneously by one- and two-photon absorption processes, we find out that the transfer of heat energy from the lattice to the spin has, at a temperature slightly below TM, a large influence on the magnetization dynamics. In particular, we show that the speed and the amplitude of the magnetization dynamics can be strongly increased when increasing either the external magnetic field or the laser energy density. The obtained results are explained by a magnetization reversal process across TM. Furthermore, we find that the dynamics has unusual characteristics which can be understood by considering the weak spin-phonon coupling in magnetic garnets. These results open new perspectives for controlling the magnetic state of magnetic dielectrics using an ultrashort optically induced heat pulse.

Ultrafast dynamics of non-equilibrium electrons and strain generation under femtosecond laser irradiation of Nickel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsibidis, George D.

2018-04-01

We present a theoretical study of the ultrafast electron dynamics in transition metals of large electron-phonon coupling constant using ultrashort pulsed laser beams. The significant influence of the dynamics of produced nonthermal electrons to electron thermalisation and electron-phonon interaction is thoroughly investigated for various values of the pulse duration (i.e., from 10 fs to 2.3 ps). The model correlates the role of nonthermal electrons, relaxation processes and induced stress-strain fields. Simulations are presented by choosing Nickel (Ni) as a test material to compute electron-phonon relaxation time due to its large electron-phonon coupling constant. We demonstrate that the consideration of the aforementioned factors leads to significant changes compared to the results the traditional two-temperature model provides. The proposed model predicts a substantially ( 33%) smaller damage threshold and a large increase of the stress ( 20%, at early times) which first underlines the role of the nonthermal electron interactions and second enhances its importance with respect to the precise determination of laser specifications in material micromachining techniques.

Gain dynamics in a soft X-ray laser ampli er perturbed by a strong injected X-ray eld

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yong; Wang, Shoujun; Oliva, E

2014-01-01

Seeding soft X-ray plasma ampli ers with high harmonics has been demonstrated to generate high-brightness soft X-ray laser pulses with full spatial and temporal coherence. The interaction between the injected coherent eld and the swept-gain medium has been modelled. However, no exper- iment has been conducted to probe the gain dynamics when perturbed by a strong external seed eld. Here, we report the rst X-ray pump X-ray probe measurement of the nonlinear response of a plasma ampli er perturbed by a strong soft X-ray ultra-short pulse. We injected a sequence of two time-delayed high-harmonic pulses (l518.9 nm) into a collisionallymore » excited nickel-like molybdenum plasma to measure with femto-second resolution the gain depletion induced by the saturated ampli cation of the high-harmonic pump and its subsequent recovery. The measured fast gain recovery in 1.5 1.75 ps con rms the possibility to generate ultra-intense, fully phase-coherent soft X-ray lasers by chirped pulse ampli cation in plasma ampli ers.« less

Optical induction of muscle contraction at the tissue scale through intrinsic cellular amplifiers.

PubMed

Yoon, Jonghee; Choi, Myunghwan; Ku, Taeyun; Choi, Won Jong; Choi, Chulhee

2014-08-01

The smooth muscle cell is the principal component responsible for involuntary control of visceral organs, including vascular tonicity, secretion, and sphincter regulation. It is known that the neurotransmitters released from nerve endings increase the intracellular Ca(2+) level in smooth muscle cells followed by muscle contraction. We herein report that femtosecond laser pulses focused on the diffraction-limited volume can induce intracellular Ca(2+) increases in the irradiated smooth muscle cell without neurotransmitters, and locally increased intracellular Ca(2+) levels are amplified by calcium-induced calcium-releasing mechanisms through the ryanodine receptor, a Ca(2+) channel of the endoplasmic reticulum. The laser-induced Ca(2+) increases propagate to adjacent cells through gap junctions. Thus, ultrashort-pulsed lasers can induce smooth muscle contraction by controlling Ca(2+), even with optical stimulation of the diffraction-limited volume. This optical method, which leads to reversible and reproducible muscle contraction, can be used in research into muscle dynamics, neuromuscular disease treatment, and nanorobot control. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The influence of dynamical change of optical properties on the thermomechanical response and damage threshold of noble metals under femtosecond laser irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsibidis, George D.

2018-02-01

We present a theoretical investigation of the dynamics of the dielectric constant of noble metals following heating with ultrashort pulsed laser beams and the influence of the temporal variation of the associated optical properties on the thermomechanical response of the material. The effect of the electron relaxation time on the optical properties based on the use of a critical point model is thoroughly explored for various pulse duration values (i.e., from 110 fs to 8 ps). The proposed theoretical framework correlates the dynamical change in optical parameters, relaxation processes and induced strains-stresses. Simulations are presented by choosing gold as a test material, and we demonstrate that the consideration of the aforementioned factors leads to significant thermal effect changes compared to results when static parameters are assumed. The proposed model predicts a substantially smaller damage threshold and a large increase of the stress which firstly underlines the significant role of the temporal variation of the optical properties and secondly enhances its importance with respect to the precise determination of laser specifications in material micromachining techniques.

Open data set of live cyanobacterial cells imaged using an X-ray laser

PubMed Central

van der Schot, Gijs; Svenda, Martin; Maia, Filipe R.N.C.; Hantke, Max F.; DePonte, Daniel P.; Seibert, M. Marvin; Aquila, Andrew; Schulz, Joachim; Kirian, Richard A.; Liang, Mengning; Stellato, Francesco; Bari, Sadia; Iwan, Bianca; Andreasson, Jakob; Timneanu, Nicusor; Bielecki, Johan; Westphal, Daniel; Nunes de Almeida, Francisca; Odić, Duško; Hasse, Dirk; Carlsson, Gunilla H.; Larsson, Daniel S.D.; Barty, Anton; Martin, Andrew V.; Schorb, Sebastian; Bostedt, Christoph; Bozek, John D.; Carron, Sebastian; Ferguson, Ken; Rolles, Daniel; Rudenko, Artem; Epp, Sascha W.; Foucar, Lutz; Rudek, Benedikt; Erk, Benjamin; Hartmann, Robert; Kimmel, Nils; Holl, Peter; Englert, Lars; Loh, N. Duane; Chapman, Henry N.; Andersson, Inger; Hajdu, Janos; Ekeberg, Tomas

2016-01-01

Structural studies on living cells by conventional methods are limited to low resolution because radiation damage kills cells long before the necessary dose for high resolution can be delivered. X-ray free-electron lasers circumvent this problem by outrunning key damage processes with an ultra-short and extremely bright coherent X-ray pulse. Diffraction-before-destruction experiments provide high-resolution data from cells that are alive when the femtosecond X-ray pulse traverses the sample. This paper presents two data sets from micron-sized cyanobacteria obtained at the Linac Coherent Light Source, containing a total of 199,000 diffraction patterns. Utilizing this type of diffraction data will require the development of new analysis methods and algorithms for studying structure and structural variability in large populations of cells and to create abstract models. Such studies will allow us to understand living cells and populations of cells in new ways. New X-ray lasers, like the European XFEL, will produce billions of pulses per day, and could open new areas in structural sciences. PMID:27479514

Extending Femtosecond Filamentation of High Power Laser Propagating in the Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenmann, Shmuel; Sivan, Yonatan; Fibich, Gadi; Zigler, Arie

2008-06-01

We show experimentally for ultrashort laser pulses propagating in air, that the filamentation distance of intense laser pulses in the atmosphere can be extended and controlled with a simple double-lens setup. Using this method we were able to achieve a 20-fold delay of the filamentation distance of non-chirped 120 fs pulses propagating in air, from 16 m to 330 m. At 330 m, the collapsing pulse is sufficiently powerful to create plasma filaments. We also show that the scatter of the filaments at 330 m can be significantly reduced by tilting the second lens. We derive a simple formula for the filamentation distance, and confirm its agreement with the experimental results. We also observe that delaying the onset of filamentation increases the filament length. To the best of our knowledge, this is the longest distance reported in the literature at which plasma filaments were created and controlled. Finally, we show that the peak power at the onset of collapse is significantly higher with the double-lens setup, compared with the standard negative chirping approach.

Femtosecond laser beam propagation through corneal tissue: Evaluation of therapeutic laser-stimulated second and third- harmonic generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calhoun, William R., III

One of the most recent advancements in laser technology is the development of ultrashort pulsed femtosecond lasers (FSLs). FSLs are improving many fields due to their unique extreme precision, low energy and ablation characteristics. In the area of laser medicine, ophthalmic surgeries have seen very promising developments. Some of the most commonly performed surgical operations in the world, including laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), lens replacement (cataract surgery), and keratoplasty (cornea transplant), now employ FSLs for their unique abilities that lead to improved clinical outcome and patient satisfaction. The application of FSLs in medical therapeutics is a recent development, and although they offer many benefits, FSLs also stimulate nonlinear optical effects (NOEs), many of which were insignificant with previously developed lasers. NOEs can change the laser characteristics during propagation through a medium, which can subsequently introduce unique safety concerns for the surrounding tissues. Traditional approaches for characterizing optical effects, laser performance, safety and efficacy do not properly account for NOEs, and there remains a lack of data that describe NOEs in clinically relevant procedures and tissues. As FSL technology continues to expand towards new applications, FSL induced NOEs need to be better understood in order to ensure safety as FSL medical devices and applications continue to evolve at a rapid pace. In order to improve the understanding of FSL-tissue interactions related to NOEs stimulated during laser beam propagation though corneal tissue, research investigations were conducted to evaluate corneal optical properties and determine how corneal tissue properties including corneal layer, collagen orientation and collagen crosslinking, and laser parameters including pulse energy, repetition rate and numerical aperture affect second and third-harmonic generation (HG) intensity, duration and efficiency. The results of these studies revealed that all laser parameters and tissue properties had a substantial influence on HG. The dynamic relationship between optical breakdown and HG was responsible for many observed changes in HG metrics. The results also demonstrated that the new generation of therapeutic FSLs has the potential to generate hazardous effects if not carefully controlled. Finally, recommendations are made to optimize current and guide future FSL applications.

Generation of spin waves by a train of fs-laser pulses: a novel approach for tuning magnon wavelength.

PubMed

Savochkin, I V; Jäckl, M; Belotelov, V I; Akimov, I A; Kozhaev, M A; Sylgacheva, D A; Chernov, A I; Shaposhnikov, A N; Prokopov, A R; Berzhansky, V N; Yakovlev, D R; Zvezdin, A K; Bayer, M

2017-07-18

Currently spin waves are considered for computation and data processing as an alternative to charge currents. Generation of spin waves by ultrashort laser pulses provides several important advances with respect to conventional approaches using microwaves. In particular, focused laser spot works as a point source for spin waves and allows for directional control of spin waves and switching between their different types. For further progress in this direction it is important to manipulate with the spectrum of the optically generated spin waves. Here we tackle this problem by launching spin waves by a sequence of femtosecond laser pulses with pulse interval much shorter than the relaxation time of the magnetization oscillations. This leads to the cumulative phenomenon and allows us to generate magnons in a specific narrow range of wavenumbers. The wavelength of spin waves can be tuned from 15 μm to hundreds of microns by sweeping the external magnetic field by only 10 Oe or by slight variation of the pulse repetition rate. Our findings expand the capabilities of the optical spin pump-probe technique and provide a new method for the spin wave generation and control.

Erasure and formation of femtosecond laser-induced nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmermann, F.; Plech, A.; Richter, Sören; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2015-03-01

The local inscription of strong birefringence by ultrashort laser pulses facilitates the fabrication of manifold photonic devices, such as data storage devices. One intriguing feature of these nanograting-based data units is to delete and rewrite new nanograting voxels by changing the laser polarization orientation during inscription. However, up to now no comprehensive picture of this complex physical process exists. Thus we performed optical retardance measurements as well as microscopic analyses, such as small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to address this issue. Our results reveal that only few laser pulses already lead to an erasure of nanometric pores which is mapped by the total (X-ray) scattering volume as well as by the strong reduction of the initial form birefringence. Simultaneously, new nanostructures form which arrange in individual grating planes with ongoing irradiation. However, since the rewrite process is no ideal mechanism some of the old sheets remain, which perturb the quality of the new nanograting. When rewriting multiple times the glass becomes even more porous due to repetitive annealing and quenching. This promotes the formation of new inhomogeneities and in turn leads to an increase in optical retardance.

All-fiber high-power monolithic femtosecond laser at 1.59 µm with 63-fs pulse width

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hekmat, M. J.; Omoomi, M.; Gholami, A.; Yazdabadi, A. Bagheri; Abdollahi, M.; Hamidnejad, E.; Ebrahimi, A.; Normohamadi, H.

2018-01-01

In this research, by adopting an alternative novel approach to ultra-short giant pulse generation which basically originated from difficulties with traditional employed methods, an optimized Er/Yb co-doped double-clad fiber amplifier is applied to boost output average power of single-mode output pulses to a high level of 2-W at 1.59-µm central wavelength. Output pulses of approximately 63-fs pulse width at 52-MHz repetition rate are obtained in an all-fiber monolithic laser configuration. The idea of employing parabolic pulse amplification for stretching output pulses together with high-power pulse amplification using Er/Yb co-doped active fibers for compressing and boosting output average power plays crucial role in obtaining desired results. The proposed configuration enjoys massive advantages over previously reported literature which make it well-suited for high-power precision applications such as medical surgery. Detailed dynamics of pulse stretching and compressing in active fibers with different GVD parameters are numerically and experimentally investigated.

Plasmon enhanced terahertz emission from single layer graphene.

PubMed

Bahk, Young-Mi; Ramakrishnan, Gopakumar; Choi, Jongho; Song, Hyelynn; Choi, Geunchang; Kim, Yong Hyup; Ahn, Kwang Jun; Kim, Dai-Sik; Planken, Paul C M

2014-09-23

We show that surface plasmons, excited with femtosecond laser pulses on continuous or discontinuous gold substrates, strongly enhance the generation and emission of ultrashort, broadband terahertz pulses from single layer graphene. Without surface plasmon excitation, for graphene on glass, 'nonresonant laser-pulse-induced photon drag currents' appear to be responsible for the relatively weak emission of both s- and p-polarized terahertz pulses. For graphene on a discontinuous layer of gold, only the emission of the p-polarized terahertz electric field is enhanced, whereas the s-polarized component remains largely unaffected, suggesting the presence of an additional terahertz generation mechanism. We argue that in the latter case, 'surface-plasmon-enhanced optical rectification', made possible by the lack of inversion symmetry at the graphene on gold surface, is responsible for the strongly enhanced emission. The enhancement occurs because the electric field of surface plasmons is localized and enhanced where the graphene is located: at the surface of the metal. We believe that our results point the way to small, thin, and more efficient terahertz photonic devices.

Dynamics of electron injection in a laser-wakefield accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, J.; Buck, A.; Chou, S.-W.; Schmid, K.; Shen, B.; Tajima, T.; Kaluza, M. C.; Veisz, L.

2017-08-01

The detailed temporal evolution of the laser-wakefield acceleration process with controlled injection, producing reproducible high-quality electron bunches, has been investigated. The localized injection of electrons into the wakefield has been realized in a simple way—called shock-front injection—utilizing a sharp drop in plasma density. Both experimental and numerical results reveal the electron injection and acceleration process as well as the electron bunch's temporal properties. The possibility to visualize the plasma wave gives invaluable spatially resolved information about the local background electron density, which in turn allows for an efficient suppression of electron self-injection before the controlled process of injection at the sharp density jump. Upper limits for the electron bunch duration of 6.6 fs FWHM, or 2.8 fs (r.m.s.) were found. These results indicate that shock-front injection not only provides stable and tunable, but also few-femtosecond short electron pulses for applications such as ultrashort radiation sources, time-resolved electron diffraction or for the seeding of further acceleration stages.

Post-filament self-trapping of ultrashort laser pulses.

PubMed

Mitrofanov, A V; Voronin, A A; Sidorov-Biryukov, D A; Andriukaitis, G; Flöry, T; Pugžlys, A; Fedotov, A B; Mikhailova, J M; Panchenko, V Ya; Baltuška, A; Zheltikov, A M

2014-08-15

Laser filamentation is understood to be self-channeling of intense ultrashort laser pulses achieved when the self-focusing because of the Kerr nonlinearity is balanced by ionization-induced defocusing. Here, we show that, right behind the ionized region of a laser filament, ultrashort laser pulses can couple into a much longer light channel, where a stable self-guiding spatial mode is sustained by the saturable self-focusing nonlinearity. In the limiting regime of negligibly low ionization, this post-filamentation beam dynamics converges to a large-scale beam self-trapping scenario known since the pioneering work on saturable self-focusing nonlinearities.

Manipulation of Molecular Quantum Wavepackets with Ultrashort Laser Pulses for Non-destructive Detection of Volatile Explosives

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

DTRA-TR-12-65 Manipulation of Molecular Quantum Wavepackets with Ultrashort Laser Pulses for Non-destructive Detection of Volatile Explosives ...Manipulation of Molecular Quantum Wavepackets with Ultrashort Laser Pulses for Non-destructive Detection of Volatile Explosives HDTRA1-09-1-0021 Valery...destructive detection of volatile explosives . Moshe Shapiro1, Valery Milner1 and Jun Ye2 1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 2JILA

Energy deposition dynamics of femtosecond pulses in water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Minardi, Stefano, E-mail: stefano@stefanominardi.eu; Pertsch, Thomas; Milián, Carles

2014-12-01

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.

Silver nanoprisms/silicone hybrid rubber materials and their optical limiting property to femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chunfang; Liu, Miao; Jiang, Nengkai; Wang, Chunlei; Lin, Weihong; Li, Dongxiang

2017-08-01

Optical limiters against femtosecond laser are essential for eye and sensor protection in optical processing system with femtosecond laser as light source. Anisotropic Ag nanoparticles are expected to develop into optical limiting materials for femtosecond laser pulses. Herein, silver nanoprisms are prepared and coated by silica layer, which are then doped into silicone rubber to obtain hybrid rubber sheets. The silver nanoprisms/silicone hybrid rubber sheets exhibit good optical limiting property to femtosecond laser mainly due to nonlinear optical absorption.

Novel oral applications of ultra-short laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wieger, V.; Wernisch, J.; Wintner, E.

2007-02-01

In the past decades, many efforts have been made to replace mechanical tools in oral applications by various laser systems. The reasons therefore are manifold: i) Friction causes high temperatures damaging adjacent tissue. ii) Smear layers and rough surfaces are produced. iii) Size and shape of traditional tools are often unsuitable for geometrically complicated incisions and for minimum invasive treatment. iv) Mechanical damage of the remaining tissue occurs. v) Online diagnosis for feedback is not available. Different laser systems in the µs and sub-&mrgs-pulse regime, among them Erbium lasers, have been tested in the hope to overcome the mentioned drawbacks and, to some extent, they represent the current state of the art with respect to commercial and hence practical application. In the present work the applicability of scanned ultrashort pulse lasers (USPLs) for biological hard tissue as well as dental restoration material removal was tested. It is shown that cavities with features superior to mechanically treated or Erbium laser ablated cavities can be generated if appropriate scan algorithms and optimum laser parameters are matched. Smooth cavity rims, no microcracks, melting or carbonisation and precise geometry are the advantages of scanned USLP ablation. For bone treatment better healing conditions are expected as the natural structure remains unaffected by the preparation procedure. The novelty of this work is represented by a comprehensive compilation of various experimental results intended to assess the performance of USPLs. In this context, various pulse durations in the picosecond and femtosecond regime were applied to dental and bone tissue as well as dental restoration materials which is considered to be indispensable for a complete assessment. Parameters like ablation rates describing the efficiency of the ablation process, and ablation thresholds were determined - some of them for the first time - and compared to the corresponding Erbium values. The morphology of the tissue surfaces remaining after laser preparation was investigated and the surface roughness was evaluateded. Selective ablation was stressed and the temperature impact induced by USPLs was analyzed. Due to the limited space only a selection of results can be presented.

Laser- and Particle-Beam Chemical Processes on Surfaces. Volume 129

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-26

explosive decomposition of organometallic compounds with single pulse laser irradiation . This new... ultrashort , meaning ultra high intensity , excimer laser pulses , two-photon absorption becomes important and limits the penetration depth of the laser ...requires a higher photon load before suffering damage to its chemical structure. With extremely high light intensities , ultrashort excimer laser pulses

Laser Applications in Microelectronic and Optoelectronic Manufacturing IV

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-07-15

laser irradiation of the clusters with 6000 laser pulses of X...insulating ma- terials during and after irradiation by tunable, ultrashort pulses from a mid-infrared laser . The three salient examples we con- sider...with ultrashort pulses re- sembles the rear-side ablation seen in irradiation of calcite by Nd:YAG lasers (1064 nm), while the off-resonance FEL

Fundamentals and industrial applications of ultrashort pulsed lasers at Bosch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Jens; Bauer, Thorsten

2011-03-01

Fundamental results of ablation processes of metals with ultrashort laser pulses in the far threshold fluence regime are shown and discussed. Time-resolved measurements of the plasma transmission exhibit two distinctive minima. The minima occurring within the first nanoseconds can be attributed to electrons and sublimated material emitted from the target surface, whereas the subsequent minimum after several 10 ns is due to particles and droplets after a thermal boiling process. Industrial applications of ultrashort pulsed laser micro machining in the Bosch Group are also shown with the production of exhaust gas sensors and common rail diesel systems. Since 2007, ultrashort laser pulses are used at the BOSCH plant in Bamberg for producing lambda-probes, which are made of a special ceramic layer system and can measure the exhaust gas properties faster and more accurately. This enables further reduction of emissions by optimized combustion control. Since 2009, BOSCH uses ultrashort pulsed lasers for micro-structuring the injector of common rail diesel systems. A drainage groove allows a tight system even at increased pressures up to 2000 bar. Diesel injection is thus even more reliable, powerful and environment-friendly.

Manipulating femtosecond laser interactions in bulk glass and thin-film with spatial light modulation (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alimohammadian, Ehsan; Ho, Stephen; Ertorer, Erden; Gherghe, Sebastian; Li, Jianzhao; Herman, Peter R.

2017-03-01

Spatial Light Modulators (SLM) are emerging as a power tool for laser beam shaping whereby digitally addressed phase shifts can impose computer-generated hologram patterns on incoming laser light. SLM provide several additional advantages with ultrashort-pulsed lasers in controlling the shape of both surface and internal interactions with materials. Inside transparent materials, nonlinear optical effects can confine strong absorption only to the focal volume, extend dissipation over long filament tracks, or reach below diffraction-limited spot sizes. Hence, SLM beam shaping has been widely adopted for laser material processing applications that include parallel structuring, filamentation, fiber Bragg grating formation and optical aberration correction. This paper reports on a range of SLM applications we have studied in femtosecond processing of transparent glasses and thin films. Laser phase-fronts were tailored by the SLM to compensate for spherical surface aberration, and to further address the nonlinear interactions that interplay between Kerr-lens self-focusing and plasma defocusing effects over shallow and deep focusing inside the glass. Limits of strong and weak focusing were examined around the respective formation of low-loss optical waveguides and long uniform filament tracks. Further, we have employed the SLM for beam patterning inside thin film, exploring the limits of phase noise, resolution and fringe contrast during interferometric intra-film structuring. Femtosecond laser pulses of 200 fs pulse duration and 515 nm wavelength were shaped by a phase-only LCOS-SLM (Hamamatsu X10468-04). By imposing radial phase profiles, axicon, grating and beam splitting gratings, volume shape control of filament diameter, length, and uniformity as well as simultaneous formation of multiple filaments has been demonstrated. Similarly, competing effects of spherical surface aberration, self-focusing, and plasma de-focusing were studied and delineated to enable formation of low-loss optical waveguides over shallow and deep focusing conditions. Lastly, SLM beam shaping has been successfully extended to interferometric processing inside thin transparent film, enabling the arbitrary formation of uniform or non-uniform, symmetric or asymmetric patterns of flexible shape on nano-scale dimensions without phase-noise degradation by the SLM patterning. We present quantized structuring of thin films by a single laser pulse, demonstrating λ/2nfilm layer ejection control, blister formation, nano-cavities, and film colouring. Closed intra-film nanochannels with high aspect ratio (20:1) have been formed inside 3.5 um thick silica, opening new prospects for sub-cellular studies and lab-in-film concepts that integrate on CMOS silicon technologies.

Atomic and molecular dynamics triggered by ultrashort light pulses on the atto- to picosecond time scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pabst, Stefan

2013-04-01

Time-resolved investigations of ultrafast electronic and molecular dynamics were not possible until recently. The typical time scale of these processes is in the picosecond to attosecond realm. The tremendous technological progress in recent years made it possible to generate ultrashort pulses, which can be used to trigger, to watch, and to control atomic and molecular motion. This tutorial focuses on experimental and theoretical advances which are used to study the dynamics of electrons and molecules in the presence of ultrashort pulses. In the first part, the rotational dynamics of molecules, which happens on picosecond and femtosecond time scales, is reviewed. Well-aligned molecules are particularly suitable for angle-dependent investigations like x-ray diffraction or strong-field ionization experiments. In the second part, the ionization dynamics of atoms is studied. The characteristic time scale lies, here, in the attosecond to few-femtosecond regime. Although a one-particle picture has been successfully applied to many processes, many-body effects do constantly occur. After a broad overview of the main mechanisms and the most common tools in attosecond physics, examples of many-body dynamics in the attosecond world (e.g., in high-harmonic generation and attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy) are discussed.

Calculus removal on a root cement surface by ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraft, Johan F.; Vestentoft, Kasper; Christensen, Bjarke H.; Løvschall, Henrik; Balling, Peter

2008-01-01

Ultrashort-pulse-laser ablation of dental calculus (tartar) and cement is performed on root surfaces. The investigation shows that the threshold fluence for ablation of calculus is a factor of two to three times smaller than that of a healthy root cement surface. This indicates that ultrashort laser pulses may provide an appropriate tool for selective removal of calculus with minimal damage to the underlying root cement. Future application of an in situ profiling technique allows convenient on-line monitoring of the ablation process.

Porcine cadaver iris model for iris heating during corneal surgery with a femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hui; Fan, Zhongwei; Wang, Jiang; Yan, Ying; Juhasz, Tibor; Kurtz, Ron

2015-03-01

Multiple femtosecond lasers have now been cleared for use for ophthalmic surgery, including for creation of corneal flaps in LASIK surgery. Preliminary study indicated that during typical surgical use, laser energy may pass beyond the cornea with potential effects on the iris. As a model for laser exposure of the iris during femtosecond corneal surgery, we simulated the temperature rise in porcine cadaver iris during direct illumination by the femtosecond laser. Additionally, ex-vivo iris heating due to femtosecond laser irradiation was measured with an infrared thermal camera (Fluke corp. Everett, WA) as a validation of the simulation.

Femtosecond laser in laser in situ keratomileusis

PubMed Central

Salomão, Marcella Q.; Wilson, Steven E.

2014-01-01

Flap creation is a critical step in laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Efforts to improve the safety and predictability of the lamellar incision have fostered the development of femtosecond lasers. Several advantages of the femtosecond laser over mechanical microkeratomes have been reported in LASIK surgery. In this article, we review common considerations in management and complications of this step in femtosecond laser–LASIK and concentrate primarily on the IntraLase laser because most published studies relate to this instrument. PMID:20494777

Comparison of laser in situ keratomileusis flaps created by 2 femtosecond lasers.

PubMed

Zheng, Yan; Zhou, Yuehua; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Qian; Zhai, Changbin; Wang, Yonghua

2015-03-01

To compare flap morphology created by the WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser and the VisuMax femtosecond laser, assessing the uniformity, accuracy, and predictability of flap creation. A total of 400 eyes had corneal flaps created with the WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser (200 eyes) or the VisuMax femtosecond laser (200 eyes). The desired flap thickness was 110 μm. At 1 week postoperatively, all eyes were evaluated with RTVue Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography. Dimensions of the flaps were tested for their regularity, uniformity, accuracy, and predictability comparison. One week after surgery, the central flap thickness and the mean flap thickness of the FS200 group were 105.4 ± 3.4 μm and 105.7 ± 2.6 μm, respectively. They were both thinner than those of the VisuMax group, which were 110.8 ± 3.9 μm and 111.3 ± 2.3 μm, respectively. The mean deviation between the achieved and attempted flap thickness of the FS200 group (5.2 ± 1.9 μm) was greater than that of the VisuMax group (3.2 ± 1.8 μm). Flap thickness measurements at 36 points in both groups were close to the intended thickness. Morphology of the flaps in the 0-, 45-, 90-, and 135-degree lines created by the FS200 femtosecond laser and VisuMax femtosecond laser were uniform and regular. Flap dimensions created by the WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser and VisuMax femtosecond laser were uniform and regular. Although the flap thickness created by the FS200 was less than that created by the VisuMax, measurements of both femtosecond lasers were close to the intended thickness.

Effects of femtosecond laser radiation on the skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogov, P. Yu; Bespalov, V. G.

2016-08-01

A mathematical model of linear and nonlinear processes is presented occurring under the influence of femtosecond laser radiation on the skin. There was held an analysis and the numerical solution of an equation system describing the dynamics of the electron and phonon subsystems were received. The results can be used to determine the maximum permissible levels of energy generated by femtosecond laser systems and the establishment of Russian laser safety standards for femtosecond laser systems.

Visualization of femtosecond laser pulse-induced microincisions inside crystalline lens tissue.

PubMed

Stachs, Oliver; Schumacher, Silvia; Hovakimyan, Marine; Fromm, Michael; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Lubatschowski, Holger; Guthoff, Rudolf

2009-11-01

To evaluate a new method for visualizing femtosecond laser pulse-induced microincisions inside crystalline lens tissue. Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hannover, Germany. Lenses removed from porcine eyes were modified ex vivo by femtosecond laser pulses (wavelength 1040 nm, pulse duration 306 femtoseconds, pulse energy 1.0 to 2.5 microJ, repetition rate 100 kHz) to create defined planes at which lens fibers separate. The femtosecond laser pulses were delivered by a 3-dimension (3-D) scanning unit and transmitted by focusing optics (numerical aperture 0.18) into the lens tissue. Lens fiber orientation and femtosecond laser-induced microincisions were examined using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) based on a Rostock Cornea Module attached to a Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II. Optical sections were analyzed in 3-D using Amira software (version 4.1.1). Normal lens fibers showed a parallel pattern with diameters between 3 microm and 9 microm, depending on scanning location. Microincision visualization showed different cutting effects depending on pulse energy of the femtosecond laser. The effects ranged from altered tissue-scattering properties with all fibers intact to definite fiber separation by a wide gap. Pulse energies that were too high or overlapped too tightly produced an incomplete cutting plane due to extensive microbubble generation. The 3-D CLSM method permitted visualization and analysis of femtosecond laser pulse-induced microincisions inside crystalline lens tissue. Thus, 3-D CLSM may help optimize femtosecond laser-based procedures in the treatment of presbyopia.

LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Electron beam deflection, focusing, and collimation by a femtosecond laser lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minogin, V. G.

2009-11-01

This work examines spatial separation of femtosecond electron bunches using the ponderomotive potential created by femtosecond laser pulses. It is shown that ponderomotive optical potentials are capable of effectively deflecting, focusing, and collimating narrow femtosecond electron bunches.

Optical emission and nanoparticle generation in Al plasmas using ultrashort laser pulses temporally optimized by real-time spectroscopic feedback

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guillermin, M.; Colombier, J. P.; Audouard, E.

2010-07-15

With an interest in pulsed laser deposition and remote spectroscopy techniques, we explore here the potential of laser pulses temporally tailored on ultrafast time scales to control the expansion and the excitation degree of various ablation products including atomic species and nanoparticulates. Taking advantage of automated pulse-shaping techniques, an adaptive procedure based on spectroscopic feedback is applied to regulate the irradiance and enhance the optical emission of monocharged aluminum ions with respect to the neutral signal. This leads to optimized pulses usually consisting in a series of femtosecond peaks distributed on a longer picosecond sequence. The ablation features induced bymore » the optimized pulse are compared with those determined by picosecond pulses generated by imposed second-order dispersion or by double pulse sequences with adjustable picosecond separation. This allows to analyze the influence of fast- and slow-varying envelope features on the material heating and the resulting plasma excitation degree. Using various optimal pulse forms including designed asymmetric shapes, we analyze the establishment of surface pre-excitation that enables conditions of enhanced radiation coupling. Thin films elaborated by unshaped femtosecond laser pulses and by optimized, stretched, or double pulse sequences are compared, indicating that the nanoparticles generation efficiency is strongly influenced by the temporal shaping of the laser irradiation. A thermodynamic scenario involving supercritical heating is proposed to explain enhanced ionization rates and lower particulates density for optimal pulses. Numerical one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations for the excited matter support the interpretation of the experimental results in terms of relative efficiency of various relaxation paths for excited matter above or below the thermodynamic stability limits. The calculation results underline the role of the temperature and density gradients along the ablated plasma plume which lead to the spatial distinct locations of excited species. Moreover, the nanoparticles sizes are computed based on liquid layer ejection followed by a Rayleigh and Taylor instability decomposition, in good agreement with the experimental findings.« less

Multidimensional Time-Resolved Spectroscopy of Vibrational Coherence in Biopolyenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckup, Tiago; Motzkus, Marcus

2014-04-01

Multidimensional femtosecond time-resolved vibrational coherence spectroscopy allows one to investigate the evolution of vibrational coherence in electronic excited states. Methods such as pump-degenerate four-wave mixing and pump-impulsive vibrational spectroscopy combine an initial ultrashort laser pulse with a nonlinear probing sequence to reinduce vibrational coherence exclusively in the excited states. By carefully exploiting specific electronic resonances, one can detect vibrational coherence from 0 cm-1 to over 2,000 cm-1 and map its evolution. This review focuses on the observation and mapping of high-frequency vibrational coherence for all-trans biological polyenes such as β-carotene, lycopene, retinal, and retinal Schiff base. We discuss the role of molecular symmetry in vibrational coherence activity in the S1 electronic state and the interplay of coupling between electronic states and vibrational coherence.

Reshaping, Fragmentation, and Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles Assisted by Pulse Lasers

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Conspectus The vast majority of the outstanding applications of metal nanoparticles (NPs) developed during the last two decades have arisen from their unique optical properties. Within this context, rational synthesis and assembly of gold NPs have been the main research focus, aiming at the design of nanoplasmonic devices with tailored optical functionalities. The progress made in this field is thus to be ascribed to the understanding of the origin of the interaction between light and such gold nanostructures, the dynamics of which have been thoroughly investigated with significant contributions from short and ultrashort pulse laser technologies. We focus this Account on the potential of pulse lasers to provide new fundamental insights into the electron dynamics involved in the interaction of light with the free conduction electrons of Au NPs, that is, localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). The excitation of LSPRs with a femtosecond pulse laser is followed by thermalization of the Au NP electrons and the subsequent relaxation of the nanocrystal lattice and the surrounding environment, which generally results in surface melting. By contrast, nanosecond irradiation usually induces AuNP fragmentation and uncontrolled melting due to overlapping excitation and relaxation phenomena. These concepts have been exploited toward the preparation of highly monodisperse gold nanospheres via pulse laser irradiation of polyhedral nanocrystal colloids, or in the fabrication of nanostructures with “written-in” optical properties. The applicability of pulsed coherent light has been extended toward the direct synthesis and manipulation of Au NPs. Through ablation of a gold target in a liquid with pulse lasers, spherical Au NPs can be synthesized with no need of stabilizing ligands, which is a great advantage in terms of reducing toxicity, rendering these NPs particularly suitable for medical applications. In addition, femtosecond laser irradiation has been proven a unique tool for the controlled welding of plasmonic gold nanostructures by electromagnetic field enhancement at the hot spots of assembled Au NPs. The combination of such nanostructures with pulse lasers promises significant chemical and biochemical advances, including the structural determination of organic reaction intermediates, the investigation of phase transitions in inorganic nanomaterials at mild reaction conditions, or the efficient photothermal destruction of cancer cells avoiding damage of surrounding tissue. PMID:27035211

New methods of generation of ultrashort laser pulses for ranging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jelinkova, Helena; Hamal, Karel; Kubecek, V.; Prochazka, Ivan

1993-01-01

To reach the millimeter satellite laser ranging accuracy, the goal for nineties, new laser ranging techniques have to be applied. To increase the laser ranging precision, the application of the ultrashort laser pulses in connection with the new signal detection and processing techniques, is inevitable. The two wavelength laser ranging is one of the ways to measure the atmospheric dispersion to improve the existing atmospheric correction models and hence, to increase the overall system ranging accuracy to the desired value. We are presenting a review of several nonstandard techniques of ultrashort laser pulses generation, which may be utilized for laser ranging: compression of the nanosecond pulses using stimulated Brillouin and Raman backscattering; compression of the mode-locked pulses using Raman backscattering; passive mode-locking technique with nonlinear mirror; and passive mode-locking technique with the negative feedback.

Femtosecond lasers in ophthalmology: clinical applications in anterior segment surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhasz, Tibor; Nagy, Zoltan; Sarayba, Melvin; Kurtz, Ronald M.

2010-02-01

The human eye is a favored target for laser surgery due to its accessibility via the optically transparent ocular tissue. Femtosecond lasers with confined tissue effects and minimized collateral tissue damage are primary candidates for high precision intraocular surgery. The advent of compact diode-pumped femtosecond lasers, coupled with computer controlled beam delivery devices, enabled the development of high precision femtosecond laser for ophthalmic surgery. In this article, anterior segment femtosecond laser applications currently in clinical practice and investigation are reviewed. Corneal procedures evolved first and remain dominant due to easy targeting referenced from a contact surface, such as applanation lenses placed on the eye. Adding a high precision imaging technique, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), can enable accurate targeting of tissue beyond the cornea, such as the crystalline lens. Initial clinical results of femtosecond laser cataract surgery are discussed in detail in the latter portion part of the article.

Modeling ultrashort electromagnetic pulses with a generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofstrand, A.; Moloney, J. V.

2018-03-01

In this paper we derive a properly scaled model for the nonlinear propagation of intense, ultrashort, mid-infrared electromagnetic pulses (10-100 femtoseconds) through an arbitrary dispersive medium. The derivation results in a generalized Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (gKP) equation. In contrast to envelope-based models such as the Nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation, the gKP equation describes the dynamics of the field's actual carrier wave. It is important to resolve these dynamics when modeling ultrashort pulses. We proceed by giving an original proof of sufficient conditions on the initial pulse for a singularity to form in the field after a finite propagation distance. The model is then numerically simulated in 2D using a spectral-solver with initial data and physical parameters highlighting our theoretical results.

Comparison of Surgically Induced Astigmatism and Morphologic Features Resulting From Femtosecond Laser and Manual Clear Corneal Incisions for Cataract Surgery.

PubMed

Ferreira, Tiago B; Ribeiro, Filomena J; Pinheiro, João; Ribeiro, Paulo; O'Neill, João G

2018-05-01

To compare the surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) vector, flattening effect, torque, and wound architecture following femtosecond laser and manual clear corneal incisions (CCIs). In a double-armed, randomized, prospective case series, cataract surgery was performed for 600 eyes using femtosecond laser (300 eyes) or manual (300 eyes) 2.4-mm CCIs in temporal or superior oblique locations. SIA, flattening effect, torque, and the summated vector mean for SIA were calculated. Correlation with individual features was established and incision morphology was investigated by anterior segment optical coherence tomography at 3 months of follow-up. The SIA, flattening effect, and torque were lower in the femtosecond laser group for both incision locations, although the differences were not significant (all P > .05). The femtosecond laser group showed less dispersion of SIA magnitude and flattening effect. Temporal and superior oblique incisions resulted in flattening effect values of -0.11 and -0.21 diopters (D), respectively, in the femtosecond laser group and -0.13 and -0.34 D, respectively, in the manual group. Significant correlations with individual features were only found in the femtosecond laser group, with preoperative astigmatism being the only significant SIA predictor by multiple regression analysis (P = .003). Femtosecond laser CCIs showed less deviation from the intended length, wound enlargement, endothelial misalignment, and Descemet membrane detachments (all P < .037). Femtosecond laser CCIs were more reproducible. Although SIAs were smaller in femtosecond laser CCIs than in manual CCIs for both temporal and superior oblique incisions, the difference was not statistically significant. Association with individual features is highly variable. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(5):322-329.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

OSA Proceedings of the Topical Meeting (5th) on Short-Wave Length Coherent Radiation: Generation and Applications Held in Monterey, California on 8-10 April 1991. Volume 11

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-22

PIC simulation code to study several of the constraints imposed by plasma phenomena on the propagation of ultrashort high intensity laser pulses in...and radiation spectrum of free electrons in the focus of an ultrashort high intensity laser pulse is solved. Motion and radiation of electrons in a...higher harmonics. These studies are intended as a prelude to experiments with high intensity ultrashort laser pulses . To investigate the motion of

Intravital autofluorescence 2-photon microscopy of murine intestinal mucosa with ultra-broadband femtosecond laser pulse excitation: image quality, photodamage, and inflammation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinger, Antje; Krapf, Lisa; Orzekowsky-Schroeder, Regina; Koop, Norbert; Vogel, Alfred; Hüttmann, Gereon

2015-11-01

Ultra-broadband excitation with ultrashort pulses may enable simultaneous excitation of multiple endogenous fluorophores in vital tissue. Imaging living gut mucosa by autofluorescence 2-photon microscopy with more than 150 nm broad excitation at an 800-nm central wavelength from a sub-10 fs titanium-sapphire (Ti:sapphire) laser with a dielectric mirror based prechirp was compared to the excitation with 220 fs pulses of a tunable Ti:sapphire laser at 730 and 800 nm wavelengths. Excitation efficiency, image quality, and photochemical damage were evaluated. At similar excitation fluxes, the same image brightness was achieved with both lasers. As expected, with ultra-broadband pulses, fluorescence from NAD(P)H, flavines, and lipoproteins was observed simultaneously. However, nonlinear photodamage apparent as hyperfluorescence with functional and structural alterations of the tissue occurred earlier when the laser power was adjusted to the same image brightness. After only a few minutes, the immigration of polymorphonuclear leucocytes into the epithelium and degranulation of these cells, a sign of inflammation, was observed. Photodamage is promoted by the higher peak irradiances and/or by nonoptimal excitation of autofluorescence at the longer wavelength. We conclude that excitation with a tunable narrow bandwidth laser is preferable to ultra-broadband excitation for autofluorescence-based 2-photon microscopy, unless the spectral phase can be controlled to optimize excitation conditions.

Studies of inactivation mechanism of non-enveloped icosahedral virus by a visible ultrashort pulsed laser

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Low-power ultrashort pulsed (USP) lasers operating at wavelengths of 425 nm and near infrared region have been shown to effectively inactivate viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), M13 bacteriophage, and murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). It was shown previously that non-enveloped, helical viruses such as M13 bacteriophage, were inactivated by a USP laser through an impulsive stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) process. Recently, enveloped virus like MCMV has been shown to be inactivated by a USP laser via protein aggregation induced by an ISRS process. However, the inactivation mechanism for a clinically important class of viruses – non-enveloped, icosahedral viruses remains unknown. Results and discussions We have ruled out the following four possible inactivation mechanisms for non-enveloped, icosahedral viruses, namely, (1) inactivation due to ultraviolet C (UVC) photons produced by non-linear optical process of the intense, fundamental laser beam at 425 nm; (2) inactivation caused by thermal heating generated by the direct laser absorption/heating of the virion; (3) inactivation resulting from a one-photon absorption process via chromophores such as porphyrin molecules, or indicator dyes, potentially producing reactive oxygen or other species; (4) inactivation by the USP lasers in which the extremely intense laser pulse produces shock wave-like vibrations upon impact with the viral particle. We present data which support that the inactivation mechanism for non-enveloped, icosahedral viruses is the impulsive stimulated Raman scattering process. Real-time PCR experiments show that, within the amplicon size of 273 bp tested, there is no damage on the genome of MNV-1 caused by the USP laser irradiation. Conclusion We conclude that our model non-enveloped virus, MNV-1, is inactivated by the ISRS process. These studies provide fundamental knowledge on photon-virus interactions on femtosecond time scales. From the analysis of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of viral particles before and after USP laser irradiation, the locations of weak structural links on the capsid of MNV-1 were revealed. This important information will greatly aid our understanding of the structure of non-enveloped, icosahedral viruses. We envision that this non-invasive, efficient viral eradication method will find applications in the disinfection of pharmaceuticals, biologicals and blood products in the near future. PMID:24495489

High-precision cutting of polyimide film using femtosecond laser for the application in flexible electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganin, D. V.; Lapshin, K. E.; Obidin, A. Z.; Vartapetov, S. K.

2018-01-01

The experimental results of cutting a polyimide film on the optical glass substrate by means of femtosecond lasers are given. Two modes of laser cutting of this film without damages to a glass base are determined. The first is the photo graphitization using a high repetition rate femtosecond laser. The second is ablative, under the effect of femtosecond laser pulses with high energy and low repetition rate. Cutting of semiconductor chips formed on the polyimide film surface is successfully demonstrated.

Quasi-steady-state air plasma channel produced by a femtosecond laser pulse sequence

PubMed Central

Lu, Xin; Chen, Shi-You; Ma, Jing-Long; Hou, Lei; Liao, Guo-Qian; Wang, Jin-Guang; Han, Yu-Jing; Liu, Xiao-Long; Teng, Hao; Han, Hai-Nian; Li, Yu-Tong; Chen, Li-Ming; Wei, Zhi-Yi; Zhang, Jie

2015-01-01

A long air plasma channel can be formed by filamentation of intense femtosecond laser pulses. However, the lifetime of the plasma channel produced by a single femtosecond laser pulse is too short (only a few nanoseconds) for many potential applications based on the conductivity of the plasma channel. Therefore, prolonging the lifetime of the plasma channel is one of the key challenges in the research of femtosecond laser filamentation. In this study, a unique femtosecond laser source was developed to produce a high-quality femtosecond laser pulse sequence with an interval of 2.9 ns and a uniformly distributed single-pulse energy. The metre scale quasi-steady-state plasma channel with a 60–80 ns lifetime was formed by such pulse sequences in air. The simulation study for filamentation of dual femtosecond pulses indicated that the plasma channel left by the previous pulse was weakly affected the filamentation of the next pulse in sequence under our experimental conditions. PMID:26493279

Photonic devices based on patterning by two photon induced polymerization techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fortunati, I.; Dainese, T.; Signorini, R.; Bozio, R.; Tagliazucca, V.; Dirè, S.; Lemercier, G.; Mulatier, J.-C.; Andraud, C.; Schiavuta, P.; Rinaldi, A.; Licoccia, S.; Bottazzo, J.; Franco Perez, A.; Guglielmi, M.; Brusatin, G.

2008-04-01

Two and three dimensional structures with micron and submicron resolution have been achieved in commercial resists, polymeric materials and sol-gel materials by several lithographic techniques. In this context, silicon-based sol-gel materials are particularly interesting because of their versatility, chemical and thermal stability, amount of embeddable active compounds. Compared with other micro- and nano-fabrication schemes, the Two Photon Induced Polymerization is unique in its 3D processing capability. The photopolymerization is performed with laser beam in the near-IR region, where samples show less absorption and less scattering, giving rise to a deeper penetration of the light. The use of ultrashort laser pulses allows the starting of nonlinear processes like multiphoton absorption at relatively low average power without thermally damaging the samples. In this work we report results on the photopolymerization process in hybrid organic-inorganic films based photopolymerizable methacrylate-containing Si-nanobuilding blocks. Films, obtained through sol-gel synthesis, are doped with a photo-initiator allowing a radical polymerization of methacrylic groups. The photo-initiator is activated by femtosecond laser source, at different input energies. The development of the unexposed regions is performed with a suitable solvent and the photopolymerized structures are characterized by microscopy techniques.

Ultrashort pulse laser machining of metals and alloys

DOEpatents

Perry, Michael D.; Stuart, Brent C.

2003-09-16

The invention consists of a method for high precision machining (cutting, drilling, sculpting) of metals and alloys. By using pulses of a duration in the range of 10 femtoseconds to 100 picoseconds, extremely precise machining can be achieved with essentially no heat or shock affected zone. Because the pulses are so short, there is negligible thermal conduction beyond the region removed resulting in negligible thermal stress or shock to the material beyond approximately 0.1-1 micron (dependent upon the particular material) from the laser machined surface. Due to the short duration, the high intensity (>10.sup.12 W/cm.sup.2) associated with the interaction converts the material directly from the solid-state into an ionized plasma. Hydrodynamic expansion of the plasma eliminates the need for any ancillary techniques to remove material and produces extremely high quality machined surfaces with negligible redeposition either within the kerf or on the surface. Since there is negligible heating beyond the depth of material removed, the composition of the remaining material is unaffected by the laser machining process. This enables high precision machining of alloys and even pure metals with no change in grain structure.

Proton acceleration by a pair of successive ultraintense femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferri, J.; Senje, L.; Dalui, M.; Svensson, K.; Aurand, B.; Hansson, M.; Persson, A.; Lundh, O.; Wahlström, C.-G.; Gremillet, L.; Siminos, E.; DuBois, T. C.; Yi, L.; Martins, J. L.; Fülöp, T.

2018-04-01

We investigate the target normal sheath acceleration of protons in thin aluminum targets irradiated at a relativistic intensity by two time-separated ultrashort (35 fs) laser pulses. When the full-energy laser pulse is temporally split into two identical half-energy pulses, and using target thicknesses of 3 and 6 μm, we observe experimentally that the second half-pulse boosts the maximum energy and charge of the proton beam produced by the first half-pulse for time delays below ˜0.6-1 ps. Using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we examine the variation of the proton energy spectra with respect to the time-delay between the two pulses. We demonstrate that the expansion of the target front surface caused by the first pulse significantly enhances the hot-electron generation by the second pulse arriving after a few hundreds of fs time delay. This enhancement, however, does not suffice to further accelerate the fastest protons driven by the first pulse once three-dimensional quenching effects have set in. This implies a limit to the maximum time delay that leads to proton energy enhancement, which we theoretically determine.

Layer-by-layer modification of thin-film metal-semiconductor multilayers with ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romashevskiy, S. A.; Tsygankov, P. A.; Ashitkov, S. I.; Agranat, M. B.

2018-05-01

The surface modifications in a multilayer thin-film structure (50-nm alternating layers of Si and Al) induced by a single Gaussian-shaped femtosecond laser pulse (350 fs, 1028 nm) in the air are investigated by means of atomic-force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy (OM). Depending on the laser fluence, various modifications of nanometer-scale metal and semiconductor layers, including localized formation of silicon/aluminum nanofoams and layer-by-layer removal, are found. While the nanofoams with cell sizes in the range of tens to hundreds of nanometers are produced only in the two top layers, layer-by-layer removal is observed for the four top layers under single pulse irradiation. The 50-nm films of the multilayer structure are found to be separated at their interfaces, resulting in a selective removal of several top layers (up to 4) in the form of step-like (concentric) craters. The observed phenomenon is associated with a thermo-mechanical ablation mechanism that results in splitting off at film-film interface, where the adhesion force is less than the bulk strength of the used materials, revealing linear dependence of threshold fluences on the film thickness.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oloff, L.-P., E-mail: oloff@physik.uni-kiel.de; Hanff, K.; Stange, A.

With the advent of ultrashort-pulsed extreme ultraviolet sources, such as free-electron lasers or high-harmonic-generation (HHG) sources, a new research field for photoelectron spectroscopy has opened up in terms of femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe experiments. The impact of the high peak brilliance of these novel sources on photoemission spectra, so-called vacuum space-charge effects caused by the Coulomb interaction among the photoemitted probe electrons, has been studied extensively. However, possible distortions of the energy and momentum distributions of the probe photoelectrons caused by the low photon energy pump pulse due to the nonlinear emission of electrons have not been studied in detail yet.more » Here, we systematically investigate these pump laser-induced space-charge effects in a HHG-based experiment for the test case of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Specifically, we determine how the key parameters of the pump pulse—the excitation density, wavelength, spot size, and emitted electron energy distribution—affect the measured time-dependent energy and momentum distributions of the probe photoelectrons. The results are well reproduced by a simple mean-field model, which could open a path for the correction of pump laser-induced space-charge effects and thus toward probing ultrafast electron dynamics in strongly excited materials.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sturm, F. P.; Tong, X. M.; Palacios, A.

Here, we used ultrashort femtosecond vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and infrared (IR) pulses in a pump-probe scheme to map the dynamics and nonequilibrium dissociation channels of excited neutral H 2 molecules. A nuclear wave packet is created in the B 1Σmore » $$+\\atop{u}$$ state of the neutral H 2 molecule by absorption of the ninth harmonic of the driving infrared laser field. Due to the large stretching amplitude of the molecule excited in the B 1Σ$$+\\atop{u}$$ electronic state, the effective H 2 + ionization potential changes significantly as the nuclear wave packet vibrates in the bound, highly electronically and vibrationally excited B potential-energy curve. We probed such dynamics by ionizing the excited neutral molecule using time-delayed VUV-or-IR radiation. We identified the nonequilibrium dissociation channels by utilizing three-dimensional momentum imaging of the ion fragments. We also found that different dissociation channels can be controlled, to some extent, by changing the IR laser intensity and by choosing the wavelength of the probe laser light. Furthermore, we concluded that even in a benchmark molecular system such as H 2*, the interpretation of the nonequilibrium multiphoton and multicolor ionization processes is still a challenging task, requiring intricate theoretical analysis.« less

Controlling nanoscale acoustic strains in silicon using chirped femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzianaki, E.; Bakarezos, M.; Tsibidis, G. D.; Petrakis, S.; Loukakos, P. A.; Kosmidis, C.; Tatarakis, M.; Papadogiannis, N. A.

2016-06-01

The influence of femtosecond laser pulse chirp on laser-generated longitudinal acoustic strains in Si (100) monocrystal substrates is studied. Degenerate femtosecond pump-probe transient reflectivity measurements are performed using a layered structure of thin Ti transducer film on an Si substrate. Experimental results show that acoustic strains, manifested as strong Brillouin oscillations, are more effectively induced when negatively chirped femtosecond laser pulses pump the transducer. These results are theoretically supported by a modified thermo-mechanical model based on the combination of a revised two-temperature model and elasticity theory that takes into account the instantaneous frequency of the chirped femtosecond laser pump pulses.

[Evaluation of free radical quantity in the anterior chamber following femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy].

PubMed

Tóth, Gábor; Sándor, Gábor László; Kleiner, Dénes; Szentmáry, Nóra; Kiss, Huba J; Blázovics, Anna; Nagy, Zoltán Zsolt

2016-11-01

Femtosecond laser is a revolutionary, innovative treatment method used in cataract surgery. To evaluate free radical quantity in the anterior chamber of the eye, during femtosecond laser assisted capsulotomy, in a porcine eye model. Seventy fresh porcine eyes were collected within 2 hours post mortem, were transported at 4 ºC and treated within 7 hours. Thirty-five eyes were used as control and 35 as femtosecond laser assisted capsulotomy group. A simple luminol-dependent chemiluminescence method was used to measure the total scavenger capacity in the aqueous humour, as an indicator of free radical production. The emitted photons were expressed in relative light unit %. The relative light unit % was lower in the control group (median 1%, interquartile range [0.4-3%]) than in the femtosecond laser assisted capsulotomy group (median 4.4%, interquartile range [1.5%-21%]) (p = 0.01). Femtosecond laser assisted capsulotomy decreases the antioxidant defense of the anterior chamber, which refers to a significant free radical production during femtosecond laser assisted capsulotomy. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(47), 1880-1883.

Femtosecond laser-electron x-ray source

DOEpatents

Hartemann, Frederic V.; Baldis, Hector A.; Barty, Chris P.; Gibson, David J.; Rupp, Bernhard

2004-04-20

A femtosecond laser-electron X-ray source. A high-brightness relativistic electron injector produces an electron beam pulse train. A system accelerates the electron beam pulse train. The femtosecond laser-electron X-ray source includes a high intra-cavity power, mode-locked laser and an x-ray optics system.

Femtosecond Lasers and Corneal Surgical Procedures.

PubMed

Marino, Gustavo K; Santhiago, Marcony R; Wilson, Steven E

2017-01-01

Our purpose is to present a broad review about the principles, early history, evolution, applications, and complications of femtosecond lasers used in refractive and nonrefractive corneal surgical procedures. Femtosecond laser technology added not only safety, precision, and reproducibility to established corneal surgical procedures such as laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and astigmatic keratotomy, but it also introduced new promising concepts such as the intrastromal lenticule procedures with refractive lenticule extraction (ReLEx). Over time, the refinements in laser optics and the overall design of femtosecond laser platforms led to it becoming an essential tool for corneal surgeons. In conclusion, femtosecond laser is a heavily utilized tool in refractive and nonrefractive corneal surgical procedures, and further technological advances are likely to expand its applications. Copyright 2017 Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

Modification of transparent materials with ultrashort laser pulses: What is energetically and mechanically meaningful?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bulgakova, Nadezhda M., E-mail: nadezhda.bulgakova@hilase.cz; Institute of Thermophysics SB RAS, 1 Lavrentyev Ave., 630090 Novosibirsk; Zhukov, Vladimir P.

A comprehensive analysis of laser-induced modification of bulk glass by single ultrashort laser pulses is presented which is based on combination of optical Maxwell-based modeling with thermoelastoplastic simulations of post-irradiation behavior of matter. A controversial question on free electron density generated inside bulk glass by ultrashort laser pulses in modification regimes is addressed on energy balance grounds. Spatiotemporal dynamics of laser beam propagation in fused silica have been elucidated for the regimes used for direct laser writing in bulk glass. 3D thermoelastoplastic modeling of material relocation dynamics under laser-induced stresses has been performed up to the microsecond timescale when allmore » motions in the material decay. The final modification structure is found to be imprinted into material matrix already at sub-nanosecond timescale. Modeling results agree well with available experimental data on laser light transmission through the sample and the final modification structure.« less

Human cadaver retina model for retinal heating during corneal surgery with a femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hui; Fan, Zhongwei; Yun, Jin; Zhao, Tianzhuo; Yan, Ying; Kurtz, Ron M.; Juhasz, Tibor

2014-02-01

Femtosecond lasers are widely used in everyday clinical procedures to perform minimally invasive corneal refractive surgery. The intralase femtosecond laser (AMO Corp. Santa Ana, CA) is a common example of such a laser. In the present study a numerical simulation was developed to quantify the temperature rise in the retina during femtosecond intracorneal surgery. Also, ex-vivo retinal heating due to laser irradiation was measured with an infrared thermal camera (Fluke Corp. Everett, WA) as a validation of the simulation. A computer simulation was developed using Comsol Multiphysics to calculate the temperature rise in the cadaver retina during femtosecond laser corneal surgery. The simulation showed a temperature rise of less than 0.3 degrees for realistic pulse energies for the various repetition rates. Human cadaver retinas were irradiated with a 150 kHz Intralase femtosecond laser and the temperature rise was measured withan infrared thermal camera. Thermal camera measurements are in agreement with the simulation. During routine femtosecond laser corneal surgery with normal clinical parameters, the temperature rise is well beneath the threshold for retina damage. The simulation predictions are in agreement with thermal measurements providing a level of experimental validation.

Complications of femtosecond-assisted laser in-situ keratomileusis flaps.

PubMed

Shah, Deepika N; Melki, Samir

2014-01-01

Femtosecond-assisted laser in-situ keratomileusis flaps have revolutionized refractive surgery since their introduction. Although these lasers are exceedingly safe, complications still do occur. This review focuses specifically on examining the literature and evidence for flap complications during femtosecond-assisted laser in-situ keratomileusis as well as their management.

Generation of nanoclusters by ultrafast laser ablation of Al: Molecular dynamics study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miloshevsky, Alexander; Phillips, Mark C.; Harilal, Sivanandan S.

