Long lifetime plasma channel in air generated by multiple femtosecond laser pulses and an external electrical field

The lifetime of a plasma channel produced by self-guiding intense femtosecond laser pulses in air is largely prolonged by adding a high voltage electrical field in the plasma and by introducing a series of femtosecond laser pulses. An optimal lifetime value is realized through adjusting the delay among these laser pulses. The lifetime of a plasma channel is greatly enhanced to 350 ns by using four sequential intense 100fs( FWHM) laser pulses with an external electrical field of about 350kV/m, which proves the feasibility of prolonging the lifetime of plasma by adding an external electrical field and employing multiple laser pulses. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Fine interference fringes formed in high-order harmonic spectra generated by infrared driving laser pulses

We experimentally investigate the high-order harmonic generation in argon gas using a driving laser pulse at a center wavelength of 1240 nm. High-contrast fine interference fringes could be observed in the harmonic spectra near the propagation axis, which is attributed to the interference between long and short quantum paths. We also systematically examine the variation of the interference fringe pattern with increasing energy of the driving pulse and with different phase-matching conditions.

X-shaped third harmonic generated by ultrashort infrared pulse filamentation in air

The authors report the measurement of the angularly resolved spectrum of the third harmonic generated in a femtosecond filament in air and its evolution with increasing pump power. Pumped by a focused infrared ultrashort pulse with a carrier wavelength of 1270 nm, a pulse duration of similar to 20 fs, and pulse energy up to 487 mu J, the generated third harmonic is composed of an on-axis emission and a conical ring emission. When the pump power is sufficiently high, angularly resolved spectra with significant X-like feature could be observed, indicating the formation of nonlinear X wave at third harmonic. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

Radiation damping effects on the ultrashort x-ray pulses generated by nonlinear Thomson backscattering

Nonlinear Thomson backscattering of an intense Gaussian laser pulse by a counterpropagating energetic electron is investigated by numerically solving the electron equation of motion taking into account the radiative damping force. The backscattered radiation characteristics are different for linearly and circularly polarized lasers because of a difference in their ponderomotive forces acting on the electron. The radiative electron energy loss weakens the backscattered power, breaks the symmetry of the backscattered-pulse profile, and prolongs the duration of the backscattered radiation. With the circularly polarized laser, an adjustable double-peaked backscattered pulse can be obtained. Such a profile has potential applications as a subfemtosecond x-ray pump and probe with adjustable time delay and power ratio. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

The analytical description and experiments of the optical bottle generated by an axicon and a lens

Based on the interferential theory, we deduce a new type of analytic expression suitable for describing the evolutions of the optical bottle beam generated from the axicon-lens optical system illuminated by the Gaussian beam for the first time. The theory does not use much approximation in the process of mathematical analysis and can better illustrate the optical bottle beam evolutions at any positions. With the derived expression, the three-dimensional (3D) longitudinal and transverse intensity profiles of the optical bottle beam are simulated numerically. The numerical calculations have been confirmed by the experimental results.

Properties of convergence of a class of iterative processes generated by sequences of self-mappings with applications to switched dynamic systems

This article investigates the convergence properties of iterative processes involving sequences of self-mappings of metric or Banach spaces. Such sequences are built from a set of primary self-mappings which are either expansive or non-expansive self-mappings and some of the non-expansive ones can be contractive including the case of strict contractions. The sequences are built subject to switching laws which select each active self-mapping on a certain activation interval in such a way that essential properties of boundedness and convergence of distances and iterated sequences are guaranteed. Applications to the important problem of stability of dynamic switched systems are also given.

Beam conditions for radiation generated by an electromagnetic J 0-correlated Schell-model source

Based on the 2 x 2 (electric field) cross-spectral density matrix, a model for an electromagnetic J(0)-correlated Schell-model beam is given that is a generalization of the scalar J(0)-correlated Schell-model beam. The conditions that the matrix for the source to generate an electromagnetic J(0)-correlated Schell-model beam are obtained. The condition for the source to generate a scalar J(0)-correlated Schell-model beam can be considered as a special case. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America

Far-field intensity distribution of a beam generated by a resonator with a phase-unifying mirror

The far-field intensity distribution (FFID) of a beam generated by a phase-unifying mirror resonator was investigated based on scalar diffraction theory. Attention was paid to the parameters, such as obscuration ratio and reflectivity of the phase-unifying mirror, that determine the FFID. All analyses were limited to the TEM00 fundamental mode. (c) 2005 Optical Society of America.

Far-field intensity distribution of beam generated by Gaussian mirror resonator

Based on scalar diffraction theory, we investigated far-field intensity distribution (FFID) of beam generated by Gaussian mirror resonator. We found usable analytical expressions of diffracted field with respect to variation of diffraction parameters. Particular attention was paid to the parameters such as mirror spot size and radius of the Gaussian mirror, which determine the FFID. All analyses were limited to TEM00 fundamental mode. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Propagation properties of a hard-edged diffracted beam generated by a Gaussian mirror resonator

Based on the scalar diffraction theory, the propagation and focusing properties of a hard-edged diffracted beam generated by a Gaussian mirror resonator were investigated. Explicit expressions for the field distribution of the truncated beam that propagates through a paraxial optical ABCD system were derived in detail. Numerical examples are given to illustrate our analytical results. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Propagation properties of beam generated by Gaussian mirror resonator

Based on scalar diffraction theory, propagation properties of beam generated by Gaussian mirror resonator were investigated. Explicit expressions for the field distribution of the beam that propagate through a paraxial optical ABCD system were derived and numerical examples were given to illustrate our analytical results. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.