The flying focus is a technique in which a chirped laser beam is focused by a chromatic lens to produce an extended focal spot within which laser intensity can propagate at any velocity. If the intensity is above the ionization threshold of a background gas, an ionization wave will track the ionization threshold intensity isosurface as it propagates. We report on the demonstration of such ionization waves of arbitrary velocity. Subluminal and superluminal ionization fronts were produced, both forward- and backward-propagating relative to the ionizing laser. In conclusion, all backward and all superluminal cases mitigated the issue of ionization-induced refraction that typically challenges the formation of long, contiguous plasma channels.
Turnbull, D., Franke, P., Katz, J., Palastro, J. P., Begishev, I. A., Boni, R., Bromage, J., Milder, A. L., Shaw, J. L., & Froula, D. H. (2018). Ionization Waves of Arbitrary Velocity. Physical Review Letters, 120(22). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.225001
@article{osti_1444062,
author = {Turnbull, D. and Franke, P. and Katz, J. and Palastro, J. P. and Begishev, I. A. and Boni, R. and Bromage, J. and Milder, A. L. and Shaw, J. L. and Froula, D. H.},
title = {Ionization Waves of Arbitrary Velocity},
annote = {The flying focus is a technique in which a chirped laser beam is focused by a chromatic lens to produce an extended focal spot within which laser intensity can propagate at any velocity. If the intensity is above the ionization threshold of a background gas, an ionization wave will track the ionization threshold intensity isosurface as it propagates. We report on the demonstration of such ionization waves of arbitrary velocity. Subluminal and superluminal ionization fronts were produced, both forward- and backward-propagating relative to the ionizing laser. In conclusion, all backward and all superluminal cases mitigated the issue of ionization-induced refraction that typically challenges the formation of long, contiguous plasma channels.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.225001},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1444062},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
issn = {ISSN PRLTAO},
number = {22},
volume = {120},
place = {United States},
publisher = {American Physical Society (APS)},
year = {2018},
month = {05}}
Technical Digest. Summaries of papers presented at the Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference. Conference Editionhttps://doi.org/10.1109/qels.2002.1031325
Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference and Photonic Applications Systems Technologieshttps://doi.org/10.1364/iqec.2004.itui40
