Holographic capture of femtosecond pulse propagation

Journal Article · Fri Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2345469· OSTI ID:20884717

Centurion, Martin; Ye, Pu; Psaltis, Demetri ^[1]

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1. Center for the Physics of Information, California Institute of Technology, MS 136-93, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States) and Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, MS 136-93, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States)

We have implemented a holographic system to study the propagation of femtosecond laser pulses with high temporal (150 fs) and spatial resolutions (4 {mu}m). The phase information in the holograms allows us to reconstruct both positive and negative index changes due to the Kerr nonlinearity (positive) and plasma formation (negative), and to reconstruct three-dimensional structure. Dramatic differences were observed in the interaction of focused femtosecond pulses with air, water, and carbon disulfide. The air becomes ionized in the focal region, while in water long plasma filaments appear before the light reaches a tight focus. In contrast, in carbon disulfide the optical beam breaks up into multiple filaments but no plasma is measured. We explain these different propagation regimes in terms of the different nonlinear material properties.

• OSTI ID: 20884717
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 100, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2345469; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AIR
CARBON SULFIDES
DISULFIDES
HOLOGRAPHY
IMAGE PROCESSING
KERR EFFECT
LASERS
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PHOTOIONIZATION
PLASMA
PLASMA FILAMENT
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PULSES
REFRACTIVE INDEX
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VISIBLE RADIATION
WATER