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Generation, characterization and application of infrared few-cycle light pulses

Sytcevich, Ivan LU (2022) In Lund reports on atomic physics
Abstract
In recent decades, laser systems emitting pulses of light containing only a few electric field oscillations under their envelope have become common in many ultrafast optics laboratories. Owing to unique temporal characteristics and achieving extreme field strengths, these so-­called few­-cycle pulses have been instrumental in unlocking new regimes of light-­matter interaction.
The work presented in this thesis is focused on mastering the techniques to generate and characterize few­-optical-­cycle light pulses in the near­ and short-wave infrared spectral regions. Two systems based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) are presented. Derived from the same laser front-end, they both deliver sub­-2.5-­cycle pulses at... (More)
In recent decades, laser systems emitting pulses of light containing only a few electric field oscillations under their envelope have become common in many ultrafast optics laboratories. Owing to unique temporal characteristics and achieving extreme field strengths, these so-­called few­-cycle pulses have been instrumental in unlocking new regimes of light-­matter interaction.
The work presented in this thesis is focused on mastering the techniques to generate and characterize few­-optical-­cycle light pulses in the near­ and short-wave infrared spectral regions. Two systems based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) are presented. Derived from the same laser front-end, they both deliver sub­-2.5-­cycle pulses at high repetition rate (200 kHz) with a stable electric field waveform. The first laser source is a near-­infrared OPCPA delivering 6 fs pulses at a carrier of 850 nm which was upgraded during this thesis. The upgrade resulted in a boost of the output pulse energy from 8 μJ to 15 μJ without loss in pulse quality. The second laser source is a few­cycle OPCPA around 2 μm, emitting <16 fs pulses with 13 μJ of pulse energy, which was developed entirely during the thesis. We tested the capabilities of this system by driving high-­order harmonic generation (HHG) in argon gas.
As a promising alternative route for few­-cycle pulses, nonlinear pulse post­compression based on multipass cells (MPCs) was investigated. It is an efficient way of reducing the pulse duration of high­-power Ytterbium (Yb) lasers. In this thesis, two MPC­-based compression experiments are presented. Firstly, 1.2 ps pulses from a mJ­-level Yb amplifier were compressed to 13 fs with two consecutive gas­-flled MPCs. Secondly, the output of another Yb amplifier was compressed from 300 to 31 fs using a bulk MPC while preserving high beam quality.
Successful development of such systems is impossible without careful characterization of the output pulses. Throughout the thesis, we relied on the extensive use of the dispersion scan (d­-scan) pulse characterization technique. We demonstrate the powerful capabilities and versatility of the second­harmonic d­-scan by measuring pulses of different durations and central wavelengths in scanning and single­-shot configurations.
Lastly, the few-­cycle light pulses were applied to two-­color photoionization experiments and the study of lightwave-­driven currents in semiconductors at high repetition rates. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Dr Manzoni, Cristian, Politecnico Milano, Italy.
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Few-cycle pulses, pulse characterization, optical parametric amplification, Fysicumarkivet A:2022:Sytcevich
in
Lund reports on atomic physics
pages
180 pages
publisher
Division of Atomic Physics, Department of Physics, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, Lund University
defense location
Lecture Hall Rydbergsalen, Department of Physics, Professorsgatan 1, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund. Zoom: https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/63564061449?pwd=NGREVllmL2hmQXdncHJ2MUF5MlBmZz09
defense date
2022-09-30 09:15:00
ISSN
0281-2762
ISBN
978-91-8039-315-7
978-91-8039-314-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e5bea645-c2f2-4bbc-886e-d41d3f14d741
date added to LUP
2022-08-23 17:20:22
date last changed
2023-09-06 10:14:16
@phdthesis{e5bea645-c2f2-4bbc-886e-d41d3f14d741,
  abstract     = {{In recent decades, laser systems emitting pulses of light containing only a few electric field oscillations under their envelope have become common in many ultrafast optics laboratories. Owing to unique temporal characteristics and achieving extreme field strengths, these so-­called few­-cycle pulses have been instrumental in unlocking new regimes of light-­matter interaction.<br/>The work presented in this thesis is focused on mastering the techniques to generate and characterize few­-optical-­cycle light pulses in the near­ and short-wave infrared spectral regions. Two systems based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) are presented. Derived from the same laser front-end, they both deliver sub­-2.5-­cycle pulses at high repetition rate (200 kHz) with a stable electric field waveform. The first laser source is a near-­infrared OPCPA delivering 6 fs pulses at a carrier of 850 nm which was upgraded during this thesis. The upgrade resulted in a boost of the output pulse energy from 8 μJ to 15 μJ without loss in pulse quality. The second laser source is a few­cycle OPCPA around 2 μm, emitting &lt;16 fs pulses with 13 μJ of pulse energy, which was developed entirely during the thesis. We tested the capabilities of this system by driving high-­order harmonic generation (HHG) in argon gas.<br/>As a promising alternative route for few­-cycle pulses, nonlinear pulse post­compression based on multipass cells (MPCs) was investigated. It is an efficient way of reducing the pulse duration of high­-power Ytterbium (Yb) lasers. In this thesis, two MPC­-based compression experiments are presented. Firstly, 1.2 ps pulses from a mJ­-level Yb amplifier were compressed to 13 fs with two consecutive gas­-flled MPCs. Secondly, the output of another Yb amplifier was compressed from 300 to 31 fs using a bulk MPC while preserving high beam quality.<br/>Successful development of such systems is impossible without careful characterization of the output pulses. Throughout the thesis, we relied on the extensive use of the dispersion scan (d­-scan) pulse characterization technique. We demonstrate the powerful capabilities and versatility of the second­harmonic d­-scan by measuring pulses of different durations and central wavelengths in scanning and single­-shot configurations.<br/>Lastly, the few-­cycle light pulses were applied to two-­color photoionization experiments and the study of lightwave-­driven currents in semiconductors at high repetition rates.}},
  author       = {{Sytcevich, Ivan}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-8039-315-7}},
  issn         = {{0281-2762}},
  keywords     = {{Few-cycle pulses; pulse characterization; optical parametric amplification; Fysicumarkivet A:2022:Sytcevich}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Division of Atomic Physics, Department of Physics, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  series       = {{Lund reports on atomic physics}},
  title        = {{Generation, characterization and application of infrared few-cycle light pulses}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/123009590/Sytcevich_thesis_Kappa.pdf}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}