MRI: Development of a Phase-coherent Laser System for Attosecond Science and Precision Spectroscopy

MRI：开发用于阿秒科学和精密光谱学的相位相干激光系统

• 批准号: 0722800
• 负责人: Hans Schuessler
• 金额: $ 43.1万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0722800&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRI; Development; Phase; coherent; Laser

0722800PaulusSince the original invention of the laser nearly half a century ago, laser physics has evolved on two seemingly divergent paths. High power lasers with short pulses and broad spectral bandwidths were developed for use studying atomic and molecular dynamics and continuous lasers with very narrow bandwidths were developed and used in high-resolution spectroscopy. The frequency comb technique - invented by Hall and Hansch and recognized by the 2005 Physics Nobel prize - brought the paths back together and opened new opportunities for precision spectroscopy and dynamics experiments, the theme of this project. The frequency-comb technique allows production of laser pulses that consist of only a few optical cycles with the phase being precisely controlled, or equivalently a set of closely spaced colors with precisely defined frequency. The technique enables control of the temporal evolution of the laser field with sub-cycle precision thus giving access to the attosecond time domain. The attosecond (a billionth of a billionth of a second) time domain is the natural time scale of electron motion in atoms and molecules. Therefore, attosecond illumination makes it possible to take snapshots of electron dynamics, e.g. in chemical reactions. Only very recently has it become possible to generate attosecond laser pulses, a development of fundamental importance for atomic and molecular physics, for chemistry and for biology.This project will develop a versatile phase-coherent laser system that will enable research and education in attosecond laser physics at Texas A&M University. The core of this system will consist of a high-power chirped-pulse optical parametric amplifier capable of generating phase-stabilized few-cycle pulses in the infrared (IR) spectral region. Such pulses will serve as probes in strong-field laser physics experiments. Furthermore, they will allow production of isolated attosecond pulses of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation which are perfectly synchronized with the driving optical field. Simultaneous availability of phase-stabilized few-cycle IR pulses and synchronized XUV pulses will provide capabilities for exploring the attosecond dynamics of molecular dissociation and molecular alignment. In addition, various ideas exploiting unique properties of molecules vibrating and rotating in lockstep will be tested. The system will serve as a valuable resource to a large number of Texas A&M science and engineering faculty and students.The project will offer excellent training opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students, and will train the workforce necessary for the countless applications of phase-coherent laser systems, XUV technology, and ultra-fast optics in general. The planned collaborations with leading scientists in the US and Europe will provide the students with valuable international experience. The results of this project will be disseminated through scientific publications, colloquia, and conference presentations by faculty and students. Outreach activities such as summer schools, lecture series, science-themed days will be used to promote the project, attract the best students, and inform the interested public.

自从激光器在近半个世纪前被首次发明以来，激光物理学在两条看似不同的道路上发展。具有短脉冲和宽光谱带宽的高功率激光器被开发用于研究原子和分子动力学，具有非常窄带宽的连续激光器被开发并用于高分辨率光谱学。 由Hall和Hansch发明并获得2005年诺贝尔物理学奖的频率梳技术将这些路径重新组合在一起，并为精密光谱学和动力学实验开辟了新的机会，这也是该项目的主题。频率梳技术允许产生仅由几个光学周期组成的激光脉冲，相位被精确控制，或者等效地，一组具有精确定义频率的紧密间隔的颜色。 该技术使得能够以子周期精度控制激光场的时间演化，从而获得阿秒时域。阿秒（十亿分之一秒的十亿分之一）时间域是原子和分子中电子运动的自然时间尺度。因此，阿秒照明可以拍摄电子动力学的快照，例如在化学反应中。直到最近才有可能产生阿秒激光脉冲，这对原子和分子物理学、化学和生物学具有根本重要性，本项目将开发一种多功能相位相干激光系统，使得克萨斯A M大学能够进行阿秒激光物理学的研究和教育。 该系统的核心将包括一个高功率啁啾脉冲光参量放大器，能够产生相位稳定的几个周期的脉冲在红外（IR）光谱区。 这种脉冲将作为强场激光物理实验中的探针。此外，它们将允许产生与驱动光场完全同步的极紫外（XUV）辐射的孤立阿秒脉冲。相位稳定的几个周期的红外脉冲和同步XUV脉冲的同时可用性将提供探索分子解离和分子排列的阿秒动力学的能力。此外，利用分子振动和旋转的独特性质的各种想法将被测试。 该系统将作为一个宝贵的资源，以大量的得克萨斯A M科学和工程的教师和学生。该项目将提供极好的培训机会，研究生和本科生，并将培训必要的劳动力的相位相干激光系统，XUV技术，和超快光学的无数应用一般。 与美国和欧洲领先科学家的计划合作将为学生提供宝贵的国际经验。 该项目的结果将通过科学出版物、座谈会和教师和学生的会议演讲进行传播。 将利用暑期学校、系列讲座、科学主题日等外联活动来宣传该项目，吸引最优秀的学生，并向感兴趣的公众提供信息。