The laser ablation of materials induced by an ultrashort femtosecond pulse is a complex phenomenon, which depends on both the material properties and the properties of the laser pulse. The unique capability of a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) and Momentum Scaling Model (MSM) methods is developed and applied to a large atomic system for studying the process of ultrafast laser-material interactions, behavior of matter in a highly non-equilibrium state, material disintegration, and formation of nanoparticles (NPs). Laser pulses with several fluences in the range from 500 J/m2 to 5000 J/m2 interacting with a large system of aluminum atoms aremore » simulated. The response of Al material to the laser energy deposition is investigated within the finite-size laser spot. It is found that the shape of the plasma plume is dynamically changing during an expansion process. At several tens of picoseconds it can be characterized as a long hollow ellipsoid surrounded by atomized and nano-clustered particles. The time evolution of NP clusters in the plume is investigated. The collisions between the single Al atoms and generated NPs and fragmentation of large NPs determine the fractions of different-size NP clusters in the plume. The MD-MSM simulations show that laser fluence greatly affects the size distribution of NPs, their polar angles, magnitude and direction vectors of NP velocities. These results and predictions are supported by the experimental data and previous MD simulations.« less

Mobile terawatt laser propagation facility (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Lawrence; Roumayah, Patrick; Bodnar, Nathan; Bradford, Joshua D.; Maukonen, Douglas; Richardson, Martin C.

2017-03-01

This presentation will describe the design and construction status of a new mobile high-energy femtosecond laser systems producing 500 mJ, 100 fs pulses at 10 Hz. This facility is built into a shipping container and includes a cleanroom housing the laser system, a separate section for the beam director optics with a retractable roof, and the environmental control equipment necessary to maintain stable operation. The laser system includes several innovations to improve the utility of the system for "in field" experiments. For example, this system utilizes a fiber laser oscillator and a monolithic chirped Bragg grating stretcher to improve system robustness/size and employs software to enable remote monitoring and system control. Uniquely, this facility incorporates a precision motion-controlled gimbal altitude-azimuth mount with a coudé path to enable aiming of the beam over a wide field of view. In addition to providing the ability to precisely aim at multiple targets, it is also possible to coordinate the beam with separate tracking/diagnostic sensing equipment as well as other laser systems. This mobile platform will be deployed at the Townes Institute Science and Technology Experimental Facility (TISTEF) located at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to utilize the 1-km secured laser propagation range and the wide array of meteorological instrumentation for atmospheric and turbulence characterization. This will provide significant new data on the propagation of high peak power ultrashort laser pulses and detailed information on the atmospheric conditions in a coastal semi-tropical environment.

Volume gratings and welding of glass/plastic by femtosecond laser direct writing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Wataru

2018-01-01

Femtosecond laser direct writing is used to fabricate diffractive optical elements in three dimensions and to weld glass and/or plastic. In this paper, we review volume gratings in plastics and welding of glass/plastic by femtosecond laser direct writing. Volume gratings were embedded inside polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) by femtosecond laser pulses. The diffraction efficiency of the gratings increased after fabrication and reached the maximum. After an initial slow decrease within first several days after the fabrication, the efficiency increased again. This phenomena was called regeneration of the grating. We also demonstrate welding of PMMA by dendrite pattern using femtosecond laser pulses. Laser pulses are focused at the interface of two PMMA substrates with an air gap and melted materials in laser-irradiated region spread within a gap of the substrates and dendrite morphology of melted PMMA was observed outside the laser irradiated area. Finally, we show welding of glass/plastic and metal.

Research Laboratory of Electronic Progress Report Number 135.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

78 @ 1.12 Ultrashort Pulse Generation in Solid State Lasers ...generation the use of intracavity self-phase-modulation and of ultrashort laser pulses is essential for studies of negative group velocity dispersion... pulses . Our studies focus on exploiting mode locked solid state lasers . While the dominant the short pulse durations and high peak intensity of effect of

High brightness, low coherence, digital holographic microscopy for 3D visualization of an in-vitro sandwiched biological sample.

PubMed

Abdelsalam, D G; Yasui, Takeshi

2017-05-01

We achieve practically a bright-field digital holographic microscopy (DHM) configuration free from coherent noise for three-dimensional (3D) visualization of an in-vitro sandwiched sarcomere sample. Visualization of such sandwiched samples by conventional atomic force microscope (AFM) is impossible, while visualization using DHM with long coherent lengths is challenging. The proposed configuration is comprised of an ultrashort pulse laser source and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in transmission. Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal was used to convert the fundamental beam by second harmonic generation (SHG) to the generated beam fit to the CCD camera used. The experimental results show that the contrast of the reconstructed phase image is improved to a higher degree compared to a He-Ne laser based result. We attribute this improvement to two things: the feature of the femtosecond pulse light, which acts as a chopper for coherent noise suppression, and the fact that the variance of a coherent mode can be reduced by a factor of 9 due to low loss through a nonlinear medium.

Metalloprotein structures at ambient conditions and in real-time: biological crystallography and spectroscopy using X-ray free electron lasers

DOE PAGES

Kern, Jan; Yachandra, Vittal K.; Yano, Junko

2015-09-02

We have studied the structure of enzymes and the chemistry at the catalytic sites, intensively and have acquired an understanding of the atomic-scale chemistry which requires a new approach beyond steady state X-ray crystallography and X-ray spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures. Following the dynamic changes in the geometric and electronic structure of metallo-enzymes at ambient conditions, while overcoming the severe X-ray-induced changes to the redox active catalytic center, is key for deriving reaction mechanisms. Such studies become possible by the intense and ultra-short femtosecond (fs) X-ray pulses from an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) by acquiring a signal before the samplemore » is destroyed. Our review describes the recent and pioneering uses of XFELs to study the protein structure and dynamics of metallo-enzymes using crystallography and scattering, as well as the chemical structure and dynamics of the catalytic complexes (charge, spin, and covalency) using spectroscopy during the reaction to understand the electron-transfer processes and elucidate the mechanism.« less

Metalloprotein structures at ambient conditions and in real-time: biological crystallography and spectroscopy using X-ray free electron lasers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kern, Jan; Yachandra, Vittal K.; Yano, Junko

We have studied the structure of enzymes and the chemistry at the catalytic sites, intensively and have acquired an understanding of the atomic-scale chemistry which requires a new approach beyond steady state X-ray crystallography and X-ray spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures. Following the dynamic changes in the geometric and electronic structure of metallo-enzymes at ambient conditions, while overcoming the severe X-ray-induced changes to the redox active catalytic center, is key for deriving reaction mechanisms. Such studies become possible by the intense and ultra-short femtosecond (fs) X-ray pulses from an X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) by acquiring a signal before the samplemore » is destroyed. Our review describes the recent and pioneering uses of XFELs to study the protein structure and dynamics of metallo-enzymes using crystallography and scattering, as well as the chemical structure and dynamics of the catalytic complexes (charge, spin, and covalency) using spectroscopy during the reaction to understand the electron-transfer processes and elucidate the mechanism.« less

Application of Advanced Laser Diagnostics to High-Impact Technologies: Science and Applications of Ultrafast, Ultraintense Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

ultrashort - pulse lasers because of the very large photon density. As the intensity increases, the electric field of the light can modify the Coulomb ...absorption studies of argon clusters in intense laser pulses ,” Physics of Plasmas 16(4), 043301-1 – 043301-5. Lu, W., Nicoul, M., Shymanovich, U... intensity of ultrashort - pulse lasers , possess unique and advantageous capabilities for use in a wide variety of applications and are

Transverse writing of three-dimensional tubular optical waveguides in glass with a slit-shaped femtosecond laser beam

PubMed Central

Liao, Yang; Qi, Jia; Wang, Peng; Chu, Wei; Wang, Zhaohui; Qiao, Lingling; Cheng, Ya

2016-01-01

We report on fabrication of tubular optical waveguides buried in ZBLAN glass based on transverse femtosecond laser direct writing. Irradiation in ZBLAN with focused femtosecond laser pulses leads to decrease of refractive index in the modified region. Tubular optical waveguides of variable mode areas are fabricated by forming the four sides of the cladding with slit-shaped femtosecond laser pulses, ensuring single mode waveguiding with a mode field dimension as small as ~4 μm. PMID:27346285

Laser driven plasmas based incoherent x-ray sources at PALS and ELI Beamlines (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlová, Michaela

2017-05-01

We will present data on a various X-ray production schemes from laser driven plasmas at the PALS Research Center and discuss the plan for the ELI Beamlines project. One of the approaches, how to generate ultrashort pulses of incoherent X-ray radiation, is based on interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with solid or liquid targets. So-called K-alpha source depending on used targets emits in hard X-ray region from micrometric source size. The source exhibits sufficient spatial coherence to observe phase contrast. Detailed characterization of various sources including the x-ray spectrum and the x-ray average yield along with phase contrast images of test objects will be presented. Other method, known as laser wakefield electron acceleration (LWFA), can produce up to GeV electron beams emitting radiation in collimated beam with a femtosecnond pulse duration. This approach was theoretically and experimentally examined at the PALS Center. The parameters of the PALS Ti:S laser interaction were studied by extensive particle-in-cell simulations with radiation post-processors in order to evaluate the capabilities of our system in this field. The extensions of those methods at the ELI Beamlines facility will enable to generate either higher X-ray energies or higher repetition rate. The architecture of such sources and their considered applications will be proposed.

All-femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabryte, Egle; Danieliene, Egle; Vaiceliunaite, Agne; Ruksenas, Osvaldas; Vengris, Mikas; Danielius, Romualdas

2013-03-01

We present a femtosecond solid-state Yb:KGW laser system capable of performing the complete laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) ophthalmic procedure. The fundamental infrared radiation (IR) is used to create the corneal flap, and subsequently the corneal stromal ablation is performed using the ultraviolet (UV) pulses of the fifth harmonic. The heating of cornea, ablated surface quality, and healing outcomes of the surgeries performed using the femtosecond laser system are investigated by both ex vivo and in vivo experiments and compared to the results of conventional clinical ArF excimer laser application. The results of this research indicate the feasibility of clinical application of femtosecond UV lasers for LASIK procedure.

Growth and Spectral Assessment of Yb3+-Doped KBaGd(MoO4)3 Crystal: A Candidate for Ultrashort Pulse and Tunable Lasers

PubMed Central

Yu, Yi; Huang, Yisheng; Zhang, Lizhen; Lin, Zhoubin; Wang, Guofu

2013-01-01

In order to explore new more powerful ultrashort pulse laser and tunable laser for diode-pumping, this paper reports the growth and spectral assessment of Yb3+-doped KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal. An Yb3+:KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal with dimensions of 50×40×9 mm3 was grown by the TSSG method from the K2Mo2O7 flux. The investigated spectral properties indicated that Yb3+:KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal exhibits broad absorption and emission bands, except the large emission and gain cross-sections. This feature of the broad absorption and emission bands is not only suitable for the diode pumping, but also for the production of ultrashort pulses and tunability. Therefore, Yb3+:KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal can be regarded as a candidate for the ultrashort pulse and tunable lasers. PMID:23349892

Growth and spectral assessment of Yb(3+)-doped KBaGd(MoO4)3 crystal: a candidate for ultrashort pulse and tunable lasers.

PubMed

Yu, Yi; Huang, Yisheng; Zhang, Lizhen; Lin, Zhoubin; Wang, Guofu

2013-01-01

In order to explore new more powerful ultrashort pulse laser and tunable laser for diode-pumping, this paper reports the growth and spectral assessment of Yb(3+)-doped KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal. An Yb(3+):KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal with dimensions of 50×40×9 mm(3) was grown by the TSSG method from the K(2)Mo(2)O(7) flux. The investigated spectral properties indicated that Yb(3+):KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal exhibits broad absorption and emission bands, except the large emission and gain cross-sections. This feature of the broad absorption and emission bands is not only suitable for the diode pumping, but also for the production of ultrashort pulses and tunability. Therefore, Yb(3+):KBaGd(MoO(4))(3) crystal can be regarded as a candidate for the ultrashort pulse and tunable lasers.

Precise femtosecond laser ablation of dental hard tissue: preliminary investigation on adequate laser parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hikov, Todor; Pecheva, Emilia; Montgomery, Paul; Antoni, Frederic; Leong-Hoi, Audrey; Petrov, Todor

2017-01-01

This work aims at evaluating the possibility of introducing state-of-the-art commercial femtosecond laser system in restorative dentistry by maintaining well-known benefits of lasers for caries removal, but also in overcoming disadvantages such as thermal damage of irradiated substrate. Femtosecond ablation of dental hard tissue is investigated by changing the irradiation parameters (pulsed laser energy, scanning speed and pulse repetition rate), assessed for enamel and dentin. The femtosecond laser system used in this work may be suitable for cavity preparation in dentin and enamel, due to the expected effective ablation and low temperature increase when using ultra short laser pulses. If adequate laser parameters are selected, this system seems to be promising for promoting a laser-assisted, minimally invasive approach in restorative dentistry.

Investigation of interaction femtosecond laser pulses with skin and eyes mathematical model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogov, P. U.; Smirnov, S. V.; Semenova, V. A.; Melnik, M. V.; Bespalov, V. G.

2016-08-01

We present a mathematical model of linear and nonlinear processes that takes place under the action of femtosecond laser radiation on the cutaneous covering. The study is carried out and the analytical solution of the set of equations describing the dynamics of the electron and atomic subsystems and investigated the processes of linear and nonlinear interaction of femtosecond laser pulses in the vitreous of the human eye, revealed the dependence of the pulse duration on the retina of the duration of the input pulse and found the value of the radiation power density, in which there is a self-focusing is obtained. The results of the work can be used to determine the maximum acceptable energy, generated by femtosecond laser systems, and to develop Russian laser safety standards for femtosecond laser systems.

Femtosecond Laser Flap Creation for Laser In Situ Keratomileusis in the Setting of Previous Radial Keratotomy.

PubMed

Rush, Sloan W; Rush, Ryan B

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to report the outcomes of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in subjects with previous radial keratotomy (RK) using a novel femtosecond laser setting on a proprietary femtosecond laser platform. This was a retrospective, consecutive chart review of patients at a single private practice institution. The medical records of 16 eyes of 8 subjects who underwent femtosecond-assisted LASIK for consecutive hyperopia after RK were retrospectively reviewed. The preoperative characteristics, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. All 16 eyes had successful femtosecond laser flap creation without significant intraoperative or postoperative complications. Uncorrected visual acuity significantly improved postoperatively (P = 0.0142) and remained stable through the final follow-up interval at 9 to 12 months postoperatively. None of the subjects lost any lines of best spectacle-corrected visual acuity in the postoperative period. The novel femtosecond laser technique described in this study can provide a safe and effective method for patients undergoing LASIK after previous RK. Future investigations are required to further validate the findings reported in this study.

Fracture toughness of ultrashort pulse-bonded fused silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, S.; Naumann, F.; Zimmermann, F.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2016-02-01

We determined the bond interface strength of ultrashort pulse laser-welded fused silica for different processing parameters. To this end, we used a high repetition rate ultrashort pulse laser system to inscribe parallel welding lines with a specific V-shaped design into optically contacted fused silica samples. Afterward, we applied a micro-chevron test to measure the fracture toughness and surface energy of the laser-inscribed welding seams. We analyzed the influence of different processing parameters such as laser repetition rate and line separation on the fracture toughness and fracture surface energy. Welding the entire surface a fracture toughness of 0.71 {MPa} {m}^{1/2}, about 90 % of the pristine bulk material ({≈ } 0.8 {MPa} {m}^{1/2}), is obtained.

Controlling Plasma Channels through Ultrashort Laser Pulse Filamentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionin, Andrey; Seleznev, Leonid; Sunchugasheva, Elena

2013-09-01

A review of studies fulfilled at the Lebedev Institute in collaboration with the Moscow State University and Institute of Atmospheric Optics in Tomsk on influence of various characteristics of ultrashort laser pulse on plasma channels formed under its filamentation is presented. Filamentation of high-power laser pulses with wavefront controlled by a deformable mirror, with cross-sections spatially formed by various diaphragms and with different wavelengths was experimentally and numerically studied. An application of plasma channels formed due to filamentation of ultrashort laser pulse including a train of such pulses for triggering and guiding long electric discharges is discussed. The research was supported by RFBR Grants 11-02-12061-ofi-m and 11-02-01100, and EOARD Grant 097007 through ISTC Project 4073 P

Pathogen Reduction in Human Plasma Using an Ultrashort Pulsed Laser

PubMed Central

Tsen, Shaw-Wei D.; Kingsley, David H.; Kibler, Karen; Jacobs, Bert; Sizemore, Sara; Vaiana, Sara M.; Anderson, Jeanne; Tsen, Kong-Thon; Achilefu, Samuel

2014-01-01

Pathogen reduction is a viable approach to ensure the continued safety of the blood supply against emerging pathogens. However, the currently licensed pathogen reduction techniques are ineffective against non-enveloped viruses such as hepatitis A virus, and they introduce chemicals with concerns of side effects which prevent their widespread use. In this report, we demonstrate the inactivation of both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses in human plasma using a novel chemical-free method, a visible ultrashort pulsed laser. We found that laser treatment resulted in 2-log, 1-log, and 3-log reductions in human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis A virus, and murine cytomegalovirus in human plasma, respectively. Laser-treated plasma showed ≥70% retention for most coagulation factors tested. Furthermore, laser treatment did not alter the structure of a model coagulation factor, fibrinogen. Ultrashort pulsed lasers are a promising new method for chemical-free, broad-spectrum pathogen reduction in human plasma. PMID:25372037

Ultra-short wavelength operation in Thulium-doped silica fiber laser with bidirectional pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xusheng; Guo, Haitao; Yan, Zhijun; Wang, Hushan; Xu, Yantao; Lu, Min; Wang, Yishan; Peng, Bo

2017-02-01

An ultra-short wavelength operation of Tm-doped all fiber laser based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) was developed. A bi-directional pump configuration for the ultra-short wavelength operation was designed and investigated for the first time. the laser yielded 3.15W of continuous-wave output at 1706.75nm with a narrow-linewidth of 50pm and a maximum slope efficiency of 42.1%. The dependencies of the slope efficiencies and pump threshold of the laser versus the length of active fiber and reflectivity of the output mirror (FBG) were investigated in detail. An experimental comparative study between two Thulium-doped fiber lasers (TDFLs) with two different pumping configuration(forward unidirectional pumping and bidirectional pumping) was presented. It is indisputable that the development of 1.7μm silicate fiber lasers with Watt-level output power open up a number of heart-stirring and tempting application windows.

Ultrashort Phenomena in Biochemistry and Biological Signaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Splinter, Robert

2014-11-01

In biological phenomena there are indications that within the long pulse-length of the action potential on millisecond scale, there is additional ultrashort perturbation encoding that provides the brain with detailed information about the origin (location) and physiological characteristics. The objective is to identify the mechanism-of-action providing the potential for encoding in biological signal propagation. The actual molecular processes involved in the initiation of the action potential have been identified to be in the femtosecond and pico-second scale. The depolarization process of the cellular membrane itself, leading to the onset of the actionpotential that is transmitted to the brain, however is in the millisecond timeframe. One example of the femtosecond chemical interaction is the photoresponse of bacteriorhodopsin. No clear indication for the spatial encoding has so far been verified. Further research will be required on a cellular signal analysis level to confirm or deny the spatial and physiological encoding in the signal wave-trains of intercellular communications and sensory stimuli. The pathological encoding process for cardiac depolarization is however very pronounced and validated, however this electro-chemical process is in the millisecond amplitude and frequency modulation spectrum.

Generation of ultrashort pulses with minimum duration of 90\\ {\\text{fs}} in a hybrid mode-locked erbium-doped all-fibre ring laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvoretskiy, D. A.; Sazonkin, S. G.; Voropaev, V. S.; Negin, M. A.; Leonov, S. O.; Pnev, A. B.; Karasik, V. E.; Denisov, L. K.; Krylov, A. A.; Davydov, V. A.; Obraztsova, E. D.

2016-11-01

Regimes of ultrashort pulse generation in an erbium-doped all-fibre ring laser with hybrid mode locking based on single-wall carbon - boron nitride nanotubes and the nonlinear Kerr effect in fibre waveguides are studied. Stable dechirped ultrashort pulses are obtained with a duration of ˜ 90 {\\text{fs}}, a repetition rate of ˜ 42.2 {\\text{MHz}}, and an average output power of ˜ 16.7 {\\text{mW}}, which corresponds to a pulse energy of ˜ 0.4 {\\text{nJ}} and a peak laser power of ˜ 4.4 {\\text{kW}}.

Ultrafast lasers for precise and corrosion free marking on chirurgical steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neugebauer, Christoph; Aalderink, Dennis; Maurer, Erich; Faisst, Birgit; Budnicki, Aleksander

2017-02-01

The unique properties of ultrashort laser pulses and the decrease of invest pave the way to numerous novel applications. Even in the very price sensitive field of laser marking, ultrashort laser can compete due to a new cost structure and remarkable properties of the marking results. In this study we concentrated on industrial marking of medical equipment by using IR ultrashort lasers and compared the results with common marking laser systems. We demonstrate the benefits of ultrashort lasers marking on chirurgical devices, observing the influence of pulse energy, pulse duration, scanning velocity in respect to the visibility, corrosion resistance and long term durability under clinical conditions. Nowadays many parts and products are marked for the purpose of identification and traceability. One kind of laser marking is the well known annealing of stainless steel by nanosecond marking lasers. When annealing occurs a colored oxide layer grows due to the local heating of the material surface. Compared to the raw material, the annealed marking shows increased corrosion sensitivity. Regarding the traceability, the poor durability of the ns marking resulting in contrast reduction and the corrosion susceptibility are a huge problem. Therefore three different laser sources with ns-psfs pulse duration were observed. The focus rests on the realization of parameter studies (various lasers) and their effect on the corrosion and passivation behavior. Furthermore analysis of the oxide layers by use of EDX and XRD were performed to obtain further information on the composition and structure of the markings.

Femtosecond lasers as novel tool in dental surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serbin, J.; Bauer, T.; Fallnich, C.; Kasenbacher, A.; Arnold, W. H.

2002-09-01

There is a proven potential of femtosecond lasers for medical applications like cornea shaping [1], ear surgery or dental surgery [2]. Minimal invasive treatment of carious tissue has become an increasingly important aspect in modern dentistry. State of the art methods like grinding using turbine-driven drills or ablation by Er:YAG lasers [3] generate mechanical and thermal stress, thus generating micro cracks of several tens of microns in the enamel [4]. These cracks are starting points for new carious attacks and have to be avoided for long term success of the dental treatment. By using femtosecond lasers (1 fs=10 -15 s) for ablating dental tissue, these drawbacks can be overcome. We have demonstrated that femtosecond laser ablation offers a tool for crack-free generation of cavities in dental tissue. Furthermore, spectral analysis of the laser induced plasma has been used to indicate carious oral tissue. Our latest results on femtosecond laser dentistry will be presented, demonstrating the great potential of this kind of laser technology in medicine.

Shock ion acceleration by an ultrashort circularly polarized laser pulse via relativistic transparency in an exploded target.

PubMed

Kim, Young-Kuk; Cho, Myung-Hoon; Song, Hyung Seon; Kang, Teyoun; Park, Hyung Ju; Jung, Moon Youn; Hur, Min Sup

2015-10-01

We investigated ion acceleration by an electrostatic shock in an exploded target irradiated by an ultrashort, circularly polarized laser pulse by means of one- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. We discovered that the laser field penetrating via relativistic transparency (RT) rapidly heated the upstream electron plasma to enable the formation of a high-speed electrostatic shock. Owing to the RT-based rapid heating and the fast compression of the initial density spike by a circularly polarized pulse, a new regime of the shock ion acceleration driven by an ultrashort (20-40 fs), moderately intense (1-1.4 PW) laser pulse is envisaged. This regime enables more efficient shock ion acceleration under a limited total pulse energy than a linearly polarized pulse with crystal laser systems of λ∼1μm.

Time-resolved microscopy reveals the driving mechanism of particle formation during ultrashort pulse laser ablation of dentin-like ivory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domke, Matthias; Gavrilova, Anna; Rapp, Stephan; Frentzen, Matthias; Meister, Joerg; Huber, Heinz P.

2015-07-01

In dental health care, the application of ultrashort laser pulses enables dental tissue ablation free from thermal side effects, such as melting and cracking. However, these laser types create undesired micro- and nanoparticles, which might cause a health risk for the patient or surgeon. The aim of this study was to investigate the driving mechanisms of micro- and nanoparticle formation during ultrashort pulse laser ablation of dental tissue. Time-resolved microscopy was chosen to observe the ablation dynamics of mammoth ivory after irradiation with 660 fs laser pulses. The results suggest that nanoparticles might arise in the excited region. The thermal expansion of the excited material induces high pressure in the surrounding bulk tissue, generating a pressure wave. The rarefaction wave behind this pressure wave causes spallation, leading to ejection of microparticles.

Mode coupling enhancement by astigmatism compensation in a femtosecond laser cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro-Olvera, Gustavo; Garduño-Mejía, Jesus; Rosete-Aguilar, Martha; Roman-Moreno, Carlos J.

2016-09-01

In this work we present a numerical analysis of the mode coupling between the pump-beam and the laser-beam in a Ti:Sapphire crystal used as a gain medium of a femtosecond laser. Using the Matrix ABCD and propagation gaussian beam models, we obtained an optimal configuration for compensate the astigmatism in the output beam laser. Also we analysed pump-beam propagation and got the settings to fix the astigmatism in the crystal. Furthermore we apply this configuration to a homemade femtosecond laser, accomplishing an overall efficiency of laser to 20% in continuum wave (CW) and 16% in mode looking (ML) operation. The femtosecond laser have 30 nm bandwidth to FWHM at 810 nm corresponding 30fs.

Simulation of the temperature increase in human cadaver retina during direct illumination by 150-kHz femtosecond laser pulses

PubMed Central

Sun, Hui; Hosszufalusi, Nora; Mikula, Eric R.; Juhasz, Tibor

2011-01-01

We have developed a two-dimensional computer model to predict the temperature increase of the retina during femtosecond corneal laser flap cutting. Simulating a typical clinical setting for 150-kHz iFS advanced femtosecond laser (0.8- to 1-μJ laser pulse energy and 15-s procedure time at a laser wavelength of 1053 nm), the temperature increase is 0.2°C. Calculated temperature profiles show good agreement with data obtained from ex vivo experiments using human cadaver retina. Simulation results obtained for different commercial femtosecond lasers indicate that during the laser in situ keratomileusis procedure the temperature increase of the retina is insufficient to induce damage. PMID:22029369

Femtosecond laser subsurface scleral treatment in cadaver human sclera and evaluation using two-photon and confocal microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hui; Fan, Zhongwei; Yan, Ying; Lian, Fuqiang; Kurtz, Ron; Juhasz, Tibor

2016-03-01

Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and is often associated with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Partial-thickness drainage channels can be created with femtosecond laser in the translucent sclera for the potential treatment of glaucoma. We demonstrate the creation of partial-thickness subsurface drainage channels with the femtosecond laser in the cadaver human eyeballs and describe the application of two-photon microscopy and confocal microscopy for noninvasive imaging of the femtosecond laser created partial-thickness scleral channels in cadaver human eyes. A femtosecond laser operating at a wavelength of 1700 nm was scanned along a rectangular raster pattern to create the partial thickness subsurface drainage channels in the sclera of cadaver human eyes. Analysis of the dimensions and location of these channels is important in understanding their effects. We describe the application of two-photon microscopy and confocal microscopy for noninvasive imaging of the femtosecond laser created partial-thickness scleral channels in cadaver human eyes. High-resolution images, hundreds of microns deep in the sclera, were obtained to allow determination of the shape and dimension of such partial thickness subsurface scleral channels. Our studies suggest that the confocal and two-photon microscopy can be used to investigate femtosecond-laser created partial-thickness drainage channels in the sclera of cadaver human eyes.

Fast femtosecond laser ablation for efficient cutting of sintered alumina substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oosterbeek, Reece N.; Ward, Thomas; Ashforth, Simon; Bodley, Owen; Rodda, Andrew E.; Simpson, M. Cather

2016-09-01

Fast, accurate cutting of technical ceramics is a significant technological challenge because of these materials' typical high mechanical strength and thermal resistance. Femtosecond pulsed lasers offer significant promise for meeting this challenge. Femtosecond pulses can machine nearly any material with small kerf and little to no collateral damage to the surrounding material. The main drawback to femtosecond laser machining of ceramics is slow processing speed. In this work we report on the improvement of femtosecond laser cutting of sintered alumina substrates through optimisation of laser processing parameters. The femtosecond laser ablation thresholds for sintered alumina were measured using the diagonal scan method. Incubation effects were found to fit a defect accumulation model, with Fth,1=6.0 J/cm2 (±0.3) and Fth,∞=2.5 J/cm2 (±0.2). The focal length and depth, laser power, number of passes, and material translation speed were optimised for ablation speed and high quality. Optimal conditions of 500 mW power, 100 mm focal length, 2000 μm/s material translation speed, with 14 passes, produced complete cutting of the alumina substrate at an overall processing speed of 143 μm/s - more than 4 times faster than the maximum reported overall processing speed previously achieved by Wang et al. [1]. This process significantly increases processing speeds of alumina substrates, thereby reducing costs, making femtosecond laser machining a more viable option for industrial users.

