Scanless laser waveform measurement in the near-infrared

Journal Article · 05 January 2025 · APL Photonics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0239294 · OSTI ID:2496796

Truong, Tran-Chau ; Liu, Yangyang; Khatri, Dipendra ; Zhang, Yuxuan ; Shim, Bonggu ; Chini, Michael

Field-resolved measurements of few-cycle laser waveforms allow access to ultrafast electron dynamics in light–matter interactions and are key to future lightwave electronics. Recently, sub-cycle gating based on nonlinear excitation in active pixel sensors has allowed the first single-shot measurements of mid-infrared optical fields. Extending the techniques to shorter wavelengths, however, is not feasible using silicon-based detectors with bandgaps in the near-infrared. Here, we demonstrate an all-optical sampling technique for near-infrared laser fields, wherein an intense fundamental field generates a sub-cycle gate through nonlinear excitation of a wide-bandgap crystal, in this case, ZnO, which can sample the electric field of a weak perturbing pulse. By using a crossed-beam geometry, the temporal evolution of the perturbing field is mapped onto a transverse spatial axis of the nonlinear medium, and the waveform is captured in a single measurement of the spatially resolved fluorescence emission from the crystal. The technique is demonstrated through field-resolved measurements of the field reshaping during nonlinear propagation in the ZnO detection crystal.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: NONE; SC0019291; SC0022540
• OSTI ID: 2496796
• Journal Information: APL Photonics, Journal Name: APL Photonics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 10; ISSN 2378-0967
• Publisher: American Institute of PhysicsCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English