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来源。研究人员将利用最近被证明用于短脉冲产生的一种新的自由度：控制有效立方非线性的符号和大小。由于立方非线性过程几乎构成了现代超短脉冲产生的所有方面，这是一项实质性的新能力。能够产生拍瓦(1015W)功率水平和高达1015W/cm2强度的超高强度激光器将受益于脉冲压缩、脉冲清洗以及自聚焦和过度非线性相移补偿方面的新功能。控制非线性相移的新能力被称为非线性管理。这种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。这项拟议的研究肯定会产生新的信息和对超短光脉冲的理解。预计将开发的新工具将产生重大影响。新的超高强度激光有望使各种科学研究成为可能。参与这项拟议工作的学生将参与一项高度合作的工作，涉及从光学工程到基础科学的各个方面。

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.