Micro-processing of polymers and biological materials using high repetition rate femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Li

High repetition rate femtosecond laser micro-processing has been applied to ophthalmological hydrogel polymers and ocular tissues to create novel refractive and diffractive structures. Through the optimization of laser irradiation conditions and material properties, this technology has become feasible for future industrial applications and clinical practices. A femtosecond laser micro-processing workstation has been designed and developed. Different experimental parameters of the workstation such as laser pulse duration, focusing lens, and translational stages have been described and discussed. Diffractive gratings and three-dimensional waveguides have been fabricated and characterized in hydrogel polymers, and refractive index modifications as large as + 0.06 have been observed within the laser-irradiated region. Raman spectroscopic studies have shown that our femtosecond laser micro-processing induces significant thermal accumulation, resulting in a densification of the polymer network and increasing the localized refractive index of polymers within the laser irradiated region. Different kinds of dye chromophores have been doped in hydrogel polymers to enhance the two-photon absorption during femtosecond laser micro-processing. As the result, laser scanning speed can be greatly increased while the large refractive index modifications remain. Femtosecond laser wavelength and pulse energy as well as water and dye concentration of the hydrogels are optimized. Lightly fixed ocular tissues such as corneas and lenses have been micro-processed by focused femtosecond laser pulses, and refractive index modifications without any tissue-breakdown are observed within the stromal layer of the corneas and the cortex of the lenses. Living corneas are doped with Sodium Fluorescein to increase the two-photon absorption during the laser micro-processing, and laser scanning speed can be greatly increased while inducing large refractive index modifications. No evidence of cell death has been observed in or around the laser-induced refractive index modification regions. These results support the notion that femtosecond laser micro-processing method may be an excellent means of altering the refraction or higher order aberration content of corneal tissue without cell death and short-term tissue damage, and has been named as Intra-tissue Refractive Index Shaping (IRIS). The femtosecond laser micro-processing workstation has also been employed for laser transfection of single defined cells. Some preliminary results suggest that this method can be used to trace individual cells and record their biological and morphological evolution, which is quite promising in many biomedical applications especially in immunology science. In conclusion, high repetition rate femtosecond laser micro-processing has been employed to fabricate microstructures in ophthalmological hydrogels and ocular tissues. Its unique three-dimensional capability over transparent materials and biological media makes it a powerful tool and will greatly impact the future of laser material-processing.

Limits of applicability of a two-temperature model under nonuniform heating of metal by an ultrashort laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polyakov, D S; Yakovlev, E B

The heating of metals (silver and aluminium) by ultrashort laser pulses is analysed proceeding from a spatially nonuniform kinetic equation for the electron distribution function. The electron subsystem thermalisation is estimated in a wide range of absorbed pulse energy density. The limits of applicability are determined for the two-temperature model. (interaction of laser radiation with matter)

Physics and applications of atmospheric nonlinear optics and filamentation.

PubMed

Kasparian, Jérôme; Wolf, Jean-Pierre

2008-01-07

We review the properties and applications of ultrashort laser pulses in the atmosphere, with a particular focus on filamentation. Filamentation is a non-linear propagation regime specific of ultrashort and ultraintense laser pulses in the atmosphere. Typical applications include remote sensing of atmospheric gases and aerosols, lightning control, laser-induced spectroscopy, coherent anti-stokes Raman scattering, and the generation of sub-THz radiation.

Preclinical investigations of articular cartilage ablation with femtosecond and pulsed infrared lasers as an alternative to microfracture surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Erica; Sun, Hui; Juhasz, Tibor; Wong, Brian J. F.

2014-09-01

Microfracture surgery is a bone marrow stimulation technique for treating cartilage defects and injuries in the knee. Current methods rely on surgical skill and instrumentation. This study investigates the potential use of laser technology as an alternate means to create the microfracture holes. Lasers investigated in this study include an erbium:YAG laser (λ=2.94 μm), titanium:sapphire femtosecond laser system (λ=1700 nm), and Nd:glass femtosecond laser (λ=1053 nm). Bovine samples were ablated at fluences of 8 to 18 J/cm2 with the erbium:YAG laser, at a power of 300±15 mW with the titanium:sapphire femtosecond system, and at an energy of 3 μJ/pulse with the Nd:glass laser. Samples were digitally photographed and histological sections were taken for analysis. The erbium:YAG laser is capable of fast and efficient ablation; specimen treated with fluences of 12 and 18 J/cm2 experienced significant amounts of bone removal and minimal carbonization with saline hydration. The femtosecond laser systems successfully removed cartilage but not clinically significant amounts of bone. Precise tissue removal was possible but not to substantial depths due to limitations of the systems. With additional studies and development, the use of femtosecond laser systems to ablate bone may be achieved at clinically valuable ablation rates.

Preclinical investigations of articular cartilage ablation with femtosecond and pulsed infrared lasers as an alternative to microfracture surgery.

PubMed

Su, Erica; Sun, Hui; Juhasz, Tibor; Wong, Brian J F

2014-09-01

Microfracture surgery is a bone marrow stimulation technique for treating cartilage defects and injuriesin the knee. Current methods rely on surgical skill and instrumentation. This study investigates the potential useof laser technology as an alternate means to create the microfracture holes. Lasers investigated in this study include an erbium:YAG laser (λ = 2.94 μm), titanium:sapphire femtosecond laser system (λ = 1700 nm), and Nd:glass femtosecond laser (λ = 1053 nm). Bovine samples were ablated at fluences of 8 to 18 J∕cm2 with the erbium:YAG laser, at a power of 300 ± 15 mW with the titanium:sapphire femtosecond system, and at an energy of 3 μJ∕pulse with the Nd:glass laser. Samples were digitally photographed and histological sections were taken for analysis. The erbium:YAG laser is capable of fast and efficient ablation; specimen treated with fluences of 12 and 18 J∕cm2 experienced significant amounts of bone removal and minimal carbonization with saline hydration. The femtosecond laser systems successfully removed cartilage but not clinically significant amounts of bone. Precise tissue removal was possible but not to substantial depths due to limitations of the systems. With additional studies and development, the use of femtosecond laser systems to ablate bone may be achieved at clinically valuable ablation rates.

Direct writing of 150 nm gratings and squares on ZnO crystal in water by using 800 nm femtosecond laser.

PubMed

Liu, Jukun; Jia, Tianqing; Zhou, Kan; Feng, Donghai; Zhang, Shian; Zhang, Hongxin; Jia, Xin; Sun, Zhenrong; Qiu, Jianrong

2014-12-29

We present a controllable fabrication of nanogratings and nanosquares on the surface of ZnO crystal in water based on femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). The formation of nanogrooves depends on both laser fluence and writing speed. A single groove with width less than 40 nm and double grooves with distance of 150 nm have been produced by manipulating 800 nm femtosecond laser fluence. Nanogratings with period of 150 nm, 300 nm and 1000 nm, and nanosquares with dimensions of 150 × 150 nm² were fabricated by using this direct femtosecond laser writing technique.

Erbium:ytterbium fiber-laser system delivering watt-level femtosecond pulses using divided pulse amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herda, Robert; Zach, Armin

2015-03-01

We present an Erbium:Ytterbium codoped fiber-amplifer system based on Divided-Pulses-Amplification (DPA) for ultrashort pulses. The output from a saturable-absorber mode-locked polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber oscillator is amplified in a PM normal-dispersion Erbium-doped fiber. After this stage the pulses are positively chirped and have a duration of 2.0 ps at an average power of 93 mW. A stack of 5 birefringent Yttrium-Vanadate crystals divides these pulses 32 times. We amplify these pulses using a double-clad Erbium:Ytterbium codoped fiber pumped through a multimode fiber combiner. The pulses double pass the amplifier and recombine in the crystals using non-reciprocal polarization 90° rotation by a Faraday rotating mirror. Pulses with a duration of 144 fs are obtained after separation from the input beam using a polarizing beam splitter cube. These pulses have an average power of 1.85 W at a repetition rate of 80 MHz. The generation of femtosecond pulses directly from the amplifier was enabled by a positively chirped seed pulse, normally dispersive Yttrium-Vanadate crystals, and anomalously dispersive amplifier fibers. Efficient frequency doubling to 780 nm with an average power of 725 mW and a pulse duration of 156 fs is demonstrated. In summary we show a DPA setup that enables the generation of femtosecond pulses at watt-level at 1560 nm without the need for further external dechirping and demonstrate a good pulse quality by efficient frequency doubling. Due to the use of PM fiber components and a Faraday rotator the setup is environmentally stable.

Femtosecond pulse inscription of a selective mode filter in large mode area fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krämer, Ria G.; Voigtländer, Christian; Freier, Erik; Liem, Andreas; Thomas, Jens U.; Richter, Daniel; Schreiber, Thomas; Tünnermann, Andreas; Nolte, Stefan

2013-02-01

We present a selective mode filter inscribed with ultrashort pulses directly into a few mode large mode area (LMA) fiber. The mode filter consists of two refractive index modifications alongside the fiber core in the cladding. The refractive index modifications, which were of approximately the same order of magnitude as the refractive index difference between core and cladding have been inscribed by nonlinear absorption of femtosecond laser pulses (800 nm wavelength, 120 fs pulse duration). If light is guided in the core, it will interact with the inscribed modifications causing modes to be coupled out of the core. In order to characterize the mode filter, we used a femtosecond inscribed fiber Bragg grating (FBG), which acts as a wavelength and therefore mode selective element in the LMA fiber. Since each mode has different Bragg reflection wavelengths, an FBG in a multimode fiber will exhibit multiple Bragg reflection peaks. In our experiments, we first inscribed the FBG using the phase mask scanning technique. Then the mode filter was inscribed. The reflection spectrum of the FBG was measured in situ during the inscription process using a supercontinuum source. The reflectivities of the LP01 and LP11 modes show a dependency on the length of the mode filter. Two stages of the filter were obtained: one, in which the LP11 mode was reduced by 60% and one where the LP01 mode was reduced by 80%. The other mode respectively showed almost no losses. In conclusion, we could selectively filter either the fundamental or higher order modes.

Inertial fusion program and national laser users facility program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1995-01-01

This is the 1994 annual report for the University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics. The report is presented as a series of research type reports. The titles emphasize the breadth of work carried out. They are: stability analysis of unsteady ablation fronts; characterization of laser-produced plasma density profiles using grid image refractometry; transport and sound waves in plasmas with light and heavy ions; three-halves-harmonic radiation from long-scale-length plasmas revisited; OMEGA upgrade status report; target imaging and backlighting diagnosis; effect of electron collisions on ion-acoustic waves and heat flow; particle-in-cell code simulations of the interaction of gaussian ultrashort laser pulses with targets of varying initial scale lengths; characterization of thick cryogenic fuel layers: compensation for the lens effect using convergent beam interferometry; compact, multijoule-output, Nd:Glass, large-aperture ring amplifier; atomic force microscopy observation of water-induced morphological changes in Y2O3 monolayer coatings; observation of longitudinal acceleration of electrons born in a high-intensity laser focus; spatial intensity nonuniformities of an OMEGA beam due to nonlinear beam propagation; calculated X-ray backlighting images of mixed imploded targets; evaluation of cosmic rays for use in the monitoring of the MEDUSA scintillator-photomultiplier diagnostic array; highly efficient second-harmonic generation of ultra-intense Nd:Glass laser pulses multiple cutoff wave numbers of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability; ultrafast, all-silicon light modulator; angular dependence of the stimulated Brillouin scattering in homogeneous plasma; and femtosecond excited-state dynamics of a conjugated ladder polymer.

Laser induced local modification of magnetic domain in Co/Pt multilayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talapatra, A.; Mohanty, J.

2016-11-01

Manipulation of magnetic system by the use of laser has drawn the attention of contemporary research. We demonstrate here the modification of magnetic domain in perpendicularly magnetized Co/Pt multilayer by using ultrashort laser pulse. The as-prepared sample shows an out-of-plane saturation magnetic field of 803.4 mT and almost zero remanence with a labyrinth-like domain pattern at room temperature. Atomistic simulation showed that interaction with femto-second laser results in demagnetization of the material in 200 fs followed by a slower recovery. As it indicates a net loss in magnetization, so magnetic force microscopy is carried out to investigate the equilibrium state after the system is relaxed. Demagnetized random domains appeared at the centre of the laser spot with having a rim at the boundary which signifies a deterministic switching with respect to the neighbouring area. Rotation of domains at the central area with the application of small transverse field (100 mT) proves the region to be magnetically weaker. Systematic 3D micromagnetic simulation has been performed to model the laser induced change by selective reduction of anisotropy which is discussed in detail. This shows shrinking of domains to a near circular pattern to minimize the magnetostatic energy. 50% reduction in anisotropy energy is observed with increasing the total energy of the system and a sharp increase in demagnetization energy also takes place simultaneously. This also satisfies the anisotropy in domain rotation with the application of transverse field.

Concurrence of monoenergetic electron beams and bright X-rays from an evolving laser-plasma bubble

PubMed Central

Yan, Wenchao; Chen, Liming; Li, Dazhang; Zhang, Lu; Hafz, Nasr A. M.; Dunn, James; Ma, Yong; Huang, Kai; Su, Luning; Chen, Min; Sheng, Zhengming; Zhang, Jie

2014-01-01

Desktop laser plasma acceleration has proven to be able to generate gigaelectronvolt-level quasi-monoenergetic electron beams. Moreover, such electron beams can oscillate transversely (wiggling motion) in the laser-produced plasma bubble/channel and emit collimated ultrashort X-ray flashes known as betatron radiation with photon energy ranging from kiloelectronvolts to megaelectronvolts. This implies that usually one cannot obtain bright betatron X-rays and high-quality electron beams with low emittance and small energy spread simultaneously in the same accelerating wave bucket. Here, we report the first (to our knowledge) experimental observation of two distinct electron bunches in a single laser shot, one featured with quasi-monoenergetic spectrum and another with continuous spectrum along with large emittance. The latter is able to generate high-flux betatron X-rays. Such is observed only when the laser self-guiding is extended over 4 mm at a fixed plasma density (4 × 1018 cm−3). Numerical simulation reveals that two bunches of electrons are injected at different stages due to the bubble evolution. The first bunch is injected at the beginning to form a stable quasi-monoenergetic electron beam, whereas the second one is injected later due to the oscillation of the bubble size as a result of the change of the laser spot size during the propagation. Due to the inherent temporal synchronization, this unique electron–photon source can be ideal for pump–probe applications with femtosecond time resolution. PMID:24711405

JPRS Report, Science & Technology USSR: Physics & Mathematics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-09

Transient Ablation of Polymers by Ultrashort Laser Pulses [N.P. Furzikov; KVANTOVAYA ELEKTRONIKA, Vol 17 No 5, May 90] 14 Monokinetization of Atom...thermo-e.m.f. was found to depend not only linearly on the energy of laser pulses and the intensity of laser radiation, but also on the absorption... Ultrashort Laser Pulses 907J0090E Moscow KVANTOVAYA ELEKTRONIKA in Russian Vol 17 No 5, May 90 pp 619-620 [Article by N.P. Furzikov, Scientific

Theoretical modeling and experiments on a DBR waveguide laser fabricated by the femtosecond laser direct-write technique.

PubMed

Duan, Yuwen; McKay, Aaron; Jovanovic, Nemanja; Ams, Martin; Marshall, Graham D; Steel, M J; Withford, Michael J

2013-07-29

We present a model for a Yb-doped distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) waveguide laser fabricated in phosphate glass using the femtosecond laser direct-write technique. The model gives emphasis to transverse integrals to investigate the energy distribution in a homogenously doped glass, which is an important feature of femtosecond laser inscribed waveguide lasers (WGLs). The model was validated with experiments comparing a DBR WGL and a fiber laser, and then used to study the influence of distributed rare earth dopants on the performance of such lasers. Approximately 15% of the pump power was absorbed by the doped "cladding" in the femtosecond laser inscribed Yb doped WGL case with the length of 9.8 mm. Finally, we used the model to determine the parameters that optimize the laser output such as the waveguide length, output coupler reflectivity and refractive index contrast.

Femtosecond laser eye surgery: the first clinical experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhasz, Tibor; Kurtz, Ron M.; Horvath, Christopher; Suarez, Carlos G.; Nordan, Lee; Slade, Steven

2002-04-01

A brief review of commercial applications of femtosecond lasers in a clinical setting with emphasis on applications to corneal surgery is presented. The first clinical results of 208 procedures conducted from June to November 2000 is reported. The results show that femtosecond lasers may be safely used as keratome for use in LASIK procedures.

Involvement of small carbon clusters in the enhancement of high-order harmonic generation of ultrashort pulses in the plasmas produced during ablation of carbon-contained nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeev, R. A.

2017-09-01

Various carbon-based nanoparticles ablated at the conditions suitable for efficient harmonic generation during propagation of ultrashort pulses through the laser-produced plasmas were studied. The transmission electron microscopy of ablated debris and the time-of-flight mass-spectroscopy studies of plasmas are presented. The conditions of laser ablation of the carbon-contained nanoparticles (fullerenes, graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, and diamond nanoparticles) were varied to define the impeding processes restricting the harmonic yield from such laser-produced plasmas. These studies show that the enhancement of harmonics during ablation of nanoparticle targets was related with the appearance of small carbon clusters at the moment of propagation of the ultrashort laser pulses though such plasmas.

Polarized micro-Raman studies of femtosecond laser written stress-induced optical waveguides in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotillo, B.; Chiappini, A.; Bharadwaj, V.; Hadden, J. P.; Bosia, F.; Olivero, P.; Ferrari, M.; Ramponi, R.; Barclay, P. E.; Eaton, S. M.

2018-01-01

Understanding the physical mechanisms of the refractive index modulation induced by femtosecond laser writing is crucial for tailoring the properties of the resulting optical waveguides. In this work, we apply polarized Raman spectroscopy to study the origin of stress-induced waveguides in diamond, produced by femtosecond laser writing. The change in the refractive index induced by the femtosecond laser in the crystal is derived from the measured stress in the waveguides. The results help to explain the waveguide polarization sensitive guiding mechanism, as well as provide a technique for their optimization.

TiOx-based thin-film transistors prepared by femtosecond laser pre-annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Fei; Kim, Sung-Jin

2018-02-01

We report on thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on titanium oxide (TiOx) prepared using femtosecond laser pre-annealing for electrical application of n-type channel oxide transparent TFTs. Amorphous TFTs using TiOx semiconductors as an active layer have a low-temperature process and show remarkable electrical performance. And the femtosecond laser pre-annealing process has greater flexibility and development space for semiconductor production activity, with a fast preparation method. TFTs with a TiOx semiconductor pre-annealed via femtosecond laser at 3 W have a pinhole-free and smooth surface without crystal grains.

Reduction of protection from laser eyewear with ultrashort exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolarski, David J.; Stolarski, Jacob; Noojin, Gary D.; Rockwell, Benjamin A.; Thomas, Robert J.

2001-07-01

We have measured the optical density of various laser eye protection samples as a function of increasing irradiance. We show that the protective quality of some eyewear degrades as irradiance increases. In previous studies this problem has been demonstrated in samples irradiated by nanosecond pulses, but the current study shows that the modern laser eye protection seems to be robust except for the irradiance possible with ultrashort laser pulse exposure. We discuss the most likely saturation mechanisms in this pulse duration regime and discuss relevance to laser safety.

1997 Technical Digest Series. Volume 7: Applications of High Field and Short Wavelength Sources VII

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-03-01

clusters irradiated with ultrashort , high intensity laser pulses can exhibit "ionization ig- nition" which leads...8, 9]. 25-atom Ne clusters and 25-atom Ar clusters are modelled as irradiated by a 800 nm, 15 fs (fwhm) laser pulse with peak intensities ranging...Measurements of the spatial and spectral properties of ultrashort , intense laser pulses propagating in underdense plasmas demonstrate

Influence of effective number of pulses on the morphological structure of teeth and bovine femur after femtosecond laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolodelli, Gustavo; de Fátima Zanirato Lizarelli, Rosane; Salvador Bagnato, Vanderlei

2012-04-01

Femtosecond lasers have been widely used in laser surgery as an instrument for contact-free tissue removal of hard dental, restorative materials, and osseous tissues, complementing conventional drilling or cutting tools. In order to obtain a laser system that provides an ablation efficiency comparable to mechanical instruments, the laser pulse rate must be maximal without causing thermal damage. The aim of this study was to compare the different morphological characteristics of the hard tissue after exposure to lasers operating in the femtosecond pulse regime. Two different kinds of samples were irradiated: dentin from human extracted teeth and bovine femur samples. Different procedures were applied, while paying special care to preserving the structures. The incubation factor S was calculated to be 0.788+/-0.004 for the bovine femur bone. These results indicate that the incubation effect is still substantial during the femtosecond laser ablation of hard tissues. The plasma-induced ablation has reduced side effects, i.e., we observe less thermal and mechanical damage when using a superficial femtosecond laser irradiation close to the threshold conditions. In the femtosecond regime, the morphology characteristics of the cavity were strongly influenced by the change of the effective number of pulses.

Morphologic features and surgically induced astigmatism of femtosecond laser versus manual clear corneal incisions.

PubMed

Zhu, Sha; Qu, Naibin; Wang, Wei; Zhu, Yanan; Shentu, Xingchao; Chen, Peiqing; Xu, Wen; Yao, Ke

2017-11-01

To compare the morphologic features and surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) between laser and manual clear corneal incisions (CCIs) after femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery. Eye Center, 2nd Affiliated Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Prospective case series. Patients had femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery with a CCI created with the laser or manually after random allocation. The corrected distance visual acuity, corneal topography, and anterior segment optical coherence tomography were assessed at the 1-day, 1-week, 1-month, and 3-month follow-ups. The laser CCI group comprised 45 eyes and the manual CCI group, 48 eyes. The SIA was significantly lower in the manual CCI group than the laser CCI group at all visits (P < .05). At the 1-day and 1-week follow-ups, the mean CCI thickness was significantly smaller in the manual CCI group (P < .05). In the laser CCI group, the perpendicular linear distance between the external wound opening and the corneal vertex central line was statistically shorter than in the manual CCI group (P < .05). At 3 months, the SIA was correlated with the perpendicular linear distance with a Pearson correlation coefficient of -0.341 (P = .001). Femtosecond laser-created CCIs for cataract surgery caused more SIA than manually created CCIs, which could have resulted from inaccurate or uncertain corneal incision positioning of the femtosecond machine. Manual creation of CCIs is recommended in femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery until the locating system for the femtosecond laser incision is updated. Copyright © 2017 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mapping and controlling ultrafast dynamics of highly excited H 2 molecules by VUV-IR pump-probe schemes

DOE PAGES

Sturm, F. P.; Tong, X. M.; Palacios, A.; ...

2017-01-09

Here, we used ultrashort femtosecond vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and infrared (IR) pulses in a pump-probe scheme to map the dynamics and nonequilibrium dissociation channels of excited neutral H 2 molecules. A nuclear wave packet is created in the B 1Σmore » $$+\\atop{u}$$ state of the neutral H 2 molecule by absorption of the ninth harmonic of the driving infrared laser field. Due to the large stretching amplitude of the molecule excited in the B 1Σ$$+\\atop{u}$$ electronic state, the effective H 2 + ionization potential changes significantly as the nuclear wave packet vibrates in the bound, highly electronically and vibrationally excited B potential-energy curve. We probed such dynamics by ionizing the excited neutral molecule using time-delayed VUV-or-IR radiation. We identified the nonequilibrium dissociation channels by utilizing three-dimensional momentum imaging of the ion fragments. We also found that different dissociation channels can be controlled, to some extent, by changing the IR laser intensity and by choosing the wavelength of the probe laser light. Furthermore, we concluded that even in a benchmark molecular system such as H 2*, the interpretation of the nonequilibrium multiphoton and multicolor ionization processes is still a challenging task, requiring intricate theoretical analysis.« less

Nanoscale femtosecond imaging of transient hot solid density plasmas with elemental and charge state sensitivity using resonant coherent diffraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kluge, T., E-mail: t.kluge@hzdr.de; Bussmann, M.; Huang, L. G., E-mail: lingen.huang@hzdr.de

Here, we propose to exploit the low energy bandwidth, small wavelength, and penetration power of ultrashort pulses from XFELs for resonant Small Angle Scattering (SAXS) on plasma structures in laser excited plasmas. Small angle scattering allows to detect nanoscale density fluctuations in forward scattering direction. Typically, the SAXS signal from laser excited plasmas is expected to be dominated by the free electron distribution. We propose that the ionic scattering signal becomes visible when the X-ray energy is in resonance with an electron transition between two bound states (resonant coherent X-ray diffraction). In this case, the scattering cross-section dramatically increases somore » that the signal of X-ray scattering from ions silhouettes against the free electron scattering background which allows to measure the opacity and derived quantities with high spatial and temporal resolution, being fundamentally limited only by the X-ray wavelength and timing. Deriving quantities such as ion spatial distribution, charge state distribution, and plasma temperature with such high spatial and temporal resolution will make a vast number of processes in shortpulse laser-solid interaction accessible for direct experimental observation, e.g., hole-boring and shock propagation, filamentation and instability dynamics, electron transport, heating, and ultrafast ionization dynamics.« less

Focusing X-ray free-electron laser pulses using Kirkpatrick-Baez mirrors at the NCI hutch of the PAL-XFEL.

PubMed

Kim, Jangwoo; Kim, Hyo Yun; Park, Jaehyun; Kim, Sangsoo; Kim, Sunam; Rah, Seungyu; Lim, Jun; Nam, Ki Hyun

2018-01-01

The Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free-Electron Laser (PAL-XFEL) is a recently commissioned X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facility that provides intense ultrashort X-ray pulses based on the self-amplified spontaneous emission process. The nano-crystallography and coherent imaging (NCI) hutch with forward-scattering geometry is located at the hard X-ray beamline of the PAL-XFEL and provides opportunities to perform serial femtosecond crystallography and coherent X-ray diffraction imaging. To produce intense high-density XFEL pulses at the interaction positions between the X-rays and various samples, a microfocusing Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) mirror system that includes an ultra-precision manipulator has been developed. In this paper, the design of a KB mirror system that focuses the hard XFEL beam onto a fixed sample point of the NCI hutch, which is positioned along the hard XFEL beamline, is described. The focusing system produces a two-dimensional focusing beam at approximately 2 µm scale across the 2-11 keV photon energy range. XFEL pulses of 9.7 keV energy were successfully focused onto an area of size 1.94 µm × 2.08 µm FWHM.

Use of near infrared femtosecond lasers as sub-micron radiation microbeam for cell DNA damage and repair studies.

PubMed

Botchway, S W; Reynolds, P; Parker, A W; O'Neill, P

2010-01-01

Laser induced radiation microbeam technology for radiobiology research is undergoing rapid growth because of the increased availability and ease of use of femtosecond laser sources. The main processes involved are multiphoton absorption and/or plasma formation. The high peak powers these lasers generate make them ideal tools for depositing sub-micrometer size radiant energy within a region of a living cell nucleus to activate ionising and/or photochemically driven processes. The technique allows questions relating to the effects of low doses of radiation, the propagation and treatment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and repair in individual live cells as well as non-targeted cell to cell effects to be addressed. This mini-review focuses on the use of near infrared (NIR) ca. 800nm radiation to induce damage that is radically different from the early and subsequent ultraviolet microbeam techniques. Ultrafast pulsed NIR instrumentation has many benefits including the ability to eliminate issues of unspecific UV absorption by the many materials prevalent within cells. The multiphoton interaction volume also permits energy deposition beyond the diffraction limit. Work has established that the fundamental process of the damage induced by the ultrashort laser pulses is different to those induced from continuous wave light sources. Pioneering work has demonstrated that NIR laser microbeam radiation can mimic ionising radiation via multiphoton absorption within the 3D femtolitre volume of the highly focused Gaussian beam. This light-matter interaction phenomenon provides a novel optical microbeam probe for mimicking both complex ionising and UV radiation-type cell damage including double strand breaks (DSBs) and base damage. A further advantage of the pulsed laser technique is that it provides further scope for time-resolved experiments. Recently the NIR laser microbeam technique has been used to investigate the recruitment of repair proteins to the sub-micrometre size area of damage in viable cells using both immuno-fluorescent staining of gamma-H2AX (a marker for DSBs) and real-time imaging of GFP-labelled repair proteins including ATM, p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1), RAD51 and Ku 70/80 to elucidate the interaction of the two DNA DSB repair pathways, homologous recombination and the non-homologous end joining pathway. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3D laser printing by ultra-short laser pulses for micro-optical applications: towards telecom wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Meguya; Mizeikis, Vygantas; Morikawa, Junko; Magallanes, Hernando; Brasselet, Etienne; Varapnickas, Simonas; Malinauskas, Mangirdas; Juodkazis, Saulius

2017-08-01

Three dimensional (3D) fast (< 0.5 hour) printing of micro-optical elements down to sub-wavelength resolution over 100 μm footprint areas using femtosecond (fs-)laser oscillator is presented. Using sub-1 nJ pulse energies, optical vortex generators made of polymerised grating segments with an azimuthally changing orientation have been fabricated in SZ2080 resist; width of polymerised rods was 150 nm and period 0.6-1 μm. Detailed phase retardance analysis was carried out manually with Berek compensator (under a white light illumination) and using an equivalent principle by an automated Abrio implementation at 546 nm. Direct experimental measurements of retardance was required since the period of the grating was comparable (or larger) than the wavelength of visible light. By gold sputtering, transmissive optical vortex generators were turned into reflective ones with augmented retardance, Δn × h defined by the form birefringence, Δn, and the height h = 2d where d is the thickness of the polymerised structure. Retardance reached 315 nm as measured with Berek compensator at visible wavelengths. Birefringent phase delays of π (or λ/2 in wavelength) required for high purity vortex generators can be made based on the proposed approach. Optical vortex generators for telecom wavelengths with sub-wavelength patterns of azimuthally oriented gratings are amenable by direct laser polymerisation.

Fundamental mechanisms of laser damage of dielectric crystals by ultrashort pulse: ionization dynamics for the Keldysh model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruzdev, Vitaly

2014-12-01

Laser-induced ionization is a major process that initiates and drives the initial stages of laser-induced damage (LID) of high-quality transparent solids. The ionization and its contribution to LID are characterized in terms of the time-dependent ionization rate and conduction-band electron density. Considering femtosecond pulses of various durations (from 35 to 706 fs) and variable peak irradiances (from 0.01 to 60 TW/cm2), we use a single-rate equation to simulate time variations of conduction-band electron density and rates of the photoionization and impact ionization. The photoionization rate is evaluated with the Keldysh equation. At low irradiance, the electron density and total ionization rate demonstrate power scaling characteristic of multiphoton ionization. With the increase of irradiance, there is observed a saturation of the photoionization rate due to photoionization suppression by the Keldysh-type singularity during the increase in the number of simultaneously absorbed photons by 1. A striking result is that the saturation is followed by a stepwise transition from the ionization regime which is completely dominated by the photoionization to a regime totally dominated by the impact ionization. The transition results in the increase of the electron density by a few orders of magnitude induced by a variation of peak laser irradiance by about 15% to 20%. The physical effects that are involved are discussed.

