Enhanced Ultrafast Lasers by Use of Nonlinearity Management

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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.