Spatiotemporal control of laser intensity

Froula, Dustin H.; Turnbull, David; Davies, Andrew S.; Kessler, Terrance J.; Haberberger, Dan; Palastro, John P.; Bahk, Seung-Whan; Begishev, Ildar A.; Boni, Robert; Bucht, Sara; Katz, Joseph; Shaw, Jessica L.

doi:10.1038/s41566-018-0121-8

Title: Spatiotemporal control of laser intensity

Journal Article · 12 March 2018 · Nature Photonics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-018-0121-8 · OSTI ID:1437582

^[1]; Turnbull, David ^[2]; Davies, Andrew S. ^[1]; Kessler, Terrance J. ^[2]; Haberberger, Dan ^[2]; Palastro, John P. ^[2]; Bahk, Seung-Whan ^[2]; Begishev, Ildar A. ^[2]; Boni, Robert ^[2]; Bucht, Sara ^[1]; Katz, Joseph ^[2]; Shaw, Jessica L. ^[2]

Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics; Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Dept. of Physics
Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics

The controlled coupling of a laser to a plasma has the potential to address grand scientific challenges including reaching the Schwinger limit, developing compact free electron lasers, extending linear colliders to TeV energies, and generating novel light sources for probing electron dynamics within molecules. Currently, many such applications have limited flexibility and poor control over the laser focal volume. Here we present an advanced focusing scheme called a “flying focus” where a chromatic focusing system combined with chirped laser pulses enables a small–diameter laser focus to propagate nearly 100 times its Rayleigh length, while decoupling the speed at which the peak intensity moves from its group velocity. This unprecedented spatiotemporal control over the laser focal volume allows the laser focus to co- or counter–propagate along its axis at any velocity. Experiments validating the concept measured subluminal (-0.09c) to superluminal (39c) focal spot velocities generating a nearly constant peak intensity over 4.5 mm.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0001944; SC0016253

OSTI ID:: 1437582

Report Number(s):: 2017-173; 13-98; PII: 121; TRN: US1900343

Journal Information:: Nature Photonics, Vol. 12, Issue 5; ISSN 1749-4885

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 125 works

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