Hawking radiation from ultrashort laser pulse filaments.

PubMed

Belgiorno, F; Cacciatori, S L; Clerici, M; Gorini, V; Ortenzi, G; Rizzi, L; Rubino, E; Sala, V G; Faccio, D

2010-11-12

Event horizons of astrophysical black holes and gravitational analogues have been predicted to excite the quantum vacuum and give rise to the emission of quanta, known as Hawking radiation. We experimentally create such a gravitational analogue using ultrashort laser pulse filaments and our measurements demonstrate a spontaneous emission of photons that confirms theoretical predictions.

Studies of Inactivation Mechanism of non-enveloped icosahedral viruses by a visible ultrashort pulsed laser

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The inactivation mechanism of ultrashort pulsed laser irradiation at a wavelength of 425 nm has been studied using two different-sized, non-enveloped icosahedral viruses, murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1) and human papillomavirus-16 (HPV-16) pseudovirions. Our experimental results are consistent with a mo...

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery in anterior lenticonus due to Alport syndrome.

PubMed

Barnes, Alexander C; Roth, Allen S

2017-06-01

We describe a case of bilateral anterior lenticonus in a patient with Alport syndrome treated with femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). FLACS was performed without complication, and a desirable postoperative visual acuity was achieved. Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery is an effective approach for managing patients with anterior lenticonus secondary to Alport syndrome.

Preclinical investigations of articular cartilage ablation with femtosecond and pulsed infrared lasers as an alternative to microfracture surgery

PubMed Central

Su, Erica; Sun, Hui; Juhasz, Tibor; Wong, Brian J. F.

2014-01-01

Abstract. Microfracture surgery is a bone marrow stimulation technique for treating cartilage defects and injuries in the knee. Current methods rely on surgical skill and instrumentation. This study investigates the potential use of laser technology as an alternate means to create the microfracture holes. Lasers investigated in this study include an erbium:YAG laser (λ=2.94  μm), titanium:sapphire femtosecond laser system (λ=1700  nm), and Nd:glass femtosecond laser (λ=1053  nm). Bovine samples were ablated at fluences of 8 to 18  J/cm2 with the erbium:YAG laser, at a power of 300±15  mW with the titanium:sapphire femtosecond system, and at an energy of 3  μJ/pulse with the Nd:glass laser. Samples were digitally photographed and histological sections were taken for analysis. The erbium:YAG laser is capable of fast and efficient ablation; specimen treated with fluences of 12 and 18  J/cm2 experienced significant amounts of bone removal and minimal carbonization with saline hydration. The femtosecond laser systems successfully removed cartilage but not clinically significant amounts of bone. Precise tissue removal was possible but not to substantial depths due to limitations of the systems. With additional studies and development, the use of femtosecond laser systems to ablate bone may be achieved at clinically valuable ablation rates. PMID:25200394

Cox proportional hazards model of myopic regression for laser in situ keratomileusis flap creation with a femtosecond laser and with a mechanical microkeratome.

PubMed

Lin, Meng-Yin; Chang, David C K; Hsu, Wen-Ming; Wang, I-Jong

2012-06-01

To compare predictive factors for postoperative myopic regression between laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with a femtosecond laser and LASIK with a mechanical microkeratome. Nobel Eye Clinic, Taipei, Taiwan. Retrospective comparative study. Refractive outcomes were recorded 1 day, 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after LASIK. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the impact of the 2 flap-creating methods and other covariates on postoperative myopic regression. The femtosecond group comprised 409 eyes and the mechanical microkeratome group, 377 eyes. For both methods, significant predictors for myopic regression after LASIK included preoperative manifest spherical equivalent (P=.0001) and central corneal thickness (P=.027). Laser in situ keratomileusis with a mechanical microkeratome had a higher probability of postoperative myopic regression than LASIK with a femtosecond laser (P=.0002). After adjusting for other covariates in the Cox proportional hazards model, the cumulative risk for myopic regression with a mechanical microkeratome was higher than with a femtosecond laser 12 months postoperatively (P=.0002). With the definition of myopic regression as a myopic shift of 0.50 diopter (D) or more and residual myopia of -0.50 D or less, the risk estimate based on the mean covariates in all eyes in the femtosecond group and mechanical microkeratome group at 12 months was 43.6% and 66.9%, respectively. Laser in situ keratomileusis with a mechanical microkeratome had a higher risk for myopic regression than LASIK with a femtosecond laser through 12 months postoperatively. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Correlation between anterior chamber characteristics and laser flare photometry immediately after femtosecond laser treatment before phacoemulsification

PubMed Central

Pahlitzsch, M; Torun, N; Pahlitzsch, M L; Klamann, M K J; Gonnermann, J; Bertelmann, E; Pahlitzsch, T

2016-01-01

Purpose To assess the anterior chamber (AC) characteristics and its correlation to laser flare photometry immediately after femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy and photodisruption. Patients and methods The study included 97 cataract eyes (n=97, mean age 68.6 years) undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). Three cohorts were analysed relating to the flare photometry directly post femtosecond laser treatment (flare <100 n=28, 69.6±7 years; flare 100–249 n=47, 67.7±8 years; flare >249 photon counts per ms cohort n=22, 68.5±10 years). Flare photometry (KOWA FM-700), corneal topography (Oculus Pentacam, Germany: AC depth, volume, angle, pachymetry), axial length, pupil diameter, and endothelial cells were assessed before FLACS, immediately after femtosecond laser treatment and 1 day postoperative (LenSx Alcon, USA). Statistical data were analysed by SPSS v19.0, Inc. Results The AC depth, AC volume, AC angle, central and thinnest corneal thickness showed a significant difference between flare <100 vs flare 100–249 10 min post femtosecond laser procedure (P=0.002, P=0.023, P=0.007, P=0.003, P=0.011, respectively). The AC depth, AC volume, and AC angle were significantly larger (P=0.001, P=0.007, P=0.003, respectively) in the flare <100 vs flare >249 cohort 10 min post femtosecond laser treatment. Conclusions A flat AC, low AC volume, and a narrow AC angle were parameters associated with higher intraocular inflammation. These criteria could be used for patient selection in FLACS to reduce postoperative intraocular inflammation. PMID:27229702

Correlation between anterior chamber characteristics and laser flare photometry immediately after femtosecond laser treatment before phacoemulsification.

PubMed

Pahlitzsch, M; Torun, N; Pahlitzsch, M L; Klamann, M K J; Gonnermann, J; Bertelmann, E; Pahlitzsch, T

2016-08-01

PurposeTo assess the anterior chamber (AC) characteristics and its correlation to laser flare photometry immediately after femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy and photodisruption.Patients and methodsThe study included 97 cataract eyes (n=97, mean age 68.6 years) undergoing femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS). Three cohorts were analysed relating to the flare photometry directly post femtosecond laser treatment (flare <100 n=28, 69.6±7 years; flare 100-249 n=47, 67.7±8 years; flare >249 photon counts per ms cohort n=22, 68.5±10 years). Flare photometry (KOWA FM-700), corneal topography (Oculus Pentacam, Germany: AC depth, volume, angle, pachymetry), axial length, pupil diameter, and endothelial cells were assessed before FLACS, immediately after femtosecond laser treatment and 1 day postoperative (LenSx Alcon, USA). Statistical data were analysed by SPSS v19.0, Inc.ResultsThe AC depth, AC volume, AC angle, central and thinnest corneal thickness showed a significant difference between flare <100 vs flare 100-249 10 min post femtosecond laser procedure (P=0.002, P=0.023, P=0.007, P=0.003, P=0.011, respectively). The AC depth, AC volume, and AC angle were significantly larger (P=0.001, P=0.007, P=0.003, respectively) in the flare <100 vs flare >249 cohort 10 min post femtosecond laser treatment.ConclusionsA flat AC, low AC volume, and a narrow AC angle were parameters associated with higher intraocular inflammation. These criteria could be used for patient selection in FLACS to reduce postoperative intraocular inflammation.

Laser parameters, focusing optics, and side effects in femtosecond laser corneal surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plamann, Karsten; Nuzzo, Valeria; Peyrot, Donald A.; Deloison, Florent; Savoldelli, Michèle; Legeais, Jean-Marc

2008-02-01

Nowadays, femtosecond lasers are routinely used in refractive eye surgery. Until recently, commercialised clinical systems were exclusively based on ytterbium or neodymium-doped solid state lasers emitting sub-picosecond pulses at a wavelength of about 1 μm and repetition rates of a few 10 kHz. These systems use pulse energies in the μJ range and focussing optics of NA = 0.3 to 0.5. Recent developments have provided a variety of alternative and equally viable approaches: systems are now available using nJ pulses at high numerical apertures and MHz repetition rates - an approach so far only used for femtosecond cell surgery - and fibre laser technology is now being used for femtosecond laser corneal surgery. Recent research has also provided more insight in side effects occurring in present systems: self focusing phenomena and so far unexplained periodical structures have been observed even at high numerical apertures (NA >> 0.5) and moderate pulse energies. The interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with strongly scattering tissue has been studied in view of extending the application of femtosecond lasers to keratoplasty for opaque corneas and to glaucoma surgery. The use of new laser wavelengths and adaptive optics has been proposed. Despite the reputation of femtosecond surgical systems for their precision, repeatability and the absence of secondary effects or complications, a closer examination reveals the presence of subtle phenomena which merit further investigation. We present three of these phenomena: the influence of optical aberration on the quality of the incision, the occurrence of filamentation effects, and the deposit of microscopic glass fragments when performing penetrating incisions.

High incidence of rainbow glare after femtosecond laser assisted-LASIK using the upgraded FS200 femtosecond laser.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Chen, Yue-Guo

2018-03-05

To compare the incidence of rainbow glare (RG) after femtosecond laser assisted-LASIK (FS-LASIK) using the upgraded FS200 femtosecond laser with different flap cut parameter settings. A consecutive series of 129 patients (255 eyes) who underwent FS-LASIK for correcting myopia and/or astigmatism using upgraded WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser with the original settings was included in group A. Another consecutive series of 129 patients (255 eyes) who underwent FS-LASIK using upgraded WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser with flap cut parameter settings changed (decreased pulse energy, spot and line separation) was included in group B. The incidence and fading time of RG, confocal microscopic image and postoperative clinical results were compared between the two groups. There were no differences between the two groups in age, baseline refraction, excimer laser ablation depth, postoperative uncorrected visual acuity and refraction. The incidence rate of RG in group A (35/255, 13.73%) was significantly higher than that in group B (4/255, 1.57%) (P < 0.05). The median fading time was 3 months in group A and 1 month in group B (P > 0.05).The confocal microscopic images showed wider laser spot spacing in group A than group B. The incidence of RG was significantly correlated with age and grouping (P < 0.05). The upgraded FS200 femtosecond laser with original flap cut parameter settings could increase the incidence of RG. The narrower grating size and lower pulse energy could ameliorate this side effect.

The time resolved measurement of ultrashort terahertz-band electric fields without an ultrashort probe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walsh, D. A., E-mail: david.walsh@stfc.ac.uk; Snedden, E. W.; Jamison, S. P.

The time-resolved detection of ultrashort pulsed THz-band electric field temporal profiles without an ultrashort laser probe is demonstrated. A non-linear interaction between a narrow-bandwidth optical probe and the THz pulse transposes the THz spectral intensity and phase information to the optical region, thereby generating an optical pulse whose temporal electric field envelope replicates the temporal profile of the real THz electric field. This optical envelope is characterised via an autocorrelation based FROG (frequency resolved optical gating) measurement, hence revealing the THz temporal profile. The combination of a narrow-bandwidth, long duration, optical probe, and self-referenced FROG makes the technique inherently immunemore » to timing jitter between the optical probe and THz pulse and may find particular application where the THz field is not initially generated via ultrashort laser methods, such as the measurement of longitudinal electron bunch profiles in particle accelerators.« less

Monolithic hybrid optics for focusing ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, U.

2014-03-01

Almost any application of ultrashort laser pulses involves focusing them in order to reach high intensities and/or small spot sizes as needed for micro-machining or Femto-LASIK. Hence, it is indispensable to be able to understand pulse front distortion caused by real world optics. Focusing causes pulse front distortion due to aberrations, dispersion and diffraction. Thus, the spatio-temporal profile of ultrashort laser is altered, which increases automatically the pulse duration and the focusing spot. Consequently, the main advantage of having ultrashort laser pulses - pulse durations way below 100 fs - can be lost in that one last step of the experimental set-up by focusing them unfavorable. Since compensating for dispersion, aberration and diffraction effects is quite complicated and not always possible, we pursue a different approach. We present a specially designed monolithic hybrid optics comprising refraction and diffraction effects for tight spatial and temporal focusing of ultrashort laser pulses. Both aims can be put into practice by having a high numerical aperture (NA = 0.35) and low internal dispersion at the same time. The focusing properties are very promising, due to a design, which provides diffraction limited focusing for 100 nm bandwidth at 780 nm center wavelength. Thus, pulses with durations as short as 10 fs can be focused without pulse front distortion. The outstanding performance of this optics is shown in theory and experimentally. Above that, such focusing optics are easily adapted to their special purpose - changing the center wavelength, achromatic bandwidth or even correcting for focusing into material is possible.

Regular subwavelength surface structures induced by femtosecond laser pulses on stainless steel.

PubMed

Qi, Litao; Nishii, Kazuhiro; Namba, Yoshiharu

2009-06-15

In this research, we studied the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures on the stainless steel surface using femtosecond laser pulses. A 780 nm wavelength femtosecond laser, through a 0.2 mm pinhole aperture for truncating fluence distribution, was focused onto the stainless steel surface. Under different experimental condition, low-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures with a period of 526 nm and high-spatial-frequency laser-induced periodic surface structures with a period of 310 nm were obtained. The mechanism of the formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures on the stainless steel surface is discussed.

Femtosecond laser irradiation of olivine single crystals: Experimental simulation of space weathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fazio, A.; Harries, D.; Matthäus, G.; Mutschke, H.; Nolte, S.; Langenhorst, F.

2018-01-01

Space weathering is one of the most common surface process occurring on atmosphere-free bodies such as asteroids and the Moon. It is caused mainly by solar wind irradiation and the impact of micrometeoroids. In order to simulate space weathering effects, in particular those produced by hypervelocity impacts, we produced microcraters via ultra-short (∼100 fs) laser irradiation of crystallographically oriented slices of forsterite-rich (Fo94.7) olivine. The main advantages of the application of a femtosecond laser radiation to reproduce the space weathering effects are (1) the high peak irradiance (1015 W cm-2), which generates the propagation of the shock wave at the nanosecond timescale (i.e., timescale of the micrometeoroid impacts); (2) the rapid transfer of energy to the target material, which avoids the interaction of laser light with the developing vapor plume; (3) a small laser beam, which allows the effects of a single impact to be simulated. The results of our spectroscopic and electron microscopic investigation validate this approach: the samples show strong darkening and reddening of the reflectance spectra and structural damages similar to the natural microcraters found on regolith grains of the Moon and asteroid 25143 Itokawa. Detailed investigations of several microcrater cross-sections by transmission electron microscopy allowed the detection of shock-induced defect microstructures. From the top to the bottom of the grain, the shock wave causes evaporation, melting, solid-state recrystallization, misorientation, fracturing, and the propagation of dislocations with Burgers vectors parallel to [001]. The formation of a short-lived vapor plume causes the kinetic fractionation of the gas and the preferential loss of lighter elements, mostly magnesium and oxygen. The high temperatures within the melt layer and the kinetic loss of oxygen promote the thermal reduction of iron and nickel, which leads to the formation of metallic nanoparticles (npFe0). The final stage of the microcrater formation is the cooling of the melt layer that results in its partial crystallization and the formation of olivine crystals with a palisade-like texture.

Hyperopic laser in situ keratomileusis: comparison of femtosecond laser and mechanical microkeratome flap creation.

PubMed

Antonios, Rafic; Arba Mosquera, Samuel; Awwad, Shady T

2015-08-01

To evaluate and compare the refractive predictability and stability of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) flap creation performed with a femtosecond laser and with a mechanical microkeratome to correct mild to moderate hyperopia. American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. Retrospective case series. Patients who had hyperopic LASIK treatment using the Amaris excimer laser were included. Eyes in which the LDV femtosecond laser was used for flap creation were compared with eyes in which the Moria M2 microkeratome was used. The microkeratome group comprised 53 eyes and the femtosecond laser group, 72 eyes. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups (P > .05). The mean spherical equivalent (SE) deviation from target 1 week postoperatively was -0.08 diopter (D) ± 0.58 (SD) in the femtosecond laser group and -0.06 ± 0.87 D in the microkeratome group (P = .92). Thereafter, the mean SE deviation from target increased gradually and by 6 months postoperatively was +0.30 ± 0.50 D and +0.70 ± 0.71 D, respectively (P = .001). The correlation between the achieved and the attempted SE refraction was better in the femtosecond laser group (R(2) = 0.806) than the microkeratome group (R(2) = 0.671). Using the same nomogram, the short-term refractive outcomes of hyperopic LASIK with flap creation performed with the femtosecond laser were comparable to those for the microkeratome; however, the femtosecond group showed significantly better stability over the 6-month follow-up and better predictability, as reflected by a lower standard deviation and stronger Pearson correlation. Dr. Arba Mosquera is an employee of Schwind eye-tech-solutions GmbH and Co. KG. No other author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2015 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Femtosecond pulse laser-oriented recording on dental prostheses: a trial introduction.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Tetsuo; Hayasaki, Yoshio; Fujita, Keiji; Nagao, Kan; Murata, Masayo; Kawano, Takanori; Chen, JianRong

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a femtosecond pulse laser processing technique to store information on a dental prosthesis. Commercially pure titanium plates were processed by a femtosecond pulse laser system. The processed surface structure was observed with a reflective illumination microscope, scanning electron microscope, and atomic force microscope. Processed area was an almost conical pit with a clear boundary. When laser pulse energy was 2 microJ, the diameter and depth were approximately 10microm and 0.2 microm respectively--whereby both increased with laser pulse energy. Further, depth of pit increased with laser pulse number without any thermal effect. This study showed that the femtosecond pulse processing system was capable of recording personal identification and optional additional information on a dental prosthesis.

Single-cell optoporation and transfection using femtosecond laser and optical tweezers.

PubMed

Waleed, Muhammad; Hwang, Sun-Uk; Kim, Jung-Dae; Shabbir, Irfan; Shin, Sang-Mo; Lee, Yong-Gu

2013-01-01

In this paper, we demonstrate a new single-cell optoporation and transfection technique using a femtosecond Gaussian laser beam and optical tweezers. Tightly focused near-infrared (NIR) femtosecond laser pulse was employed to transiently perforate the cellular membrane at a single point in MCF-7 cancer cells. A distinct technique was developed by trapping the microparticle using optical tweezers to focus the femtosecond laser precisely on the cell membrane to puncture it. Subsequently, an external gene was introduced in the cell by trapping and inserting the same plasmid-coated microparticle into the optoporated cell using optical tweezers. Various experimental parameters such as femtosecond laser exposure power, exposure time, puncture hole size, exact focusing of the femtosecond laser on the cell membrane, and cell healing time were closely analyzed to create the optimal conditions for cell viability. Following the insertion of plasmid-coated microparticles in the cell, the targeted cells exhibited green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the fluorescent microscope, hence confirming successful transfection into the cell. This new optoporation and transfection technique maximizes the level of selectivity and control over the targeted cell, and this may be a breakthrough method through which to induce controllable genetic changes in the cell.

Comparison of characteristics of femtosecond laser-assisted anterior capsulotomy versus manual continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis: A meta-analysis of 5-year results.

PubMed

Ali, Muhammad Hassaan; Ullah, Samee; Javaid, Usman; Javaid, Mamoona; Jamal, Samreen; Butt, Nadeem Hafeez

2017-10-01

To perform a meta-analysis on the precision and safety of femtosecond laser-assisted anterior capsulotomy versus conventional manual continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis. This meta-analysis was conducted from February 2010 to November 2014. Literature search on PubMed, Google Scholar, ExcerptaMedica database and Cochrane Library was done to identify randomised controlled trials and case-control studies. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. Of the 10 articles included, there were 3(30%) randomised controlled trials and 7(70%) non-randomised controlled trials. The meta-analysis was based on a total of 2,882eyes. Of them, 1,498(51.97%) underwent femtosecond laser-assisted capsulotomy and 1,384(48.02%) underwent manual continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis. The diameter of the capsulotomy and the rates of anterior capsule tear showed no statistical difference between the femtosecond laser group and the manual capsulorrhexis group (p=0.29 and p=0.68). In terms of circularity of capsulotomy, femtosecond laser group had a more significant advantage than the manual capsulorrhexis group (p<0.001). Femtosecond laser performed capsulotomy with more precision and higher reliability than the manual continuous curvilinear capsulorrhexis.

Numerical study on the maximum small-signal gain coefficient in passively mode-locked fiber lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Xin; Wang, Jian; Chen, Zhaoyang; Lin, Chengyou; Ding, Yingchun

2017-06-01

Ultrashort pulses have been found to have important applications in many fields, such as ultrafast diagnosis, biomedical engineering, and optical imaging. Passively mode-locked fiber lasers have become a tool for generating picosecond and femtosecond pulses. In this paper, the evolution of a picosecond laser pulse in different stable passively mode-locked fiber laser is analyzed using nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Firstly, different mode-locked regimes are calculated with different net cavity dispersion (from -0.3 ps2 to +0.3 ps2 ). Then we calculate the maximum small-signal gain on the different net cavity dispersion conditions, and estimate the pulse width, 3 dB bandwidth and time bandwidth product (TBP) when the small-signal gain coefficient is selected as the maximum value. The results show that the small signal gain coefficient is approximately proportional to the net cavity. Moreover, when the small signal gain coefficient reaches the maximum value, the pulse width of the output pulse and their corresponding TBP show a trend of increase gradually, and 3dB bandwidth shows a trend of increase firstly and then decrease. In addition, in the case that the net dispersion is positive, because of the pulse with quite large frequency chirp, the revolution to dechirp the pulse is researched and the output of the pulse is compressed and its compression ratio reached more than 10 times. The results provide a reference for the optimization of passively mode-locked fiber lasers.

High precision laser sclerostomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Góra, W. S.; Urich, A.; McIntosh, L.; Carter, R. M.; Wilson, C. G.; Dhillon, B.; Hand, D. P.; Shephard, J. D.

2015-03-01

Ultrafast lasers offer a possibility of removing soft ophthalmic tissue without introducing collateral damage at the ablation site or in the surrounding tissue. The potential for using ultrashort pico- and femtosecond pulse lasers for modification of ophthalmic tissue has been reported elsewhere and has resulted in the introduction of new, minimally invasive procedures into clinical practice. Our research aims to define the most efficient parameters to allow for the modification of scleral tissue without introducing collateral damage. Our experiments were carried out on hydrated porcine sclera in vitro. Porcine sclera, which has similar collagen organization, histology and water content (~70%) to human tissue was used. Supporting this work we present a 2D finite element blow-off model which employs a one-step heating process. It is assumed that the incident laser radiation that is not reflected is absorbed in the tissue according to the Beer-Lambert law and transformed into heat energy. The experimental setup uses an industrial picosecond laser (TRUMPF TruMicro 5x50) with 5.9 ps pulses at 1030 nm, with pulse energies up to 125 μJ and a focused spot diameter of 35 μm. Use of a beam steering scan head allows flexibility in designing complicated scanning patterns. In this study we have demonstrated that picosecond pulses are capable of removing scleral tissue without introducing any major thermal damage which offers a possible route for minimally invasive sclerostomy. In assessing this we have tested several different scanning patterns including single line ablation, square and circular cavity removal.

Femtosecond laser cataract surgery: technology and clinical practice.

PubMed

Roberts, Timothy V; Lawless, Michael; Chan, Colin Ck; Jacobs, Mark; Ng, David; Bali, Shveta J; Hodge, Chris; Sutton, Gerard

2013-03-01

The recent introduction of femtosecond lasers to cataract surgery has generated much interest among ophthalmologists around the world. Laser cataract surgery integrates high-resolution anterior segment imaging systems with a femtosecond laser, allowing key steps of the procedure, including the primary and side-port corneal incisions, the anterior capsulotomy and fragmentation of the lens nucleus, to be performed with computer-guided laser precision. There is emerging evidence of reduced phacoemulsification time, better wound architecture and a more stable refractive result with femtosecond cataract surgery, as well as reports documenting an initial learning curve. This article will review the current state of technology and discuss our clinical experience. © 2012 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2012 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Femtosecond laser structuring of titanium implants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorobyev, A. Y.; Guo, Chunlei

2007-06-01

In this study we perform the first femtosecond laser surface treatment of titanium in order to determine the potential of this technology for surface structuring of titanium implants. We find that the femtosecond laser produces a large variety of nanostructures (nanopores, nanoprotrusions) with a size down to 20 nm, multiple parallel grooved surface patterns with a period on the sub-micron level, microroughness in the range of 1-15 μm with various configurations, smooth surface with smooth micro-inhomogeneities, and smooth surface with sphere-like nanostructures down to 10 nm. Also, we have determined the optimal conditions for producing these surface structural modifications. Femtosecond laser treatment can produce a richer variety of surface structures on titanium for implants and other biomedical applications than long-pulse laser treatments.

Consequences of Femtosecond Laser Filament Generation Conditions in Standoff Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Yeak, J.; Brumfield, Brian E.

2016-08-08

We investigate the role of femtosecond laser focusing conditions on ablation properties and its implications on analytical merits and standoff detection applications. Femtosecond laser pulses can be used for ablation either by tightly focusing or by using filaments generated during its propagation. We evaluated the persistence of atomic, and molecular emission features as well as time evolution of the fundamental properties (temperature and density) of ablation plumes generated using different methods.

Femtosecond laser-induced herringbone patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcell, Erik M.; Lam, Billy; Guo, Chunlei

2018-06-01

Femtosecond laser-induced herringbone patterns are formed on copper (Cu). These novel periodic structures are created following s-polarized, large incident angle, femtosecond laser pulses. Forming as slanted and axially symmetric laser-induced periodic surface structures along the side walls of ablated channels, the result is a series of v-shaped structures that resemble a herringbone pattern. Fluence mapping, incident angle studies, as well as polarization studies have been conducted and provide a clear understanding of this new structure.

Investigation of the formation mechanism and morphology of the features created in the interior of cornea by femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yizang; Vukelic, Sinisa

2015-03-01

Laser assisted corneal surgeries often rely on the nonlinear absorption effect of ultrafast lasers to induce features in the interior of the cornea without affecting the surface. In particular, corneal flap formation in femtosecond assisted Laser- Assisted in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is based on the bubble creation. This study focuses on the interaction between the tissue and the femtosecond laser. Interior of cornea is treated with tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses. Due to the nature of the process, heating of the tissue within and around the focal volume is practically instantaneous. The affected region is subject to thermoelastic stress that arises with the steep temperature elevation. To predict the size of the region subject to the morphological changes due to the laser treatment, the temperature field is calculated. Cavitation bubble initiation and expansion process, which acts as precursor to the stress induced tissue trauma, is studied as well. Theoretical findings are compared against experimental results. High-speed camera is utilized to assess the laser treatment process, showing the temporal development of the cavitation bubbles. The results obtained in this study facilitate a better understanding of the effects of femtosecond laser assisted corneal surgeries and help in choosing optimal laser parameters.

Progress in Cherenkov femtosecond fiber lasers

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiaomin; Svane, Ask S.; Lægsgaard, Jesper; Tu, Haohua; Boppart, Stephen A.; Turchinovich, Dmitry

2016-01-01

We review the recent developments in the field of ultrafast Cherenkov fiber lasers. Two essential properties of such laser systems – broad wavelength tunability and high efficiency of Cherenkov radiation wavelength conversion are discussed. The exceptional performance of the Cherenkov fiber laser systems are highlighted - dependent on the realization scheme, the Cherenkov lasers can generate the femtosecond output tunable across the entire visible and even the UV range, and for certain designs more than 40 % conversion efficiency from the pump to Cherenkov signal can be achieved. The femtosecond Cherenkov laser with all-fiber architecture is presented and discussed. Operating in the visible range, it delivers 100–200 fs wavelength-tunable pulses with multimilliwatt output power and exceptionally low noise figure an order of magnitude lower than the traditional wavelength tunable supercontinuum-based femtosecond sources. The applications for Cherenkov laser systems in practical biophotonics and biomedical applications, such as bio-imaging and microscopy, are discussed. PMID:27110037

Latest results on solarization of optical glasses with pulsed laser radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jedamzik, Ralf; Petzold, Uwe

2017-02-01

Femtosecond lasers are more and more used for material processing and lithography. Femtosecond laser help to generate three dimensional structures in photoresists without using masks in micro lithography. This technology is of growing importance for the field of backend lithography or advanced packaging. Optical glasses used for beam shaping and inspection tools need to withstand high laser pulse energies. Femtosecond laser radiation in the near UV wavelength range generates solarization effects in optical glasses. In this paper results are shown of femtosecond laser solarization experiments on a broad range of optical glasses from SCHOTT. The measurements have been performed by the Laser Zentrum Hannover in Germany. The results and their impact are discussed in comparison to traditional HOK-4 and UVA-B solarization measurements of the same materials. The target is to provide material selection guidance to the optical designer of beam shaping lens systems.

Progress in Cherenkov femtosecond fiber lasers.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaomin; Svane, Ask S; Lægsgaard, Jesper; Tu, Haohua; Boppart, Stephen A; Turchinovich, Dmitry

2016-01-20

We review the recent developments in the field of ultrafast Cherenkov fiber lasers. Two essential properties of such laser systems - broad wavelength tunability and high efficiency of Cherenkov radiation wavelength conversion are discussed. The exceptional performance of the Cherenkov fiber laser systems are highlighted - dependent on the realization scheme, the Cherenkov lasers can generate the femtosecond output tunable across the entire visible and even the UV range, and for certain designs more than 40 % conversion efficiency from the pump to Cherenkov signal can be achieved. The femtosecond Cherenkov laser with all-fiber architecture is presented and discussed. Operating in the visible range, it delivers 100-200 fs wavelength-tunable pulses with multimilliwatt output power and exceptionally low noise figure an order of magnitude lower than the traditional wavelength tunable supercontinuum-based femtosecond sources. The applications for Cherenkov laser systems in practical biophotonics and biomedical applications, such as bio-imaging and microscopy, are discussed.

