Enhanced Ultrafast Lasers by Use of Nonlinearity Management

康奈尔大学的一个研究小组（与密歇根大学的一个小组密切合作）将开发先进的超短光脉冲源。 研究人员将利用一个新的自由度，最近已经证明了短脉冲的产生：有效的立方非线性的符号和幅度的控制。 由于立方非线性过程实际上是现代超短脉冲产生的所有方面的基础，这是一种实质性的新能力。 超高强度激光器能够产生拍瓦（1015 W）的功率水平和高达1015 W/cm 2的强度，将受益于脉冲压缩，脉冲清洁，自聚焦和过度非线性相移补偿的新功能。控制非线性相移的新能力被称为非线性管理。控制和产生强超短脉冲的新方法是灵活的，适用于各种功能。 拟议的研究肯定会产生新的信息和理解超短光脉冲。 预计将制定的新文书将产生重大影响。 新的超高强度激光器有望使各种科学研究成为可能。 参与拟议工作的学生将参与高度协作的努力，从光学工程到基础科学。

A team of researchers from Cornell University (in close collaboration with a group from the University of Michigan) will develop advanced sources of ultrashort light pulses. The researchers will exploit a new degree of freedom that has recently been demonstrated for short-pulse generation: control of the sign and magnitude of effective cubic nonlinearities. Because cubic nonlinear processes underlie virtually all aspects of modern ultrashort-pulse generation, this is a substantial new capability. Ultrahigh-intensity lasers capable of producing petawatt (1015 W) power levels and intensities as high as 1015 W/cm2 will benefit from new capabilities in pulse compression, pulse cleaning, and compensation of self-focusing and excessive nonlinear phase shifts. The new ability to control nonlinear phase shifts is referred to as nonlinearity management. The new approach to control and generation of intense ultrashort pulses is flexible and applicable to a variety of functions. The proposed research is certain to produce new information and understanding of ultrashort light pulses. Substantial impact is expected through the new instruments that will be developed. New ultrahigh-intensity lasers are expected to enable a wide variety of scientific studies. Students participating in the proposed effort will be involved in a highly collaborative effort, with aspects ranging from optical engineering to fundamental science.