Laser chirp controlled relativistic few-cycle mid-infrared pulse generation

Relativistic few-cycle mid-infrared (mid-IR) pulses are unique tools for strong-field physics and ultrafast science, but are difficult to generate with traditional nonlinear optical methods. Here, we propose a scheme to generate such pulses with high efficiency via plasma-based frequency modulation...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:High power laser science and engineering 2023-01, Vol.11, Article e57
Main Authors: Li, Dongao, Zhang, Guobo, Zhao, Jie, Hu, Yanting, Lu, Yu, Zhang, Hao, Li, Qianni, Zhang, Dongze, Sha, Rong, Shao, Fuqiu, Sheng, Zhengming, Yu, Tongpu
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Charged particles
Chirp
chirp laser pulses
Deceleration
Efficiency
Electric fields
Energy conversion efficiency
Frequency modulation
laser wakefield
Lasers
Nonlinear optics
photon deceleration
Plasma density
Plasma etching
Radiation
Relativistic effects
relativistic mid-infrared generation
Velocity
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Summary:Relativistic few-cycle mid-infrared (mid-IR) pulses are unique tools for strong-field physics and ultrafast science, but are difficult to generate with traditional nonlinear optical methods. Here, we propose a scheme to generate such pulses with high efficiency via plasma-based frequency modulation with a negatively chirped laser pulse (NCLP). The NCLP is rapidly compressed longitudinally due to dispersion and plasma etching, and its central frequency is downshifted via photon deceleration due to the enhanced laser intensity and plasma density modulations. Simulation results show that few-cycle mid-IR pulses with the maximum center wavelength of $7.9\;\unicode{x3bc} \mathrm{m}$ and pulse intensity of ${a}_{\mathrm{MIR}}=2.9$ can be generated under a proper chirp parameter. Further, the maximum energy conversion efficiency can approach 5.0%. Such a relativistic mid-IR source is promising for a wide range of applications.
ISSN:2095-4719
2052-3289
DOI:10.1017/hpl.2023.51