Inactivation of Viruses by Coherent Excitations with a Low Power Visible Femtosecond Laser

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-05

visible femtosecond laser having a wavelength of 425 nm and a pulse width of 100 fs, we show that M13 phages were inactivated when the laser power density...was greater than or equal to 50 MW/cm2. The inactivation of M13 phages was determined by plaque counts and had been found to depend on the pulse width...visible femtosecond laser having a wavelength of 425 nm and a pulse width of 100 fs, we show that M13 phages were inactivated when the laser power

Low- and high-order harmonic generation in the extended plasmas produced by laser ablation of zinc and manganese targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganeev, R. A., E-mail: rashid-ganeev@mail.ru; Physical Department, Voronezh State University, Voronezh 394006; Baba, M.

The systematic studies of the harmonic generation of ultrashort laser pulses in the 5-mm-long Zn and Mn plasmas (i.e., application of nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond pulses for ablation, comparison of harmonic generation from atomic, ionic, and cluster-contained species of plasma, variation of plasma length, two-color pump of plasmas, etc.) are presented. The conversion efficiency of the 11th–19th harmonics generated in the Zn plasma was ∼5 × 10{sup −5}. The role of the ionic resonances of Zn near the 9th and 10th harmonics on the enhancement of harmonics is discussed. The enhancement of harmonics was also analyzed using the two-color pump of extendedmore » plasmas, which showed similar intensities of the odd and even harmonics along the whole range of generation. The harmonics up to the 107th order were demonstrated in the case of manganese plasma. The comparison of harmonic generation in the 5-mm-long and commonly used short (≤0.5 mm) plasma plumes showed the advanced properties of extended media.« less

Applications of Cavity-Enhanced Direct Frequency Comb Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cossel, Kevin C.; Adler, Florian; Maslowski, Piotr; Ye, Jun

2010-06-01

Cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy (CE-DFCS) is a unique technique that provides broad bandwidth, high resolution, and ultra-high detection sensitivities. This is accomplished by combining a femtosecond laser based optical frequency comb with an enhancement cavity and a broadband, multichannel imaging system. These systems are capable of simultaneously recording many terahertz of spectral bandwidth with sub-gigahertz resolution and absorption sensitivities of 1×10-7 cm-1 Hz-1/2. In addition, the ultrashort pulses enable efficient nonlinear processes, which makes it possible to reach spectral regions that are difficult to access with conventional laser sources. We will present an application of CE-DFCS for trace impurity detection in the semiconductor processing gas arsine near 1.8 μm and the development of a high-power, mid-infrared frequency comb for breath analysis in the 2.8-4.8 μm region. M. J. Thorpe, K. D. Moll, R. J. Jones, B. Safdi, and J. Ye. Science 311, 1595-1599 (2006) F. Adler, M. J. Thorpe, K. C. Cossel, and J. Ye. Annu. Rev. Anal. Chem. 3, 175-205 (2010) F. Adler, K. C. Cossel, M. J. Thorpe, I. Hartl, M. E. Fermann, and J. Ye. Opt. Lett. 34, 1330-1332 (2009)

Pair Production Induced by Ultrashort and Ultraintense Laser Pulses in Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Yue-E.; Wang, Xue-Wen; Wang, Yuan-Sheng; Ji, Shen-Tong; Yu, Hong

2018-06-01

The probability of Schwinger pair production is calculated, which is induced by an ultraintense and ultrashort laser pulse propagating in a plasma. The dependence of the probability on the amplitude of the laser pulse and the frequency of plasmas is analyzed. Particularly, the effect of the pulse duration on the probability is discussed, by introducing a pulse-shape function to describe the temporal shape of the laser pulse. The results show that a laser with shorter pulse is more efficient in pair production. The probability of pair production increases when the order of the duration is comparable to the period of a laser.

Two-dimensional angular energy spectrum of electrons accelerated by the ultra-short relativistic laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borovskiy, A. V.; Galkin, A. L.; Department of Physics of MBF, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1 Ostrovitianov Street, Moscow 117997

The new method of calculating energy spectra of accelerated electrons, based on the parameterization by their initial coordinates, is proposed. The energy spectra of electrons accelerated by Gaussian ultra-short relativistic laser pulse at a selected angle to the axis of the optical system focusing the laser pulse in a low density gas are theoretically calculated. The two-peak structure of the electron energy spectrum is obtained. Discussed are the reasons for its appearance as well as an applicability of other models of the laser field.

USSR and Eastern Europe Scientific Abstracts, Physics and Mathematics, Number 34

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-04-27

Russian abstract provided by the source] [Text] The relationship of duration and intensity of ultrashort pulses in a mode-locked ruby laser with Q...Excess charge carriers have been found to appear in pure Ge and Si crystals irradiated with short pulses from a C02 laser . The high purity and perfection...Illustrations 2; References 15: 8 Russian, 7 Western. USSR UDC 621.378.325 CONTROL OF DURATION OF ULTRASHORT PULSES IN MODE-LOCKED LASERS ZHURNAL

Standard measurement procedures for the characterization of fs-laser optical components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starke, Kai; Ristau, Detlev; Welling, Herbert

2003-05-01

Ultra-short pulse laser systems are considered as promising tools in the fields of precise micro-machining and medicine applications. In the course of the development of reliable table top laser systems, a rapid growth of ultra-short pulse applications could be observed during the recent years. The key for improving the performance of high power laser systems is the quality of the optical components concerning spectral characteristics, optical losses and the power handling capability. In the field of ultra-short pulses, standard measurement procedures in quality management have to be validated in respect to effects induced by the extremely high peak power densities. The present work, which is embedded in the EUREKA-project CHOCLAB II, is predominantly concentrated on measuring the multiple-pulse LIDT (ISO 11254-2) in the fs-regime. A measurement facility based on a Ti:Sapphire-CPA system was developed to investigate the damage behavior of optical components. The set-up was supplied with an improved pulse energy detector discriminating the influence of pulse-to-pulse energy fluctuations on the incidence of damage. Aditionally, a laser-calorimetric measurement facility determining the absorption (ISO 11551) utilizing a fs-Ti:Sapphire laser was accomplished. The investigation for different pulse durations between 130 fs and 1 ps revealed a drastic increase of absorption in titania coatings for ultra-short pulses.

Quantum Nuclear Dynamics Pumped and Probed by Ultrafast Polarization Controlled Steering of a Coherent Electronic State in LiH.

PubMed

Nikodem, Astrid; Levine, R D; Remacle, F

2016-05-19

The quantum wave packet dynamics following a coherent electronic excitation of LiH by an ultrashort, polarized, strong one-cycle infrared optical pulse is computed on several electronic states using a grid method. The coupling to the strong field of the pump and the probe pulses is included in the Hamiltonian used to solve the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. The polarization of the pump pulse allows us to control the localization in time and in space of the nonequilibrium coherent electronic motion and the subsequent nuclear dynamics. We show that transient absorption, resulting from the interaction of the total molecular dipole with the electric fields of the pump and the probe, is a very versatile probe of the different time scales of the vibronic dynamics. It allows probing both the ultrashort, femtosecond time scale of the electronic coherences as well as the longer dozens of femtoseconds time scales of the nuclear motion on the excited electronic states. The ultrafast beatings of the electronic coherences in space and in time are shown to be modulated by the different periods of the nuclear motion.

Selective laser melting of hypereutectic Al-Si40-powder using ultra-short laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullsperger, T.; Matthäus, G.; Kaden, L.; Engelhardt, H.; Rettenmayr, M.; Risse, S.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2017-12-01

We investigate the use of ultra-short laser pulses for the selective melting of Al-Si40-powder to fabricate complex light-weight structures with wall sizes below 100 μ {m} combined with higher tensile strength and lower thermal expansion coefficient in comparison to standard Al-Si alloys. During the cooling process using conventional techniques, large primary silicon particles are formed which impairs the mechanical and thermal properties. We demonstrate that these limitations can be overcome using ultra-short laser pulses enabling the rapid heating and cooling in a non-thermal equilibrium process. We analyze the morphology characteristics and micro-structures of single tracks and thin-walled structures depending on pulse energy, repetition rate and scanning velocity utilizing pulses with a duration of 500 {fs} at a wavelength of 1030 {nm}. The possibility to specifically change and optimize the microstructure is shown.

Ultra-short pulse laser micro patterning with highest throughput by utilization of a novel multi-beam processing head

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homburg, Oliver; Jarczynski, Manfred; Mitra, Thomas; Brüning, Stephan

2017-02-01

In the last decade much improvement has been achieved for ultra-short pulse lasers with high repetition rates. This laser technology has vastly matured so that it entered a manifold of industrial applications recently compared to mainly scientific use in the past. Compared to ns-pulse ablation ultra-short pulses in the ps- or even fs regime lead to still colder ablation and further reduced heat-affected zones. This is crucial for micro patterning when structure sizes are getting smaller and requirements are getting stronger at the same time. An additional advantage of ultra-fast processing is its applicability to a large variety of materials, e.g. metals and several high bandgap materials like glass and ceramics. One challenge for ultra-fast micro machining is throughput. The operational capacity of these processes can be maximized by increasing the scan rate or the number of beams - parallel processing. This contribution focuses on process parallelism of ultra-short pulsed lasers with high repetition rate and individually addressable acousto-optical beam modulation. The core of the multi-beam generation is a smooth diffractive beam splitter component with high uniform spots and negligible loss, and a prismatic array compressor to match beam size and pitch. The optical design and the practical realization of an 8 beam processing head in combination with a high average power single mode ultra-short pulsed laser source are presented as well as the currently on-going and promising laboratory research and micro machining results. Finally, an outlook of scaling the processing head to several tens of beams is given.

Femtosecond laser ablated durable superhydrophobic PTFE sheet for oil/water separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wentao; Yang, Qing; Chen, Feng; Yong, Jiale; Fang, Yao; Huo, Jinglan

2017-02-01

Femtosecond laser microfabrication has been attracting increasing interest of researchers in recent years, and been applied on interface science to control the wettability of solid surfaces. Herein, we fabricate a kind of rough microstructures on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet by femtosecond laser. The femtosecond laser ablated surfaces show durable superhydrophobicity and ultralow water adhesion even after storing in a harsh environment for a long time, including strong acid, strong alkali, and high temperature. A penetrating microholes array was further generated on the rough superhydrophobic PTFE sheet by a subsequent mechanical drilling process. The as-prepared material was successfully applied in the field of oil/water separation due to the inverse superhydrophobicity and superoleophilicity.

Special Section Guest Editorial: Laser Damage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gruzdev, Vitaly E.; Shinn, Michelle D.

2012-11-09

Laser damage of optical materials, first reported in 1964, continues to limit the output energy and power of pulsed and continuous-wave laser systems. In spite of some 48 years of research in this area, interest from the international laser community to laser damage issues remains at a very high level and does not show any sign of decreasing. Moreover, it grows with the development of novel laser systems, for example, ultrafast and short-wavelength lasers that involve new damage effects and specific mechanisms not studied before. This interest is evident from the high level of attendance and presentations at the annualmore » SPIE Laser Damage Symposium (aka, Boulder Damage Symposium) that has been held in Boulder, Colorado, since 1969. This special section of Optical Engineering is the first one devoted to the entire field of laser damage rather than to a specific part. It is prepared in response to growing interest from the international laser-damage community. Some papers in this special section were presented at the Laser Damage Symposium; others were submitted in response to the general call for papers for this special section. The 18 papers compiled into this special section represent many sides of the broad field of laser-damage research. They consider theoretical studies of the fundamental mechanisms of laser damage including laser-driven electron dynamics in solids (O. Brenk and B. Rethfeld; A. Nikiforov, A. Epifanov, and S. Garnov; T. Apostolova et al.), modeling of propagation effects for ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses (J. Gulley), an overview of mechanisms of inclusion-induced damage (M. Koldunov and A. Manenkov), the formation of specific periodic ripples on a metal surface by femtosecond laser pulses (M. Ahsan and M. Lee), and the laser-plasma effects on damage in glass (Y. Li et al). Material characterization is represented by the papers devoted to accurate and reliable measurements of absorption with special emphasis on thin films (C. Mühlig and S. Bublitz; B. Cho, E. Danielewicz, and J. Rudisill; W. Palm et al; and J. Lu et al.). Statistical treatment of measurements of the laser-damage threshold (J. Arenberg) and the relationship to damage mechanisms (F. Wagner et al.) represent the large subfield of laser-damage measurements. Various aspects of multilayer coating and thin-film characterization are considered in papers by B. Cho, J. Rudisill, and E. Danielewicz (spectral shift in multilayer mirrors) and R. Weber et al. (novel approach to damage studies based on third-harmonic generation microscopy). Of special interest for readers is the paper by C. Stolz that summarizes the results of four “thin-film damage competitions” organized as a part of the Laser Damage Symposium. Another paper is devoted to thermal annealing of damage precursors (N. Shen et al.). Finally, the influence of nano-size contamination on initiation of laser damage by ultrashort pulses is considered in paper of V. Komolov et al.« less

Mechanical Strains Induced in Osteoblasts by Use of Point Femtosecond Laser Targeting

PubMed Central

Bomzon, Ze'ev; Day, Daniel; Gu, Min; Cartmell, Sarah

2006-01-01

A study demonstrating how ultrafast laser radiation stimulates osteoblasts is presented. The study employed a custom made optical system that allowed for simultaneous confocal cell imaging and targeted femtosecond pulse laser irradiation. When femtosecond laser light was focused onto a single cell, a rise in intracellular Ca2+ levels was observed followed by contraction of the targeted cell. This contraction caused deformation of neighbouring cells leading to a heterogeneous strain field throughout the monolayer. Quantification of the strain fields in the monolayer using digital image correlation revealed local strains much higher than threshold values typically reported to stimulate extracellular bone matrix production in vitro. This use of point targeting with femtosecond pulse lasers could provide a new method for stimulating cell activity in orthopaedic tissue engineering. PMID:23165014

Measurement of ablation threshold of oxide-film-coated aluminium nanoparticles irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chefonov, O V; Ovchinnikov, A V; Il'ina, I V

We report the results of experiments on estimation of femtosecond laser threshold intensity at which nanoparticles are removed from the substrate surface. The studies are performed with nanoparticles obtained by femtosecond laser ablation of pure aluminium in distilled water. The attenuation (or extinction, i.e. absorption and scattering) spectra of nanoparticles are measured at room temperature in the UV and optical wavelength ranges. The size of nanoparticles is determined using atomic force microscopy. A new method of scanning photoluminescence is proposed to evaluate the threshold of nanoparticle removal from the surface of a glass substrate exposed to IR femtosecond laser pulsesmore » with intensities 10{sup 11} – 10{sup 13} W cm{sup -2}. (interaction of laser radiation with matter)« less

Finesse of transparent tissue cutting by ultrafast lasers at various wavelengths.

PubMed

Wang, Jenny; Schuele, Georg; Palanker, Daniel

2015-01-01

Transparent ocular tissues, such as the cornea and crystalline lens, can be ablated or dissected using short-pulse lasers. In refractive and cataract surgeries, the cornea, lens, and lens capsule can be cut by producing dielectric breakdown in the focus of a near-infrared (IR) femtosecond laser, which results in explosive vaporization of the interstitial water, causing mechanical rupture of the surrounding tissue. Here, we compare the texture of edges of lens capsule cut by femtosecond lasers with IR and ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths and explore differences in interactions of these lasers with biological molecules. Scanning electron microscopy indicates that a 400-nm laser is capable of producing very smooth cut edges compared to 800 or 1030 nm at a similar focusing angle. Using gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, we observe laser-induced nonlinear breakdown of proteins and polypeptides by 400-nm femtosecond pulses above and below the dielectric breakdown threshold. On the other hand, 800-nm femtosecond lasers do not produce significant dissociation even above the threshold of dielectric breakdown. However, despite this additional interaction of UV femtosecond laser with proteins, we determine that efficient cutting requires plasma-mediated bubble formation and that remarkably smooth edges are the result of reduced thresholds and smaller focal volume.

Instrumental development of a quasi-relativistic ultrashort electron beam source for electron diffractions and spectroscopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Young-Min; Figora, Michael

2017-10-01

A stable femtosecond electron beam system has been configured for time-resolved pump-probe experiments. The ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) system is designed with a sub-MeV photoelectron beam source pulsed by a femtosecond UV laser and nondispersive beamline components, including a bunch compressor—a pulsed S-band klystron is installed and fully commissioned with 5.5 MW peak power in a 2.5 μs pulse length. A single-cell RF photo-gun is designed to produce 1.6-16 pC electron bunches in a photoemission mode with 150 fs pulse duration at 0.5-1 MeV. The measured RF system jitters are within 1% in magnitude and 0.2° in phase, which would induce 3.4 keV and 0.25 keV of ΔE, corresponding to 80 fs and 5 fs of Δt, respectively. Our particle-in-cell simulations indicate that the designed bunch compressor reduces the time-of-arrival jitter by about an order of magnitude. The transport and focusing optics of the designed beamline with the bunch compressor enables an energy spread within 10-4 and a bunch length (electron probe) within <500 fs. In this paper, the design analysis and instrumental test results are presented along with the development of the quasi-relativistic UED system.

Instrumental development of a quasi-relativistic ultrashort electron beam source for electron diffractions and spectroscopies.

PubMed

Shin, Young-Min; Figora, Michael

2017-10-01

A stable femtosecond electron beam system has been configured for time-resolved pump-probe experiments. The ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) system is designed with a sub-MeV photoelectron beam source pulsed by a femtosecond UV laser and nondispersive beamline components, including a bunch compressor-a pulsed S-band klystron is installed and fully commissioned with 5.5 MW peak power in a 2.5 μs pulse length. A single-cell RF photo-gun is designed to produce 1.6-16 pC electron bunches in a photoemission mode with 150 fs pulse duration at 0.5-1 MeV. The measured RF system jitters are within 1% in magnitude and 0.2° in phase, which would induce 3.4 keV and 0.25 keV of ΔE, corresponding to 80 fs and 5 fs of Δt, respectively. Our particle-in-cell simulations indicate that the designed bunch compressor reduces the time-of-arrival jitter by about an order of magnitude. The transport and focusing optics of the designed beamline with the bunch compressor enables an energy spread within 10 -4 and a bunch length (electron probe) within <500 fs. In this paper, the design analysis and instrumental test results are presented along with the development of the quasi-relativistic UED system.

Femtosecond laser refractive surgery: small-incision lenticule extraction vs. femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK.

PubMed

Lee, Jimmy K; Chuck, Roy S; Park, Choul Yong

2015-07-01

Small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) is a novel technique devised to correct refractive errors. SMILE circumvents excimer laser photoablation of cornea, as the stromal lenticule cut by femtosecond laser is removed manually. Smaller incisions and preservation of anterior corneal biomechanical strength have been suggested as some of the advantages of SMILE over femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK (FS-LASIK). In this review, we compared previous published results of SMILE and FS-LASIK. The advantage, efficacy and safety of SMILE are compared with FS-LASIK. SMILE achieved similar efficacy, predictability and safety as FS-LASIK. Greater preservations of corneal biomechanical strength and corneal nerves were observed in SMILE when compared with LASIK or PRK. Additionally, the incidence of postoperative dry eye syndrome was found to be less problematic in SMILE than in FS-LASIK. SMILE is a promising new surgery for refractive error correction. Prospective and retrospective studies of SMILE have shown that results of SMILE are similar to FS-LASIK. With advances in femtosecond laser technology, SMILE may gain greater acceptance in the future.

Experimental investigation on the spiral trepanning of K24 superalloy with femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Maolu; Yang, Lijun; Zhang, Shuai; Wang, Yang

2018-05-01

Film cooling holes are crucial for improving the performance of the aviation engine. In the paper, the processing of the film cooling holes on K24 superalloy by femtosecond laser is investigated. By comparing the three different drilling methods, the spiral trepanning method is chosen, and all the drilling experiments are carried out in this way. The experimental results show that the drilling of femtosecond laser pulses has distinct merits against that of the traditional long pulse laser, which can realize the "cold" processing with less recasting layer and less crack. The influence of each process parameter on roundness and taper, which are the important parameters to measure the quality of holes, is analyzed in detail, and the method to decrease it is proposed. To further reduce the recasting layer, the processing quality of the inner wall of the micro hole is investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS), the mechanism of the femtosecond laser interaction with K24 superalloy is further revealed. The investigation to the film hole machining by femtosecond laser has important practical significance.

Selective femtosecond laser structuring of dielectric thin films with different band gaps: a time-resolved study of ablation mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapp, Stephan; Schmidt, Michael; Huber, Heinz P.

2016-12-01

Ultrashort pulse lasers have been increasingly gaining importance for the selective structuring of dielectric thin films in industrial applications. In a variety of works the ablation of thin SiO2 and SiNx films from Si substrates has been investigated with near infrared laser wavelengths with photon energies of about 1.2 eV where both dielectrics are transparent (E_{{gap,SiO2}}≈ 8 eV; E_{{gap,SiN}x}≈ 2.5 eV). In these works it was found that few 100 nm thick SiO2 films are selectively ablated with a "lift-off" initiated by confined laser ablation whereas the SiN_{{x}} films are ablated by a combination of confined and direct laser ablation. In the work at hand, ultrafast pump-probe imaging was applied to compare the laser ablation dynamics of the two thin film systems directly with the uncoated Si substrate—on the same setup and under identical parameters. On the SiO2 sample, results show the pulse absorption in the Si substrate, leading to the confined ablation of the SiO2 layer by the expansion of the substrate. On the SiN_{{x}} sample, direct absorption in the layer is observed leading to its removal by evaporation. The pump-probe measurements combined with reflectivity corrected threshold fluence investigations suggest that melting of the Si substrate is sufficient to initiate the lift-off of an overlaying transparent film—evaporation of the substrate seems not to be necessary.

Short pulse fiber lasers mode-locked by carbon nanotubes and graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Shinji; Martinez, Amos; Xu, Bo

2014-12-01

One and two dimensional forms of carbon, carbon nanotubes and graphene, have interesting and useful, not only electronic but also photonic, properties. For fiber lasers, they are very attractive passive mode lockers for ultra-short pulse generation, since they have saturable absorption with inherently fast recovery time (<1 ps). In this paper, we review the photonic properties of graphene and CNT and our recent works on fabrication of fiber devices and applications to ultra-short pulse mode-locked fiber lasers.

Fabrication of mitigation pits for improving laser damage resistance in dielectric mirrors by femtosecond laser machining

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolfe, Justin E.; Qiu, S. Roger; Stolz, Christopher J.

2011-03-20

Femtosecond laser machining is used to create mitigation pits to stabilize nanosecond laser-induced damage in multilayer dielectric mirror coatings on BK7 substrates. In this paper, we characterize features and the artifacts associated with mitigation pits and further investigate the impact of pulse energy and pulse duration on pit quality and damage resistance. Our results show that these mitigation features can double the fluence-handling capability of large-aperture optical multilayer mirror coatings and further demonstrate that femtosecond laser macromachining is a promising means for fabricating mitigation geometry in multilayer coatings to increase mirror performance under high-power laser irradiation.

Controlling the femtosecond laser-driven transformation of dicyclopentadiene into cyclopentadiene

PubMed Central

Goswami, Tapas; Das, Dipak K.; Goswami, Debabrata

2013-01-01

Dynamics of the chemical transformation of dicyclopentadiene into cyclopentadiene in a supersonic molecular beam is elucidated using femtosecond time-resolved degenerate pump–probe mass spectrometry. Control of this ultrafast chemical reaction is achieved by using linearly chirped frequency modulated pulses. We show that negatively chirped femtosecond laser pulses enhance the cyclopentadiene photoproduct yield by an order of magnitude as compared to that of the unmodulated or the positively chirped pulses. This demonstrates that the phase structure of femtosecond laser pulse plays an important role in determining the outcome of a chemical reaction. PMID:24098059

A method for spatial regularisation of a bunch of filaments in a femtosecond laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kandidov, V P; Kosareva, O G; Nyakk, A V

A method for spatial regularisation of chaotically located filaments, which appear in a high-power femtosecond laser pulse, is proposed, numerically substantiated, and experimentally tested. This method is based on the introduction of regular light-field perturbations into the femtosecond-pulse cross section. (letters)

Novel signal inversion of laser beam induced current for femtosecond-laser-drilling-induced junction on vacancy-doped p-type HgCdTe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qiu, W. C.; Wang, R.; Xu, Z. J.

2014-05-28

In this paper, experimental results of temperature-dependent signal inversion of laser beam induced current (LBIC) for femtosecond-laser-drilling-induced junction on vacancy-doped p-type HgCdTe are reported. LBIC characterization shows that the traps induced by femtosecond laser drilling are sensitive to temperature. Theoretical models for trap-related p-n junction transformation are proposed and demonstrated using numerical simulations. The simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results. The effects of traps and mixed conduction are possibly the main reasons that result in the novel signal inversion of LBIC microscope at room temperature. The research results provide a theoretical guide for practical applications of large-scalemore » array HgCdTe infrared photovoltaic detectors formed by femtosecond laser drilling, which may act as a potential new method for fabricating HgCdTe photodiodes.« less

Construction of a femtosecond laser microsurgery system.

PubMed

Steinmeyer, Joseph D; Gilleland, Cody L; Pardo-Martin, Carlos; Angel, Matthew; Rohde, Christopher B; Scott, Mark A; Yanik, Mehmet Fatih

2010-03-01

Femtosecond laser microsurgery is a powerful method for studying cellular function, neural circuits, neuronal injury and neuronal regeneration because of its capability to selectively ablate sub-micron targets in vitro and in vivo with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. Here, we present a step-by-step protocol for constructing a femtosecond laser microsurgery setup for use with a widely available compound fluorescence microscope. The protocol begins with the assembly and alignment of beam-conditioning optics at the output of a femtosecond laser. Then a dichroic mount is assembled and installed to direct the laser beam into the objective lens of a standard inverted microscope. Finally, the laser is focused on the image plane of the microscope to allow simultaneous surgery and fluorescence imaging. We illustrate the use of this setup by presenting axotomy in Caenorhabditis elegans as an example. This protocol can be completed in 2 d.

Tear menisci after laser in situ keratomileusis with mechanical microkeratome and femtosecond laser.

PubMed

Xie, Wenjia; Zhang, Dong; Chen, Jia; Liu, Jing; Yu, Ye; Hu, Liang

2014-08-21

To investigate the effect on tear menisci after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with flap creation by either microkeratome or femtosecond laser. Sixty eyes of 30 myopes were analyzed. Fifteen patients underwent LASIK with Moria II microkeratome, and the other 15 patients with 60-KHz IntraLase femtosecond laser. Upper and lower tear meniscus parameters of height (UTMH, LTMH) and area (UTMA, LTMA) were measured by SD-OCT preoperatively and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Compared with the baseline values, all tear meniscus parameters decreased significantly at each postoperative time point (all P < 0.01) in both groups. LTMH increased significantly between 1 week and 1 month and between 1 and 3 months after surgery in the microkeratome (both P < 0.01) and femtosecond laser groups (P < 0.01, P = 0.012, respectively). There were significant increases in LTMA between 1 week and 1 month after surgery in the microkeratome group (P < 0.01) and in the femtosecond laser group (P = 0.028). There were no significant differences in UTMH, UTMA, LTMH, or LTMA between two groups. The depth of ablation was negatively correlated with the LTMA at 1 week after surgery (R = -0.256, P = 0.049) for all patients. There were no significant differences in the tear meniscus parameters between the microkeratome and femtosecond laser groups. The depth of ablation was significantly correlated with the LTMA only at 1 week after surgery. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Photon-induced positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy using ultrashort laser-Compton-scattered gamma-ray pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taira, Y.; Toyokawa, H.; Kuroda, R.; Yamamoto, N.; Adachi, M.; Tanaka, S.; Katoh, M.

2013-05-01

High-energy ultrashort gamma-ray pulses can be generated via laser Compton scattering with 90° collisions at the UVSOR-II electron storage ring. As an applied study of ultrashort gamma-ray pulses, a new photon-induced positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy approach has been developed. Ultrashort gamma-ray pulses with a maximum energy of 6.6 MeV and pulse width of 2.2 ps created positrons throughout bulk lead via pair production. Annihilation gamma rays were detected by a BaF2 scintillator mounted on a photomultiplier tube. A positron lifetime spectrum was obtained by measuring the time difference between the RF frequency of the electron storage ring and the detection time of the annihilation gamma rays. We calculated the response of the BaF2 scintillator and the time jitter caused by the variation in the total path length of the ultrashort gamma-ray pulses, annihilation gamma rays, and scintillation light using a Monte Carlo simulation code. The positron lifetime for bulk lead was successfully measured.

[Alternatives to femtosecond laser technology: subnanosecond UV pulse and ring foci for creation of LASIK flaps].

PubMed

Vogel, A; Freidank, S; Linz, N

2014-06-01

In refractive corneal surgery femtosecond (fs) lasers are used for creating LASIK flaps, dissecting lenticules and for astigmatism correction by limbal incisions. Femtosecond laser systems are complex and expensive and cutting precision is compromised by the large focal length associated with the commonly used infrared (IR) wavelengths. Based on investigations of the cutting dynamics, novel approaches for corneal dissection using ultraviolet A (UVA) picosecond (ps) pulses and ring foci from vortex beams are presented. Laser-induced bubble formation in corneal stroma was investigated by high-speed photography at 1-50 million frames/s. Using Gaussian and vortex beams of UVA pulses with durations between 200 and 850 ps the laser energy needed for easy removal of flaps created in porcine corneas was determined and the quality of the cuts by scanning electron microscopy was documented. Cutting parameters for 850 ps are reported also for rabbit eyes. The UV-induced and mechanical stress were evaluated for Gaussian and vortex beams. The results show that UVA picosecond lasers provide better cutting precision than IR femtosecond lasers, with similar processing times. Cutting energy decreases by >50 % when the laser pulse duration is reduced to 200 ps. Vortex beams produce a short, donut-shaped focus allowing efficient and precise dissection along the corneal lamellae which results in a dramatic reduction of the absorbed energy needed for cutting and of mechanical side effects as well as in less bubble formation in the cutting plane. A combination of novel approaches for corneal dissection provides the option to replace femtosecond lasers by compact UVA microchip laser technology. Ring foci are also of interest for femtosecond laser surgery, especially for improved lenticule excision.

