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

在物理、化学和生命科学中，短周期激光脉冲是观测阿秒畴过程以及利用强光-物质相互作用的不可或缺的工具。今天，在子周期机制中的几个周期脉冲产生主要是由波长为0.8 μ m的近红外激光器。然而，在短波红外（SWIR，1.4-3 μ m）中，对较长波长的高能子周期波形有强烈的应用驱动需求。利用有利的wavelengthscaling的光-物质相互作用，这样的脉冲将开辟新的途径，在强场科学，从相对论粒子加速到产生前所未有的短软X射线阿秒pulses.I建议大幅提高目前的能力，在强场科学获得最有力的子周期SWIR脉冲产生的日期。这一主要目标将解决基于孤子动力学在充气毛细管。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子周期状态的时间压缩。在SWIR中，这种方法的能量缩放的一个关键优势来自于具有较长波长的波导色散的显著增长，从而将必要的毛细管长度减少到桌面尺寸。在此基础上，我将实现第一台台式，> mJ能量的子循环SWIR激光器。然后，该源将被用来研究软X射线阿秒超连续谱表面谐波的产生，到目前为止无法实现的驱动参数。实现目标将需要我发展高能激光物理，先进的数值模拟和项目组织的技能。这是一个完美的机会，联合收割机结合我的实验背景与模拟能力在东道国机构。这项奖学金不仅将加速我的学术生涯，而且将为下一代强场和原子科学建立一个新颖的激光课程。

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.