High-energy short-wavelength infrared soliton dynamics and sub-cycle strong-field physics

高能短波红外孤子动力学与亚周期强场物理

• 批准号: EP/Z001250/1
• 负责人: Martin Gebhardt
• 金额: $ 26.26万
• 依托单位: Heriot-Watt University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FZ001250%2F1
• 关键词: energy; short; wavelength; infrared; soliton

Few-cycle laser pulses are indispensable tools for the observation of attosecond domain processes, and for exploiting intense light-matter interactions in physics, chemistry, or life sciences. Today, few-cycle pulse generation in the sub-cycle regime is dominated bynear-infrared lasers at wavelengths of 0.8 um. However, there is a strong application-driven demand for energetic sub-cyclewaveforms at longer wavelengths, in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR, 1.4-3 um). Harnessing the advantageous wavelengthscaling of light-matter interactions, such pulses will open new avenues in strong-field science, ranging from relativistic particle acceleration to the generation of unprecedently short soft X-ray attosecond pulses.I propose to substantially advance the current capabilities in strong-field science by obtaining the most energetic sub-cycle SWIR pulses generated to date. This main objective will be addressed based on soliton dynamics in gas-filled capillaries. In this approach, the temporal compression to the sub-cycle regime is achieved by carefully balancing nonlinearity and dispersion in thewaveguide. A key advantage of energy scaling this methodology in the SWIR arises from the significant growth of the waveguide dispersion with longer wavelength, reducing the necessary capillary length to table-top dimensions. Based on this, I will realise the first table-top, >mJ-energy sub-cycle SWIR laser. The source will then be used to study the generation of soft X-ray attosecond supercontinua surface harmonics at so far inaccessible driving parameters.Achieving the objectives will require me to develop skills in high-energy laser physics, advanced numerical modelling, and project organisation. It is a perfect opportunity to combine my experimental background with the simulation competences at the host institution. The fellowship will not only accelerate my academic career but establish a novel laser class for the next generation of strong-field and atto-science.

在物理、化学或生命科学中，小周期激光脉冲是观测阿秒域过程和探索强光-物质相互作用不可或缺的工具。今天，在亚周期体制下的短周期脉冲产生主要是由波长为0.8微米的近红外激光器产生的。然而，在短波长红外（SWIR, 1.4-3 um）中，对较长波长的高能亚周期波形有很强的应用驱动需求。利用光-物质相互作用的有利波长尺度，这种脉冲将在强场科学中开辟新的途径，从相对论性粒子加速到产生前所未有的短软x射线阿秒脉冲。我建议通过获得迄今为止产生的最具能量的次周期SWIR脉冲来大大提高当前强场科学的能力。这一主要目标将基于充满气体的毛细血管中的孤子动力学来解决。在这种方法中，通过仔细平衡波导中的非线性和色散来实现对子周期的时间压缩。在SWIR中，能量缩放方法的一个关键优势在于，随着波长的增加，波导色散显著增加，将必要的毛细长度减少到桌面尺寸。在此基础上，我将实现第一台台式，> mj能量的亚周期SWIR激光器。然后，该源将用于研究软x射线阿秒超连续表面谐波在迄今为止无法获得的驱动参数下的产生。实现这些目标需要我发展高能激光物理、高级数值模拟和项目组织方面的技能。这是一个将我的实验背景与主办机构的模拟能力结合起来的绝佳机会。这项奖学金不仅会加速我的学术生涯，而且会为下一代强场和激光科学建立一个新的激光课程。