Femtosecond imaging of nonlinear acoustics in gold.

PubMed

Pezeril, Thomas; Klieber, Christoph; Shalagatskyi, Viktor; Vaudel, Gwenaelle; Temnov, Vasily; Schmidt, Oliver G; Makarov, Denys

2014-02-24

We have developed a high-sensitivity, low-noise femtosecond imaging technique based on pump-probe time-resolved measurements with a standard CCD camera. The approach used in the experiment is based on lock-in acquisitions of images generated by a femtosecond laser probe synchronized to modulation of a femtosecond laser pump at the same rate. This technique allows time-resolved imaging of laser-excited phenomena with femtosecond time resolution. We illustrate the technique by time-resolved imaging of the nonlinear reshaping of a laser-excited picosecond acoustic pulse after propagation through a thin gold layer. Image analysis reveals the direct 2D visualization of the nonlinear acoustic propagation of the picosecond acoustic pulse. Many ultrafast pump-probe investigations can profit from this technique because of the wealth of information it provides over a typical single diode and lock-in amplifier setup, for example it can be used to image ultrasonic echoes in biological samples.

High average power, widely tunable femtosecond laser source from red to mid-infrared based on an Yb-fiber-laser-pumped optical parametric oscillator.

PubMed

Gu, Chenglin; Hu, Minglie; Zhang, Limeng; Fan, Jintao; Song, Youjian; Wang, Chingyue; Reid, Derryck T

2013-06-01

We report on the highly efficient generation of widely tunable femtosecond pulses based on intracavity second harmonic generation (SHG) and sum frequency generation (SFG) in a MgO-doped periodically poled LiNbO(3) optical parametric oscillator (OPO), which is pumped by a Yb-doped large-mode-area photonics crystal fiber femtosecond laser. Red and near infrared from intracavity SHG and SFG and infrared signals were directly obtained from the OPO. A 2 mm β-BaB(2)O(4) is applied for Type I (oo → e) intracavity SHG and SFG, and then femtosecond laser pulses over 610 nm ~ 668 nm from SFG and 716 nm ~ 970 nm from SHG are obtained with high efficiency. In addition, the oscillator simultaneously generates signal and idler femtosecond pulses over 1450 nm ~ 2200 nm and 2250 nm ~ 4000 nm, respectively.

Femtosecond lasers for microsurgery of cornea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vartapetov, Sergei K.; Khudyakov, D. V.; Lapshin, Konstantin E.; Obidin, Aleksei Z.; Shcherbakov, Ivan A.

2012-03-01

The review of femtosecond laser installations for medical applications is given and a new femtosecond ophthalmologic system for creation of a flap of corneal tissue during the LASIK operation is described. An all-fibre femtosecond laser emitting ~400-fs pulses at 1067 nm is used. The pulse repetition rate can vary from 200 kHz up to 1 MHz. The output energy of the femtosecond system does not exceed 1 μJ. A specially developed objective with small spherical and chromatic aberrations is applied to focus laser radiation to an area of an eye cornea. The size of the focusing spot does not exceed 3 μm. To process the required area, scanning by a laser beam is applied with a speed no less than 5 m s-1. At a stage of preliminary tests of the system, the Κ8 glass, organic PMMA glass and specially prepared agarose gels are used as a phantom of an eye. The femtosecond system is successfully clinically tested on a plenty of eyes of a pig and on several human eyes. The duration of the procedure of creation of a corneal flap does not exceed 20 s.

Femtosecond lasers for microsurgery of cornea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vartapetov, Sergei K; Khudyakov, D V; Lapshin, Konstantin E

The review of femtosecond laser installations for medical applications is given and a new femtosecond ophthalmologic system for creation of a flap of corneal tissue during the LASIK operation is described. An all-fibre femtosecond laser emitting {approx}400-fs pulses at 1067 nm is used. The pulse repetition rate can vary from 200 kHz up to 1 MHz. The output energy of the femtosecond system does not exceed 1 {mu}J. A specially developed objective with small spherical and chromatic aberrations is applied to focus laser radiation to an area of an eye cornea. The size of the focusing spot does not exceedmore » 3 {mu}m. To process the required area, scanning by a laser beam is applied with a speed no less than 5 m s{sup -1}. At a stage of preliminary tests of the system, the {Kappa}8 glass, organic PMMA glass and specially prepared agarose gels are used as a phantom of an eye. The femtosecond system is successfully clinically tested on a plenty of eyes of a pig and on several human eyes. The duration of the procedure of creation of a corneal flap does not exceed 20 s.« less

Femtosecond laser melting of silver nanoparticles: comparison of model simulations and experimental results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Chung-Wei; Chang, Chin-Lun; Chen, Jinn-Kuen; Wang, Ben

2018-05-01

Ultrafast laser-induced melting of silver nanoparticles (NPs) using a femtosecond laser pulse is investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The sintered Ag structure fabricated from printed Ag NP ink using femtosecond laser (1064 nm, 300 fs) irradiation is experimentally studied. A two-temperature model with dynamic optical properties and particle size effects on the melting temperature of Ag NPs is considered. The rapid phase change model is incorporated to simulate the Ag NPs' ultrafast laser-induced melting process, and a multi-shot melting threshold fluence predicted from the simulated single-shot melting threshold is developed.

Laser assisted bioprinting using a femtosecond laser with and without a gold transductive layer: a parametric study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desrus, H.; Chassagne, B.; Catros, S.; Artiges, C.; Devillard, R.; Petit, S.; Deloison, F.; Fricain, J. C.; Guillemot, F.; Kling, R.

2016-03-01

Experimental results of femtosecond Laser Assisted Bioprinting (LAB) are reported on. Two set-up, used to print different model bioinks and keratinocytes cells line HaCaT, were studied: first one was using a femtosecond laser with low pulse energy and an absorbing gold layer, whereas the second one used high pulse energy enabling the removal of the absorbing layer. Printed drop diameter and resulting height of the bioink jet are then quantified as a function of the LAB parameters such as laser energy, focus spot location or numerical aperture.

Femtosecond laser-induced inverted microstructures inside glasses by tuning refractive index of objective's immersion liquid.

PubMed

Luo, Fangfang; Song, Juan; Hu, Xiao; Sun, Haiyi; Lin, Geng; Pan, Huaihai; Cheng, Ya; Liu, Li; Qiu, Jianrong; Zhao, Quanzhong; Xu, Zhizhan

2011-06-01

We report the formation of inverted microstructures inside glasses after femtosecond laser irradiation by tuning the refractive index contrast between the immersion liquid and the glass sample. By using water as well as 1-bromonaphthalene as immersion liquids, microstructures with similar shape but opposite directions are induced after femtosecond laser irradiation. Interestingly, the elemental distribution in the induced structures is also inverted. The simulation of laser intensity distribution along the laser propagation direction indicates that the interfacial spherical aberration effect is responsible for the inversion of microstructures and elemental distribution. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Ultra-short laser interactions with nanoparticles in different media: from electromagnetic to thermal and electrostatic effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itina, Tatiana E.

2017-02-01

Key issues of the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles and nanostructures, as well as laser-particle interactions are considered in the context of the latest applications appearing in many fields such as photonics, medicine, 3D printing, etc. The results of a multi-physics numerical study of laser interaction with nanoparticles will be presented in the presence of several environments. In particular, attention will be paid to the numerical study of laser interactions with heterogeneous materials (eg. colloidal liquids and/or nanoparticles in a dielectric medium) and the aggregation/sintering/fragmentation processes induced by ultra-short laser pulses.

Influence of dispersion stretching of ultrashort UV laser pulse on the critical power for self-focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionin, A. A.; Mokrousova, D. V.; Piterimov, D. A.; Seleznev, L. V.; Sinitsyn, D. V.; Sunchugasheva, E. S.

2018-04-01

The critical power for self-focusing in air for ultrashort ultraviolet laser pulses, stretched due to dispersion from 90 to 730 fs, was experimentally measured. It was shown that the pulse duration enhancement due to its propagation in condensed media leads to an almost linear decrease in the critical power for self-focusing. It was also observed that when the pulse peak power exceeds the critical one, the maximum of linear plasma distribution along the ultraviolet laser filament does not shift in the direction opposite to the laser pulse propagation, as observed for infrared laser filaments, but remains at the geometrical focus.

Ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction revealing the nonthermal dynamics of near-UV photoexcitation-induced amorphization in Ge2Sb2Te5.

PubMed

Hada, Masaki; Oba, Wataru; Kuwahara, Masashi; Katayama, Ikufumi; Saiki, Toshiharu; Takeda, Jun; Nakamura, Kazutaka G

2015-08-28

Because of their robust switching capability, chalcogenide glass materials have been used for a wide range of applications, including optical storages devices. These phase transitions are achieved by laser irradiation via thermal processes. Recent studies have suggested the potential of nonthermal phase transitions in the chalcogenide glass material Ge2Sb2Te5 triggered by ultrashort optical pulses; however, a detailed understanding of the amorphization and damage mechanisms governed by nonthermal processes is still lacking. Here we performed ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction and single-shot optical pump-probe measurements followed by femtosecond near-ultraviolet pulse irradiation to study the structural dynamics of polycrystalline Ge2Sb2Te5. The experimental results present a nonthermal crystal-to-amorphous phase transition of Ge2Sb2Te5 initiated by the displacements of Ge atoms. Above the fluence threshold, we found that the permanent amorphization caused by multi-displacement effects is accompanied by a partial hexagonal crystallization.

Ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction revealing the nonthermal dynamics of near-UV photoexcitation-induced amorphization in Ge2Sb2Te5

PubMed Central

Hada, Masaki; Oba, Wataru; Kuwahara, Masashi; Katayama, Ikufumi; Saiki, Toshiharu; Takeda, Jun; Nakamura, Kazutaka G.

2015-01-01

Because of their robust switching capability, chalcogenide glass materials have been used for a wide range of applications, including optical storages devices. These phase transitions are achieved by laser irradiation via thermal processes. Recent studies have suggested the potential of nonthermal phase transitions in the chalcogenide glass material Ge2Sb2Te5 triggered by ultrashort optical pulses; however, a detailed understanding of the amorphization and damage mechanisms governed by nonthermal processes is still lacking. Here we performed ultrafast time-resolved electron diffraction and single-shot optical pump-probe measurements followed by femtosecond near-ultraviolet pulse irradiation to study the structural dynamics of polycrystalline Ge2Sb2Te5. The experimental results present a nonthermal crystal-to-amorphous phase transition of Ge2Sb2Te5 initiated by the displacements of Ge atoms. Above the fluence threshold, we found that the permanent amorphization caused by multi-displacement effects is accompanied by a partial hexagonal crystallization. PMID:26314613

Sub-nanometre resolution of atomic motion during electronic excitation in phase-change materials.

PubMed

Mitrofanov, Kirill V; Fons, Paul; Makino, Kotaro; Terashima, Ryo; Shimada, Toru; Kolobov, Alexander V; Tominaga, Junji; Bragaglia, Valeria; Giussani, Alessandro; Calarco, Raffaella; Riechert, Henning; Sato, Takahiro; Katayama, Tetsuo; Ogawa, Kanade; Togashi, Tadashi; Yabashi, Makina; Wall, Simon; Brewe, Dale; Hase, Muneaki

2016-02-12

Phase-change materials based on Ge-Sb-Te alloys are widely used in industrial applications such as nonvolatile memories, but reaction pathways for crystalline-to-amorphous phase-change on picosecond timescales remain unknown. Femtosecond laser excitation and an ultrashort x-ray probe is used to show the temporal separation of electronic and thermal effects in a long-lived (>100 ps) transient metastable state of Ge2Sb2Te5 with muted interatomic interaction induced by a weakening of resonant bonding. Due to a specific electronic state, the lattice undergoes a reversible nondestructive modification over a nanoscale region, remaining cold for 4 ps. An independent time-resolved x-ray absorption fine structure experiment confirms the existence of an intermediate state with disordered bonds. This newly unveiled effect allows the utilization of non-thermal ultra-fast pathways enabling artificial manipulation of the switching process, ultimately leading to a redefined speed limit, and improved energy efficiency and reliability of phase-change memory technologies.

Sub-nanometre resolution of atomic motion during electronic excitation in phase-change materials

DOE PAGES

Mitrofanov, Kirill V.; Fons, Paul; Makino, Kotaro; ...

2016-02-12

Phase-change materials based on Ge-Sb-Te alloys are widely used in industrial applications such as nonvolatile memories, but reaction pathways for crystalline-to-amorphous phase-change on picosecond timescales remain unknown. Femtosecond laser excitation and an ultrashort x-ray probe is used to show the temporal separation of electronic and thermal effects in a long-lived (>100 ps) transient metastable state of Ge 2Sb 2Te 5 with muted interatomic interaction induced by a weakening of resonant bonding. Due to a specific electronic state, the lattice undergoes a reversible nondestructive modification over a nanoscale region, remaining cold for 4 ps. An independent time-resolved x-ray absorption fine structuremore » experiment confirms the existence of an intermediate state with disordered bonds. Furthermore, this newly unveiled effect allows the utilization of non-thermal ultra-fast pathways enabling artificial manipulation of the switching process, ultimately leading to a redefined speed limit, and improved energy efficiency and reliability of phase-change memory technologies.« less

Flexible metal patterning in glass microfluidic structures using femtosecond laser direct-write ablation followed by electroless plating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jian; Midorikawa, Katsumi; Sugioka, Koji

2014-03-01

A simple and flexible technique for integrating metal micropatterns into glass microfluidic structures based on threedimensional femtosecond laser microfabrication is presented. Femtosecond laser direct writing followed by thermal treatment and successive chemical etching allows us to fabricate three-dimensional microfluidic structures such as microchannels and microreservoirs inside photosensitive glass. Then, the femtosecond laser direct-write ablation followed by electroless metal plating enables space-selective deposition of patterned metal films on desired locations of internal walls of the fabricated microfluidic structures. The developed technique is applied to integrate a metal microheater into a glass microchannel to control the temperature of liquid samples in the channel, which can be used as a microreactor for enhancement of chemical reactions.

Modulation of dry tribological property of stainless steel by femtosecond laser surface texturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhuo; Zhao, Quanzhong; Wang, Chengwei; Zhang, Yang

2015-06-01

We reported on the modification of tribological properties of stainless steel by femtosecond laser surface microstructuring. Regular arranged micro-grooved textures with different spacing were produced on the AISI 304L steel surfaces by an 800-nm femtosecond laser. The tribological properties of smooth surface and textured surface were investigated by carrying out reciprocating ball-on-flat tests against Al2O3 ceramic balls under dry friction. Results show that the spacing of micro-grooves had a significant impact on friction coefficient of textured surfaces. Furthermore, the wear behaviors of smooth and textured surface were also investigated. Femtosecond laser surface texturing had a marked potential for modulating friction and wear properties if the micro-grooves were distributed in an appropriate manner.

Interaction dynamics of fs-laser induced cavitation bubbles and their impact on the laser-tissue-interaction of modern ophthalmic laser systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinne, N.; Ripken, T.; Lubatschowski, H.; Heisterkamp, A.

2011-07-01

A today well-known laser based treatment in ophthalmology is the LASIK procedure which nowadays includes cutting of the corneal tissue with ultra-short laser pulses. Instead of disposing a microkeratome for cutting a corneal flap, a focused ultra-short laser pulse is scanned below the surface of biological tissue causing the effect of an optical breakdown and hence obtaining a dissection. Inside the tissue, the energy of the laser pulses is absorbed by non-linear processes; as a result a cavitation bubble expands and ruptures the tissue. Hence, positioning of several optical breakdowns side by side generates an incision. Due to a reduction of the amount of laser energy, with a moderate duration of treatment at the same time, the current development of ultra-short pulse laser systems points to higher repetition rates in the range of even Megahertz instead of tens or hundreds of Kilohertz. In turn, this results in a pulse overlap and therefor a probable occurrence of interaction between different optical breakdowns and respectively cavitation bubbles of adjacent optical breakdowns. While the interaction of one single laser pulse with biological tissue is analyzed reasonably well experimentally and theoretically, the interaction of several spatial and temporal following pulses is scarcely determined yet. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse the dynamic and interaction of two cavitation bubbles by using high speed photography. The applied laser pulse energy, the energy ratio and the spot distance between different cavitation bubbles were varied. Depending on a change of these parameters different kinds of interactions such as a flattening and deformation of bubble shape or jet formation are observed. The effects will be discussed regarding the medical ophthalmic application of fs-lasers. Based on these results a further research seems to be inevitable to comprehend and optimize the cutting effect of ultra-short pulse laser systems with high (> 500 kHz) repetition rates.

Effect of Doping on the Properties of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Irradiated with Femtosecond Laser Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisova, K. N.; Il'in, A. S.; Martyshov, M. N.; Vorontsov, A. S.

2018-04-01

A comparative analysis of the effect of femtosecond laser irradiation on the structure and conductivity of undoped and boron-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon ( a-Si: H) is performed. It is demonstrated that the process of nanocrystal formation in the amorphous matrix under femtosecond laser irradiation is initiated at lower laser energy densities in undoped a-Si: H samples. The differences in conductivity between undoped and doped a-Si: H samples vanish almost completely after irradiation with an energy density of 150-160 mJ/cm2.

Single-shot femtosecond laser ablation of gold surface in air and isopropyl alcohol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudryashov, S. I.; Saraeva, I. N.; Lednev, V. N.; Pershin, S. M.; Rudenko, A. A.; Ionin, A. A.

2018-05-01

Single-shot IR femtosecond-laser ablation of gold surfaces in ambient air and liquid isopropyl alcohol was studied by scanning electron microscopy characterization of crater topographies and time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy of ablative plumes in regimes, typical for non-filamentary and non-fragmentation laser production of nanoparticle sols. Despite one order of magnitude shorter (few nanoseconds) lifetimes and almost two orders of magnitude lower intensities of the quenched ablative plume emission in the alcohol ambient at the same peak laser fluence, craters for the dry and wet conditions appeared with rather similar nanofoam-like spallative topographies and the same thresholds. These facts envision the underlying surface spallation as one of the basic ablation mechanisms relevant for both dry and wet advanced femtosecond laser surface nano/micro-machining and texturing, as well as for high-throughput femtosecond laser ablative production of colloidal nanoparticles by MHz laser-pulse trains via their direct nanoscale jetting from the nanofoam in air and fluid environments.

Critical dimension control using ultrashort laser for improving wafer critical dimension uniformity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avizemer, Dan; Sharoni, Ofir; Oshemkov, Sergey; Cohen, Avi; Dayan, Asaf; Khurana, Ranjan; Kewley, Dave

2015-07-01

Requirements for control of critical dimension (CD) become more demanding as the integrated circuit (IC) feature size specifications become tighter and tighter. Critical dimension control, also known as CDC, is a well-known laser-based process in the IC industry that has proven to be robust, repeatable, and efficient in adjusting wafer CD uniformity (CDU) [Proc. SPIE 6152, 615225 (2006)]. The process involves locally and selectively attenuating the deep ultraviolet light which goes through the photomask to the wafer. The input data for the CDC process in the wafer fab is typically taken from wafer CDU data, which is measured by metrology tools such as wafer-critical dimension-scanning electron microscopy (CD-SEM), wafer optical scatterometry, or wafer level CD (WLCD). The CD correction process uses the CDU data in order to create an attenuation correction contour, which is later applied by the in-situ ultrashort laser system of the CDC to locally change the transmission of the photomask. The ultrashort pulsed laser system creates small, partially scattered, Shade-In-Elements (also known as pixels) by focusing the laser beam inside the quartz bulk of the photomask. This results in the formation of a localized, intravolume, quartz modified area, which has a different refractive index than the quartz bulk itself. The CDC process flow for improving wafer CDU in a wafer fab with detailed explanations of the shading elements formation inside the quartz by the ultrashort pulsed laser is reviewed.

Femtosecond laser ablation of dentin and enamel: relationship between laser fluence and ablation efficiency.

PubMed

Chen, Hu; Liu, Jing; Li, Hong; Ge, Wenqi; Sun, Yuchun; Wang, Yong; Lü, Peijun

2015-02-01

The objective was to study the relationship between laser fluence and ablation efficiency of a femtosecond laser with a Gaussian-shaped pulse used to ablate dentin and enamel for prosthodontic tooth preparation. A diode-pumped thin-disk femtosecond laser with wavelength of 1025 nm and pulse width of 400 fs was used for the ablation of dentin and enamel. The laser spot was guided in a line on the dentin and enamel surfaces to form a groove-shaped ablation zone under a series of laser pulse energies. The width and volume of the ablated line were measured under a three-dimensional confocal microscope to calculate the ablation efficiency. Ablation efficiency for dentin reached a maximum value of 0.020 mm3∕J when the laser fluence was set at 6.51 J∕cm2. For enamel, the maximum ablation efficiency was 0.009 mm3∕J at a fluence of 7.59 J∕cm2.Ablation efficiency of the femtosecond laser on dentin and enamel is closely related to the laser fluence and may reach a maximum when the laser fluence is set to an appropriate value. © 2015 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Ultra-short pulse delivery at high average power with low-loss hollow core fibers coupled to TRUMPF's TruMicro laser platforms for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumbach, S.; Pricking, S.; Overbuschmann, J.; Nutsch, S.; Kleinbauer, J.; Gebs, R.; Tan, C.; Scelle, R.; Kahmann, M.; Budnicki, A.; Sutter, D. H.; Killi, A.

2017-02-01

Multi-megawatt ultrafast laser systems at micrometer wavelength are commonly used for material processing applications, including ablation, cutting and drilling of various materials or cleaving of display glass with excellent quality. There is a need for flexible and efficient beam guidance, avoiding free space propagation of light between the laser head and the processing unit. Solid core step index fibers are only feasible for delivering laser pulses with peak powers in the kW-regime due to the optical damage threshold in bulk silica. In contrast, hollow core fibers are capable of guiding ultra-short laser pulses with orders of magnitude higher peak powers. This is possible since a micro-structured cladding confines the light within the hollow core and therefore minimizes the spatial overlap between silica and the electro-magnetic field. We report on recent results of single-mode ultra-short pulse delivery over several meters in a lowloss hollow core fiber packaged with industrial connectors. TRUMPF's ultrafast TruMicro laser platforms equipped with advanced temperature control and precisely engineered opto-mechanical components provide excellent position and pointing stability. They are thus perfectly suited for passive coupling of ultra-short laser pulses into hollow core fibers. Neither active beam launching components nor beam trackers are necessary for a reliable beam delivery in a space and cost saving packaging. Long term tests with weeks of stable operation, excellent beam quality and an overall transmission efficiency of above 85 percent even at high average power confirm the reliability for industrial applications.

Highlighting the DNA damage response with ultrashort laser pulses in the near infrared and kinetic modeling

PubMed Central

Ferrando-May, Elisa; Tomas, Martin; Blumhardt, Philipp; Stöckl, Martin; Fuchs, Matthias; Leitenstorfer, Alfred

2013-01-01

Our understanding of the mechanisms governing the response to DNA damage in higher eucaryotes crucially depends on our ability to dissect the temporal and spatial organization of the cellular machinery responsible for maintaining genomic integrity. To achieve this goal, we need experimental tools to inflict DNA lesions with high spatial precision at pre-defined locations, and to visualize the ensuing reactions with adequate temporal resolution. Near-infrared femtosecond laser pulses focused through high-aperture objective lenses of advanced scanning microscopes offer the advantage of inducing DNA damage in a 3D-confined volume of subnuclear dimensions. This high spatial resolution results from the highly non-linear nature of the excitation process. Here we review recent progress based on the increasing availability of widely tunable and user-friendly technology of ultrafast lasers in the near infrared. We present a critical evaluation of this approach for DNA microdamage as compared to the currently prevalent use of UV or VIS laser irradiation, the latter in combination with photosensitizers. Current and future applications in the field of DNA repair and DNA-damage dependent chromatin dynamics are outlined. Finally, we discuss the requirement for proper simulation and quantitative modeling. We focus in particular on approaches to measure the effect of DNA damage on the mobility of nuclear proteins and consider the pros and cons of frequently used analysis models for FRAP and photoactivation and their applicability to non-linear photoperturbation experiments. PMID:23882280

Femtosecond pulses generated from a synchronously pumped chromium-doped forsterite laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seas, A.; Petricevic, V.; Alfano, R. R.

1993-01-01

Kerr lens mode-locking (KLM) has become a standard method to produce femtosecond pulses from tunable solid state lasers. High power inside the laser resonator propagating through the laser-medium with nonlinear index of refraction, coupled with the stability conditions of the laser modes in the resonator, result in a passive amplitude modulation which explains the mechanism for pulse shortening. Recently, chromium doped forsterite was shown to exhibit similar pulse behavior. A successful attempt to generate femtosecond pulses from a synchronously pumped chromium-doped forsterite laser with intracavity dispersion compensation is reported. Stable, transform limited pulses with duration of 105 fs were routinely generated, tunable between 1240 to 1270 nm.

Effects of femtosecond laser and other surface treatments on the bond strength of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets to zirconia

PubMed Central

García-Sanz, Verónica; Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Mendoza-Yero, Omel; Doñate-Buendía, Carlos; Montero, Javier; Albaladejo, Alberto

2017-01-01

Femtosecond laser has been proposed as a method for conditioning zirconia surfaces to boost bond strength. However, metallic or ceramic bracket bonding to femtosecond laser-treated zirconia surfaces has not been tested. This study compared the effects of four conditioning techniques, including femtosecond laser irradiation, on shear bond strength (SBS) of metallic and ceramic brackets to zirconia.Three hundred zirconia plates were divided into five groups: 1) control (C); 2) sandblasting (APA); 3) silica coating and silane (SC); 4) femtosecond laser (FS); 5) sandblasting followed by femtosecond laser (APA+SC). A thermal imaging camera measured temperature changes in the zirconia during irradiation. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups (metallic vs ceramic brackets). SBS was evaluated using a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) was registered and surfaces were observed under SEM. Surface treatment and bracket type significantly affected the bracket-zirconia bond strength. SBS was significantly higher (p<0.001) for ceramic brackets in all groups (APA+FS > APA > FS > SC > control) than metallic brackets (APA+FS > FS > SC > APA > control). For metallic brackets, groups SC (5.99 ± 1.86 MPa), FS (6.72 ± 2.30 MPa) and APA+FS (7.22 ± 2.73 MPa) reported significantly higher bond strengths than other groups (p < 0.05). For ceramic brackets, the highest bond strength values were obtained in groups APA (25.01 ± 4.45 MPa), FS (23.18 ± 6.51 MPa) and APA+FS (29.22 ± 8.20 MPa).Femtosecond laser enhances bond strength of ceramic and metallic brackets to zirconia. Ceramic brackets provide significantly stronger adhesion than metallic brackets regardless of the surface treatment method. PMID:29049418

Effects of femtosecond laser and other surface treatments on the bond strength of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets to zirconia.

PubMed

García-Sanz, Verónica; Paredes-Gallardo, Vanessa; Bellot-Arcís, Carlos; Mendoza-Yero, Omel; Doñate-Buendía, Carlos; Montero, Javier; Albaladejo, Alberto

2017-01-01

Femtosecond laser has been proposed as a method for conditioning zirconia surfaces to boost bond strength. However, metallic or ceramic bracket bonding to femtosecond laser-treated zirconia surfaces has not been tested. This study compared the effects of four conditioning techniques, including femtosecond laser irradiation, on shear bond strength (SBS) of metallic and ceramic brackets to zirconia.Three hundred zirconia plates were divided into five groups: 1) control (C); 2) sandblasting (APA); 3) silica coating and silane (SC); 4) femtosecond laser (FS); 5) sandblasting followed by femtosecond laser (APA+SC). A thermal imaging camera measured temperature changes in the zirconia during irradiation. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups (metallic vs ceramic brackets). SBS was evaluated using a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) was registered and surfaces were observed under SEM. Surface treatment and bracket type significantly affected the bracket-zirconia bond strength. SBS was significantly higher (p<0.001) for ceramic brackets in all groups (APA+FS > APA > FS > SC > control) than metallic brackets (APA+FS > FS > SC > APA > control). For metallic brackets, groups SC (5.99 ± 1.86 MPa), FS (6.72 ± 2.30 MPa) and APA+FS (7.22 ± 2.73 MPa) reported significantly higher bond strengths than other groups (p < 0.05). For ceramic brackets, the highest bond strength values were obtained in groups APA (25.01 ± 4.45 MPa), FS (23.18 ± 6.51 MPa) and APA+FS (29.22 ± 8.20 MPa).Femtosecond laser enhances bond strength of ceramic and metallic brackets to zirconia. Ceramic brackets provide significantly stronger adhesion than metallic brackets regardless of the surface treatment method.

Development of a nomogram for femtosecond laser astigmatic keratotomy for astigmatism after keratoplasty.

