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Scale-invariant nonlinear optics in gases

Heyl, C. M. LU ; Coudert-Alteirac, H. LU ; Miranda, M. LU ; Louisy, M. LU ; Kovacs, K. ; Tosa, V. ; Balogh, E. ; Varjú, K. LU ; L'Huillier, Anne LU orcid and Couairon, A. , et al. (2016) In Optica 3(1). p.75-81
Abstract

Nonlinear optical methods have become ubiquitous in many scientific areas, from fundamental studies of timeresolved electron dynamics to microscopy and spectroscopy applications. They are, however, often limited to a certain range of parameters such as pulse energy and average power. Restrictions arise from, for example, the required field intensity as well as from parasitic nonlinear effects and saturation mechanisms. Here, we identify a fundamental principle of nonlinear light-matter interaction in gases and show that paraxial nonlinear wave equations are scaleinvariant if spatial dimensions, gas density, and laser pulse energy are scaled appropriately. As an example, we apply this principle to high-order harmonic generation and... (More)

Nonlinear optical methods have become ubiquitous in many scientific areas, from fundamental studies of timeresolved electron dynamics to microscopy and spectroscopy applications. They are, however, often limited to a certain range of parameters such as pulse energy and average power. Restrictions arise from, for example, the required field intensity as well as from parasitic nonlinear effects and saturation mechanisms. Here, we identify a fundamental principle of nonlinear light-matter interaction in gases and show that paraxial nonlinear wave equations are scaleinvariant if spatial dimensions, gas density, and laser pulse energy are scaled appropriately. As an example, we apply this principle to high-order harmonic generation and provide a general method for increasing peak and average power of attosecond sources. In addition, we experimentally demonstrate the implications for the compression of short laser pulses. Our scaling principle extends well beyond those examples and includes many nonlinear processes with applications in different areas of science.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Optica
volume
3
issue
1
pages
7 pages
publisher
Optical Society of America
external identifiers
  • wos:000370815300014
  • scopus:84960969838
ISSN
2334-2536
DOI
10.1364/OPTICA.3.000075
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b6b64a6e-d57b-4ff7-95b4-fbff24d193ff
date added to LUP
2016-09-20 09:07:23
date last changed
2025-03-09 19:54:28
@article{b6b64a6e-d57b-4ff7-95b4-fbff24d193ff,
  abstract     = {{<p>Nonlinear optical methods have become ubiquitous in many scientific areas, from fundamental studies of timeresolved electron dynamics to microscopy and spectroscopy applications. They are, however, often limited to a certain range of parameters such as pulse energy and average power. Restrictions arise from, for example, the required field intensity as well as from parasitic nonlinear effects and saturation mechanisms. Here, we identify a fundamental principle of nonlinear light-matter interaction in gases and show that paraxial nonlinear wave equations are scaleinvariant if spatial dimensions, gas density, and laser pulse energy are scaled appropriately. As an example, we apply this principle to high-order harmonic generation and provide a general method for increasing peak and average power of attosecond sources. In addition, we experimentally demonstrate the implications for the compression of short laser pulses. Our scaling principle extends well beyond those examples and includes many nonlinear processes with applications in different areas of science.</p>}},
  author       = {{Heyl, C. M. and Coudert-Alteirac, H. and Miranda, M. and Louisy, M. and Kovacs, K. and Tosa, V. and Balogh, E. and Varjú, K. and L'Huillier, Anne and Couairon, A. and Arnold, C. L.}},
  issn         = {{2334-2536}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{75--81}},
  publisher    = {{Optical Society of America}},
  series       = {{Optica}},
  title        = {{Scale-invariant nonlinear optics in gases}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.3.000075}},
  doi          = {{10.1364/OPTICA.3.000075}},
  volume       = {{3}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}