PubMed

St Clair, Ryan M; Sharma, Anushree; Huang, David; Yu, Fei; Goldich, Yakov; Rootman, David; Yoo, Sonia; Cabot, Florence; Jun, Jason; Zhang, Lijun; Aldave, Anthony J

2016-04-01

To develop a nomogram for femtosecond laser astigmatic keratotomy (AK) to treat post-keratoplasty astigmatism. Three academic medical centers. Retrospective interventional case series. A review of post-keratoplasty femtosecond laser AK was performed. Uncorrected (UDVA) and corrected (CDVA) distance visual acuities, manifest refraction, and keratometry were recorded preoperatively and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The location, length, depth, and diameter of the AK incisions were recorded, and the surgically induced astigmatic correction was related to these variables using regression analysis. One hundred forty femtosecond laser AK procedures were performed after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) (n = 129) or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) (n =11), with 89 procedures (80 PKP, 9 DALK) included in the analysis. The mean CDVA improved from 20/59 (0.47 logMAR ± 0.38 [SD]) preoperatively to 20/45 (0.35 ± 0.31 logMAR) postoperatively (P = .013) (n = 46). The mean keratometric astigmatism decreased from 8.26 ± 2.90 diopters (D) preoperatively to 3.62 ± 2.59 D postoperatively (P < .0001) (n = 89). The mean refractive cylinder decreased from 6.77 ± 2.80 D preoperatively to 2.85 ± 2.57 D postoperatively (P < .0001) (n = 69). A nomogram for femtosecond laser AK to treat post-keratoplasty astigmatism was generated using regression analysis. Femtosecond laser AK significantly improved UDVA and CDVA and significantly reduced keratometric astigmatism and refractive cylinder after keratoplasty. The nomogram generated should improve the accuracy of post-keratoplasty femtosecond laser AK. None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2016 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controllable superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with tunable adhesion fabricated by femtosecond laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yuxin; Wang, Cong; Dong, Xinran; Yin, Kai; Zhang, Fan; Xie, Zheng; Chu, Dongkai; Duan, Ji'an

2018-06-01

In this study, a facile and detailed strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic aluminum surfaces with controllable adhesion by femtosecond laser ablation is presented. The influences of key femtosecond laser processing parameters including the scanning speed, laser power and interval on the wetting properties of the laser-ablated surfaces are investigated. It is demonstrated that the adhesion between water and superhydrophobic surface can be effectively tuned from extremely low adhesion to high adhesion by adjusting laser processing parameters. At the same time, the mechanism is discussed for the changes of the wetting behaviors of the laser-ablated surfaces. These superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable adhesion have many potential applications, such as self-cleaning surface, oil-water separation, anti-icing surface and liquid transportation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osychenko, A A; Zalesskii, A D; Krivokharchenko, A S

Using the method of femtosecond laser surgery we study the fusion of two-cell mouse embryos under the action of tightly focused femtosecond laser radiation with the fusion efficiency reaching 60%. The detailed statistical analysis of the efficiency of blastomere fusion and development of the embryo up to the blastocyst stage after exposure of the embryos from different mice to a femtosecond pulse is presented. It is shown that the efficiency of blastocyst formation essentially depends on the biological characteristics of the embryo, namely, the strain and age of the donor mouse. The possibility of obtaining hexaploid embryonal cells using themore » methods of femtosecond laser surgery is demonstrated. (extreme light fields and their applications)« less

Holographic femtosecond laser processing and its application to biological materials (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayasaki, Yoshio

2017-02-01

Femtosecond laser processing is a promising tool for fabricating novel and useful structures on the surfaces of and inside materials. An enormous number of pulse irradiation points will be required for fabricating actual structures with millimeter scale, and therefore, the throughput of femtosecond laser processing must be improved for practical adoption of this technique. One promising method to improve throughput is parallel pulse generation based on a computer-generated hologram (CGH) displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM), a technique called holographic femtosecond laser processing. The holographic method has the advantages such as high throughput, high light use efficiency, and variable, instantaneous, and 3D patterning. Furthermore, the use of an SLM gives an ability to correct unknown imperfections of the optical system and inhomogeneity in a sample using in-system optimization of the CGH. Furthermore, the CGH can adaptively compensate in response to dynamic unpredictable mechanical movements, air and liquid disturbances, a shape variation and deformation of the target sample, as well as adaptive wavefront control for environmental changes. Therefore, it is a powerful tool for the fabrication of biological cells and tissues, because they have free form, variable, and deformable structures. In this paper, we present the principle and the experimental setup of holographic femtosecond laser processing, and the effective way for processing the biological sample. We demonstrate the femtosecond laser processing of biological materials and the processing properties.

Profitability analysis of a femtosecond laser system for cataract surgery using a fuzzy logic approach.

PubMed

Trigueros, José Antonio; Piñero, David P; Ismail, Mahmoud M

2016-01-01

To define the financial and management conditions required to introduce a femtosecond laser system for cataract surgery in a clinic using a fuzzy logic approach. In the simulation performed in the current study, the costs associated to the acquisition and use of a commercially available femtosecond laser platform for cataract surgery (VICTUS, TECHNOLAS Perfect Vision GmbH, Bausch & Lomb, Munich, Germany) during a period of 5y were considered. A sensitivity analysis was performed considering such costs and the countable amortization of the system during this 5y period. Furthermore, a fuzzy logic analysis was used to obtain an estimation of the money income associated to each femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (G). According to the sensitivity analysis, the femtosecond laser system under evaluation can be profitable if 1400 cataract surgeries are performed per year and if each surgery can be invoiced more than $500. In contrast, the fuzzy logic analysis confirmed that the patient had to pay more per surgery, between $661.8 and $667.4 per surgery, without considering the cost of the intraocular lens (IOL). A profitability of femtosecond laser systems for cataract surgery can be obtained after a detailed financial analysis, especially in those centers with large volumes of patients. The cost of the surgery for patients should be adapted to the real flow of patients with the ability of paying a reasonable range of cost.

Calculation of Ophthalmic Viscoelastic Device–Induced Focus Shift During Femtosecond Laser–Assisted Cataract Surgery

PubMed Central

de Freitas, Carolina P.; Cabot, Florence; Manns, Fabrice; Culbertson, William; Yoo, Sonia H.; Parel, Jean-Marie

2015-01-01

Purpose. To assess if a change in refractive index of the anterior chamber during femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery can affect the laser beam focus position. Methods. The index of refraction and chromatic dispersion of six ophthalmic viscoelastic devices (OVDs) was measured with an Abbe refractometer. Using the Gullstrand eye model, the index values were used to predict the error in the depth of a femtosecond laser cut when the anterior chamber is filled with OVD. Two sources of error produced by the change in refractive index were evaluated: the error in anterior capsule position measured with optical coherence tomography biometry and the shift in femtosecond laser beam focus depth. Results. The refractive indices of the OVDs measured ranged from 1.335 to 1.341 in the visible light (at 587 nm). The error in depth measurement of the refilled anterior chamber ranged from −5 to +7 μm. The OVD produced a shift of the femtosecond laser focus ranging from −1 to +6 μm. Replacement of the aqueous humor with OVDs with the densest compound produced a predicted error in cut depth of 13 μm anterior to the expected cut. Conclusions. Our calculations show that the change in refractive index due to anterior chamber refilling does not sufficiently shift the laser beam focus position to cause the incomplete capsulotomies reported during femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery. PMID:25626971

Scalable High-Performance Ultraminiature Graphene Micro-Supercapacitors by a Hybrid Technique Combining Direct Writing and Controllable Microdroplet Transfer.

PubMed

Shen, Daozhi; Zou, Guisheng; Liu, Lei; Zhao, Wenzheng; Wu, Aiping; Duley, Walter W; Zhou, Y Norman

2018-02-14

Miniaturization of energy storage devices can significantly decrease the overall size of electronic systems. However, this miniaturization is limited by the reduction of electrode dimensions and the reproducible transfer of small electrolyte drops. This paper reports first a simple scalable direct writing method for the production of ultraminiature microsupercapacitor (MSC) electrodes, based on femtosecond laser reduced graphene oxide (fsrGO) interlaced pads. These pads, separated by 2 μm spacing, are 100 μm long and 8 μm wide. A second stage involves the accurate transfer of an electrolyte microdroplet on top of each individual electrode, which can avoid any interference of the electrolyte with other electronic components. Abundant in-plane mesopores in fsrGO induced by a fs laser together with ultrashort interelectrode spacing enables MSCs to exhibit a high specific capacitance (6.3 mF cm -2 and 105 F cm -3 ) and ∼100% retention after 1000 cycles. An all graphene resistor-capacitor (RC) filter is also constructed by combining the MSC and a fsrGO resistor, which is confirmed to exhibit highly enhanced performance characteristics. This new hybrid technique combining fs laser direct writing and precise microdroplet transfer easily enables scalable production of ultraminiature MSCs, which is believed to be significant for practical application of micro-supercapacitor microelectronic systems.

A Real-Time Terahertz Time-Domain Polarization Analyzer with 80-MHz Repetition-Rate Femtosecond Laser Pulses

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Shinichi; Yasumatsu, Naoya; Oguchi, Kenichi; Takeda, Masatoshi; Suzuki, Takeshi; Tachizaki, Takehiro

2013-01-01

We have developed a real-time terahertz time-domain polarization analyzer by using 80-MHz repetition-rate femtosecond laser pulses. Our technique is based on the spinning electro-optic sensor method, which we recently proposed and demonstrated by using a regenerative amplifier laser system; here we improve the detection scheme in order to be able to use it with a femtosecond laser oscillator with laser pulses of a much higher repetition rate. This improvement brings great advantages for realizing broadband, compact and stable real-time terahertz time-domain polarization measurement systems for scientific and industrial applications. PMID:23478599

Investigations on femtosecond laser modified micro-textured surface with anti-friction property on bearing steel GCr15

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Lijun; Ding, Ye; Cheng, Bai; He, Jiangtao; Wang, Genwang; Wang, Yang

2018-03-01

This work puts forward femtosecond laser modification of micro-textured surface on bearing steel GCr15 in order to reduce frictional wear and enhance load capacity during its application. Multi pulses femtosecond laser ablation experiments are established for the confirmation of laser spot radius as well as single pulse threshold fluence and pulse incubation coefficient of bulk material. Analytical models are set up in combination with hydrodynamics lubrication theory. Corresponding simulations are carried out on to explore influences of surface and cross sectional morphology of textures on hydrodynamics lubrication effect based on Navier-Stokes (N-S) equation. Technological experiments focus on the impacts of femtosecond laser machining variables, like scanning times, scanning velocity, pulse frequency and scanning gap on morphology of grooves as well as realization of optimized textures proposed by simulations, mechanisms of which are analyzed from multiple perspectives. Results of unidirectional rotating friction tests suggest that spherical texture with depth-to-width ratio of 0.2 can significantly improve tribological properties at low loading and velocity condition comparing with un-textured and other textured surfaces, which also verifies the accuracy of simulations and feasibility of femtosecond laser in modification of micro-textured surface.

Use of the Femtosecond Lasers in Ophthalmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roszkowska, Anna M.; Urso, Mario; Signorino, Alberto; Aragona, Pasquale

2018-01-01

Femtosecond laser (FSL) is an infrared laser with a wavelength of 1053 nm. FS laser works producing photodisruption or photoionization of the optically transparent tissue such as cornea. Currently FS lasers have a wide range of applications in ophthalmic surgery. They are used above all in corneal surgery in refractive procedures and keratoplasty, and recently in cataract surgery. The use of the FSL in corneal refractive surgery includes LASIK flap creation, astigmatic keratotomy, Femtosecond Lenticule Extraction (FLEx), Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) and channels creation for implantation of the intrastromal corneal rings. As to the corneal grafting, the FS lasers are used in laser-assisted anterior and posterior lamellar keratoplasty and customized trephination in the penetrating keratoplasty. FS Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery (FLACS) includes capsulorrhexis and nuclear fragmentation that enhance safety and efficacy of the procedure.

Cytosolic Irradiation of Femtosecond Laser Induces Mitochondria-dependent Apoptosis-like Cell Death via Intrinsic Reactive Oxygen Cascades

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jonghee; Ryu, Seung-wook; Lee, Seunghee; Choi, Chulhee

2015-01-01

High-intensity femtosecond lasers have recently been used to irreversibly disrupt nanoscale structures, such as intracellular organelles, and to modify biological functions in a reversible manner: so-called nanosurgery and biophotomodulation. Femtosecond laser pulses above the threshold intensity sufficient for reversible biophotomodulation can cause irreversible changes in the irradiated cell, eventually leading to cell death. Here, we demonstrated that cytosolic irradiation with a femtosecond laser produced intrinsic cascades of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which led to rapid apoptosis-like cell death via a caspase and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) signaling pathway. We further showed that cells with enhanced mitochondrial fusion activity are more resilient to laser-induced stress compared to those with enforced mitochondrial fission. Taken together, these findings provide fundamental insight into how optical stimulation intervenes in intrinsic cellular signaling pathways and functions. PMID:25648455

Cytosolic irradiation of femtosecond laser induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis-like cell death via intrinsic reactive oxygen cascades.

PubMed

Yoon, Jonghee; Ryu, Seung-Wook; Lee, Seunghee; Choi, Chulhee

2015-02-04

High-intensity femtosecond lasers have recently been used to irreversibly disrupt nanoscale structures, such as intracellular organelles, and to modify biological functions in a reversible manner: so-called nanosurgery and biophotomodulation. Femtosecond laser pulses above the threshold intensity sufficient for reversible biophotomodulation can cause irreversible changes in the irradiated cell, eventually leading to cell death. Here, we demonstrated that cytosolic irradiation with a femtosecond laser produced intrinsic cascades of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which led to rapid apoptosis-like cell death via a caspase and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) signaling pathway. We further showed that cells with enhanced mitochondrial fusion activity are more resilient to laser-induced stress compared to those with enforced mitochondrial fission. Taken together, these findings provide fundamental insight into how optical stimulation intervenes in intrinsic cellular signaling pathways and functions.

A Comparison of Different Operating Systems for Femtosecond Lasers in Cataract Surgery.

PubMed

Wu, B M; Williams, G P; Tan, A; Mehta, J S

2015-01-01

The introduction of femtosecond lasers is potentially a major shift in the way we approach cataract surgery. The development of increasingly sophisticated intraocular lenses (IOLs), coupled with heightened patient expectation of high quality postsurgical visual outcomes, has generated the need for a more precise, highly reproducible and standardized method to carry out cataract operations. As femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) becomes more commonplace in surgical centers, further evaluation of the potential risks and benefits needs to be established, particularly in the medium/long term effects. Healthcare administrators will also have to weigh and balance out the financial costs of these lasers relative to the advantages they put forth. In this review, we provide an operational overview of three of five femtosecond laser platforms that are currently commercially available: the Catalys (USA), the Victus (USA), and the LDV Z8 (Switzerland).

Luminescence properties of femtosecond-laser-activated silver oxide nanoparticles embedded in a biopolymer matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gleitsmann, T.; Bernhardt, T. M.; Wöste, L.

2006-01-01

Strong visible luminescence is observed from silver clusters generated by femtosecond-laser-induced reduction of silver oxide nanoparticles embedded in a polymeric gelatin matrix. Light emission from the femtosecond-laser-activated matrix areas considerably exceeds the luminescence intensity of similarly activated bare silver oxide nanoparticle films. Optical spectroscopy of the activated polymer films supports the assignment of the emissive properties to the formation of small silver clusters under focused femtosecond-laser irradiation. The size of the photogenerated clusters is found to sensitively depend on the laser exposure time, eventually leading to the formation of areas of metallic silver in the biopolymer matrix. In this case, luminescence can still be observed in the periphery of the metallic silver structures, emphasizing the importance of the organic matrix for the stabilization of the luminescent nanocluster structures at the metal matrix interface.

Femtosecond laser for cavity preparation in enamel and dentin: ablation efficiency related factors.

PubMed

Chen, H; Li, H; Sun, Yc; Wang, Y; Lü, Pj

2016-02-11

To study the effects of laser fluence (laser energy density), scanning line spacing and ablation depth on the efficiency of a femtosecond laser for three-dimensional ablation of enamel and dentin. A diode-pumped, thin-disk femtosecond laser (wavelength 1025 nm, pulse width 400 fs) was used for the ablation of enamel and dentin. The laser spot was guided in a series of overlapping parallel lines on enamel and dentin surfaces to form a three-dimensional cavity. The depth and volume of the ablated cavity was then measured under a 3D measurement microscope to determine the ablation efficiency. Different values of fluence, scanning line spacing and ablation depth were used to assess the effects of each variable on ablation efficiency. Ablation efficiencies for enamel and dentin were maximized at different laser fluences and number of scanning lines and decreased with increases in laser fluence or with increases in scanning line spacing beyond spot diameter or with increases in ablation depth. Laser fluence, scanning line spacing and ablation depth all significantly affected femtosecond laser ablation efficiency. Use of a reasonable control for each of these parameters will improve future clinical application.

Penetrating and Intrastromal Corneal Arcuate Incisions in Rabbit and Human Cadaver Eyes: Manual Diamond Blade and Femtosecond Laser-Created Incisions.

PubMed

Gray, Brad; Binder, Perry S; Huang, Ling C; Hill, Jim; Salvador-Silva, Mercedes; Gwon, Arlene

2016-07-01

To compare morphologic differences between freehand diamond or femtosecond laser-assisted penetrating and intrastromal arcuate incisions. Freehand diamond blade, corneal arcuate incisions (180° apart, 60° arc lengths) and 150 kHz femtosecond laser (80% scheimpflug pachymetry depth corneal thickness) arcuate incisions were performed in rabbits. Intrastromal arcuate incisions (100 μm above Descemet's membrane, 100 μm below epithelium) were performed in rabbit corneas (energy 1.2 μJ, spot line separation 3 × 3 μm, 90° side cut angle). Eyes were examined by slit lamp and light microscopy up to 47 days post-procedure. Freehand diamond blade penetrating incisions, and femtosecond laser penetrating and intrastromal arcuate incisions (energy 1.8 μJ, spot line separation 2 × 2 μm) were performed in cadaver eyes. Optical coherence tomography was performed immediately after surgery and the corneas were fixed for light scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The rabbit model showed anterior stromal inflammation with epithelial hyperplasia in penetrating blade and laser penetrating wounds. The laser intrastromal and penetrating incisions showed localized constriction of the stromal layers of the cornea near the wound. In cadaver eyes, penetrating wound morphology was similar between blade and laser whereas intrastromal wounds did not affect the cornea above or below incisions. Penetrating femtosecond laser arcuate incisions have more predictable and controlled outcomes shown by less post-operative scarring than incisions performed with a diamond blade. Intrastromal incisions do not affect uncut corneal layers as demonstrated by histopathology. The femtosecond laser has significant advantages in its ability to make intrastromal incisions which are not achievable by traditional freehand or mechanical diamond blades.

Evidence of femtosecond-laser pulse induced cell membrane nanosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katchinskiy, Nir; Godbout, Roseline; Elezzabi, Abdulhakem Y.

2017-02-01

The mechanism of femtosecond laser nanosurgical attachment is investigated in the following article. Using sub-10 femtosecond laser pulses with 800 nm central wavelength were used to attach retinoblastoma cells. During the attachment process the cell membrane phospholipid bilayers hemifuse into one shared phospholipid bilayer, at the location of attachment. Transmission electron microscopy was used in order to verify the above hypothesis. Based on the imaging results, it was concluded that the two cell membrane coalesce to form one single shared membrane. The technique of cell-cell attachment via femtosecond laser pulses could potentially serve as a platform for precise cell membrane manipulation. Manipulation of the cellular membrane is valuable for studying diseases such as cancer; where the expression level of plasma proteins on the cell membrane is altered.

Laser mass spectrometry of chemical warfare agents using ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weickhardt, C.; Grun, C.; Grotemeyer, J.

1998-12-01

Fast relaxation processes in excited molecules such as IC, ISC, and fragmentation are observed in many environmentally and technically relevant substances. They cause severe problems to resonance ionization mass spectrometry because they reduce the ionization yield and lead to mass spectra which do not allow the identification of the compound. By the use of ultrashort laser pulses these problems can be overcome and the advantages of REMPI over conventional ionization techniques in mass spectrometry can be regained. This is demonstrated using soil samples contaminated with a chemical warfare agent.

IEEE Nonlinear Optics 1994: Materials, Fundamentals, and Applications. Conference Held in Waikoloa, Hawaii on July 25-29, 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-07-29

SLtmwary THz radiation from various material excited by ultrashort pulse lasers have been intensively studied in the respect of its mechanism and potential...schqmatically shown in Fig. 1. We illuminate the chiral sur- face with the intense (-100 MW/cm") beam of an injection seeded Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, -10 ns pulse ...the 3 At marked by the arrows. Right, dynamics of the phase (relative to the Laser ) within the ultrashort pulse emission fur the same 3 At. 144

Dynamics of the Coulomb explosion of large hydrogen iodide clusters irradiated by superintense ultrashort laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krainov, V. P.; Roshchupkin, A. S.

2001-12-01

Dynamics of the inner and outer above-barrier ionization and of the Coulomb explosion are calculated for large hydrogen iodide clusters irradiated by superintense ultrashort laser pulses. We have found that the Coulomb forces predominate in the expansion of these clusters in comparison with the hydrodynamic forces. The energy distribution of the iodine multiple atomic ions in laser focal volume is derived. Results of our calculations are in a good agreement with the recent experimental data of Tisch et al. [Phys. Rev. A 60, 3076 (1999)].

Cancer radiotherapy based on femtosecond IR laser-beam filamentation yielding ultra-high dose rates and zero entrance dose.

PubMed

Meesat, Ridthee; Belmouaddine, Hakim; Allard, Jean-François; Tanguay-Renaud, Catherine; Lemay, Rosalie; Brastaviceanu, Tiberius; Tremblay, Luc; Paquette, Benoit; Wagner, J Richard; Jay-Gerin, Jean-Paul; Lepage, Martin; Huels, Michael A; Houde, Daniel

2012-09-18

Since the invention of cancer radiotherapy, its primary goal has been to maximize lethal radiation doses to the tumor volume while keeping the dose to surrounding healthy tissues at zero. Sadly, conventional radiation sources (γ or X rays, electrons) used for decades, including multiple or modulated beams, inevitably deposit the majority of their dose in front or behind the tumor, thus damaging healthy tissue and causing secondary cancers years after treatment. Even the most recent pioneering advances in costly proton or carbon ion therapies can not completely avoid dose buildup in front of the tumor volume. Here we show that this ultimate goal of radiotherapy is yet within our reach: Using intense ultra-short infrared laser pulses we can now deposit a very large energy dose at unprecedented microscopic dose rates (up to 10(11) Gy/s) deep inside an adjustable, well-controlled macroscopic volume, without any dose deposit in front or behind the target volume. Our infrared laser pulses produce high density avalanches of low energy electrons via laser filamentation, a phenomenon that results in a spatial energy density and temporal dose rate that both exceed by orders of magnitude any values previously reported even for the most intense clinical radiotherapy systems. Moreover, we show that (i) the type of final damage and its mechanisms in aqueous media, at the molecular and biomolecular level, is comparable to that of conventional ionizing radiation, and (ii) at the tumor tissue level in an animal cancer model, the laser irradiation method shows clear therapeutic benefits.

LLE 1994 annual report, October 1993--September 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-01-01

This is the 1994 annual report for the University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics. The report is presented as a series of research type reports. The titles emphasize the breadth of work carried out. They are: stability analysis of unsteady ablation fronts; characterization of laser-produced plasma density profiles using grid image refractometry; transport and sound waves in plasmas with light and heavy ions; three-halves-harmonic radiation from long-scale-length plasmas revisited; OMEGA upgrade status report; target imaging and backlighting diagnosis; effect of electron collisions on ion-acoustic waves and heat flow; particle-in-cell code simulations of the interaction of gaussian ultrashort laser pulsesmore » with targets of varying initial scale lengths; characterization of thick cryogenic fuel layers: compensation for the lens effect using convergent beam interferometry; compact, multijoule-output, Nd:Glass, large-aperture ring amplifier; atomic force microscopy observation of water-induced morphological changes in Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} monolayer coatings; observation of longitudinal acceleration of electrons born in a high-intensity laser focus; spatial intensity nonuniformities of an OMEGA beam due to nonlinear beam propagation; calculated X-ray backlighting images of mixed imploded targets; evaluation of cosmic rays for use in the monitoring of the MEDUSA scintillator-photomultiplier diagnostic array; highly efficient second-harmonic generation of ultra-intense Nd:Glass laser pulses multiple cutoff wave numbers of the ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability; ultrafast, all-silicon light modulator; angular dependence of the stimulated Brillouin scattering in homogeneous plasma; femtosecond excited-state dynamics of a conjugated ladder polymer.« less

Photomechanical ablation of biological tissue induced by focused femtosecond laser and its application for acupuncture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosokawa, Yoichiroh; Ohta, Mika; Ito, Akihiko; Takaoka, Yutaka

2013-03-01

Photomechanical laser ablation due to focused femtosecond laser irradiation was induced on the hind legs of living mice, and its clinical influence on muscle cell proliferation was investigated via histological examination and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis to examine the expression of the gene encoding myostatin, which is a growth repressor in muscle satellite cells. The histological examination suggested that damage of the tissue due to the femtosecond laser irradiation was localized on epidermis and dermis and hardly induced in the muscle tissue below. On the other hand, gene expression of the myostatin of muscle tissue after laser irradiation was suppressed. The suppression of myostatin expression facilitates the proliferation of muscle cells, because myostatin is a growth repressor in muscle satellite cells. On the basis of these results, we recognize the potential of the femtosecond laser as a tool for noncontact, high-throughput acupuncture in the treatment of muscle disease.

Ultrashort laser pulse driven inverse free electron laser accelerator experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moody, J. T.; Anderson, S. G.; Anderson, G.

In this paper we discuss the ultrashort pulse high gradient Inverse Free Electron laser accelerator experiment carried out at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory which demonstrated gra- dients exceeding 200 MV/m using a 4 TW 100 fs long 800 nm Ti:Sa laser pulse. Due to the short laser and electron pulse lengths, synchronization was determined to be one of the main challenges in this experiment. This made necessary the implementation of a single-shot, non destructive, electro-optic sampling based diagnostics to enable time-stamping of each laser accelerator shot with < 100 fs accuracy. The results of this experiment are expected tomore » pave the way towards the development of future GeV-class IFEL accelerators.« less

Ultrashort laser pulse driven inverse free electron laser accelerator experiment

DOE PAGES

Moody, J. T.; Anderson, S. G.; Anderson, G.; ...

2016-02-29

In this paper we discuss the ultrashort pulse high gradient Inverse Free Electron laser accelerator experiment carried out at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory which demonstrated gra- dients exceeding 200 MV/m using a 4 TW 100 fs long 800 nm Ti:Sa laser pulse. Due to the short laser and electron pulse lengths, synchronization was determined to be one of the main challenges in this experiment. This made necessary the implementation of a single-shot, non destructive, electro-optic sampling based diagnostics to enable time-stamping of each laser accelerator shot with < 100 fs accuracy. The results of this experiment are expected tomore » pave the way towards the development of future GeV-class IFEL accelerators.« less

PHOTONICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY Laser nanostructuring of materials surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavestovskaya, I. N.

2010-12-01

This paper reviews results of experimental and theoretical studies of surface micro- and nanostructuring of metals and other materials irradiated directly by short and ultrashort laser pulses. Special attention is paid to direct laser action involving melting of the material (with or without ablation), followed by ultrarapid surface solidification, which is an effective approach to producing surface nanostructures. Theoretical analysis of recrystallisation kinetics after irradiation by ultrashort laser pulses makes it possible to determine the volume fraction of crystallised phase and the average size of forming crystalline structures as functions of laser treatment regime and thermodynamic properties of the material. The present results can be used to optimise pulsed laser treatment regime in order to ensure control nanostructuring of metal surfaces.

Femtosecond laser-induced cell-cell surgical attachment.

PubMed

Katchinskiy, Nir; Godbout, Roseline; Goez, Helly R; Elezzabi, Abdulhakem Y

2014-04-01

Laser-induced cell-cell surgical attachment using femtosecond laser pulses is reported. We have demonstrated the ability to attach single cells using sub-10 femtosecond laser pulses, with 800 nm central wavelength delivered from a Ti:Sapphire laser. To check that the cells did not go through a cell-fusion process, a fluorescent dye Calcein AM was used to verify that the fluorescent dye did not migrate from a dyed cell to a non-dyed cell. The mechanical integrity of the attached joint was assessed using an optical tweezer. Attachment of cells was performed without the induction of cell-cell fusion, with attachment efficiency of 95%, and while preserving the cells' viability. Cell-cell attachment was achieved by delivery of one to two trains of femtosecond laser pulses lasting 15 ms each. Laser-induced ionization process led to an ultrafast reversible destabilization of the phospholipid layer of the cellular membrane. The inner cell membrane remained intact during the attachment procedure, and isolation of the cells' cytoplasm from the surrounding medium was obtained. A strong physical attachment between the cells was obtained due to the bonding of the membranes' ionized phospholipid molecules and the formation of a joint cellular membrane at the connection point. The cellular attachment technique, femtosecond laser-induced cell-cell surgical attachment, can potentially provide a platform for the creation of engineered tissue and cell cultures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Monitoring femtosecond laser microscopic photothermolysis with multimodal microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yimei; Lui, Harvey; Zhao, Jianhua; McLean, David I.; Zeng, Haishan

2016-02-01

Photothermolysis induced by femtosecond (fs) lasers may be a promising modality in dermatology because of its advantages of high precision due to multiphoton absorption and deeper penetration due to the use of near infrared wavelengths. Although multiphoton absorption nonlinear effects are capable of precision targeting, the femtosecond laser photothermolysis could still have effects beyond the targeted area if a sufficiently high dose of laser light is used. Such unintended effects could be minimized by real time monitoring photothermolysis during the treatment. Targeted photothermolytic treatment of ex vivo mouse skin dermis was performed with tightly focused fs laser beams. Images of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), second harmonic generation (SHG), and two-photon fluorescence (TPF) of the mouse skins were obtained with integrated multimodal microscopy before, during, and after the laser treatment. The RCM, SHG, and TPF signal intensities of the treatment areas changed after high power femtosecond laser irradiation. The intensities of the RCM and SHG signals decreased when the tissue was damaged, while the intensity of the TPF signal increased when the photothermolysis was achieved. Moreover, the TPF signal was more susceptible to the degree of the photothermolysis than the RCM and SHG signals. The results suggested that multimodal microscopy is a potentially useful tool to monitor and assess the femtosecond laser treatment of the skin to achieve microscopic photothermolysis with high precision.