Characterization of laser-induced air plasmas by third harmonic generation

doi:10.1364/OE.19.016115

Characterization of laser-induced air plasmas by third harmonic generation

Cristina Rodríguez, Zhanliang Sun, Zhenwei Wang, and Wolfgang Rudolph »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 19, Issue 17, pp. 16115-16125 (2011)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.19.016115

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Abstract

Third harmonic generation by a weak femtosecond probe pulse intersecting a pump laser-induced plasma in air is investigated and a general model is developed to describe such signal, applicable to a wide range of focusing and plasma conditions. The effect of the surrounding air on the generated signal is discussed. The third-order nonlinear susceptibility of an air plasma with electron density N_e is determined to be $χ_{p}^{(3)} = χ_{a}^{(3)} + γ_{p} N_{e}$ with γ_p = 2 ± 1 × 10⁻⁴⁹ m⁵ V⁻² and $χ_{a}^{(3)}$ being the third-order susceptibility in air. Lateral scans of the probe through the plasma are used to determine electron density profiles and the effect of focusing and phase mismatch is discussed.

OCIS Codes
(320.2250) Ultrafast optics : Femtosecond phenomena
(180.4315) Microscopy : Nonlinear microscopy
(280.5395) Remote sensing and sensors : Plasma diagnostics

ToC Category:
Microscopy

History
Original Manuscript: May 26, 2011
Revised Manuscript: July 19, 2011
Manuscript Accepted: July 24, 2011
Published: August 8, 2011

Citation
Cristina Rodríguez, Zhanliang Sun, Zhenwei Wang, and Wolfgang Rudolph, "Characterization of laser-induced air plasmas by third harmonic generation," Opt. Express 19, 16115-16125 (2011)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-19-17-16115

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References

Y. Barad, H. Eisenberg, M. Horowitz, and Y. Silberberg, “Nonlinear scanning laser microscopy by third harmonic generation,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 70, 922–924 (1997). [CrossRef]
A. N. Naumov, D. A. Sidorov-Biryukov, A. B. Fedotov, and A. M. Zheltikov, “Third-harmonic generation in focused beams as a method of 3D microscopy of a laser-produced plasma,” Opt. Spectrosc. , 90, 778–783 (2001). [CrossRef]
S. Suntsov, D. Abdollahpour, D. G. Papazoglou, and S. Tzortzakis, “Filamentation-induced third-harmonic generation in air via plasma-enhanced third-order susceptibility,” Phys. Rev. A 81, 033817 (2010). [CrossRef]
K. Hartinger and R. A. Bartels, “Enhancement of third harmonic generation by a laser-induced plasma,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 151102 (2008). [CrossRef]
S. Backus, J. Peatross, Z. Zeek, A. Rundquist, G. Taft, M. M. Murnane, and H. C. Kapteyn, “16-fs, 1-microJ ultraviolet pulses generated by third-harmonic conversion in air,” Opt. Lett. 21, 665–667 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. W. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics (Academic Press, 2008).
J. F. Ward and G. H. C. New, “Optical third harmonic generation in gases by a focused laser beam,” Phys. Rev. 185, 57–72 (1969). [CrossRef]
A. A. Fridman and L. A. Kennedy, Plasma Physics and Engineering (Taylor & Francis, 2004).
P. E. Ciddor, “Refractive index of air: new equations for the visible and near infrared,” Appl. Opt. 35, 1566–1573 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
A. B. Fedotov, S. M. Gladkov, N. I. Koroteev, and A. M. Zheltikov, “Highly efficient frequency tripling of laser radiation in a low-temperature laser-produced gaseous plasma,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 8, 363–366 (1991). [CrossRef]
J. Kasparian, R. Sauerbrey, and S. L. Chin, “The critical laser intensity of self-guided light filaments in air,” Appl. Phys. B 71, 877–879 (2000). [CrossRef]
A. Talebpour, J. Yang, and S. L. Chin, “Semi-empirical model for the rate of tunnel ionization of N2 and O2 molecule in an intense Ti:sapphire laser pulse,” Opt. Commun. 163, 29–32 (1999). [CrossRef]
S. Suntsov, D. Abdollahpour, D. G. Papazoglou, and S. Tzortzakis, “Efficient third-harmonic generation through tailored IR femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in air,” Opt. Express 17, 3190–3195 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Z. Sun, J. Chen, and W. Rudolph, “Determination of the transient electron temperature in a femtosecond-laser-induced air plasma,” Phys. Rev. E 83, 046408 (2011). [CrossRef]
L. V. Keldysh, “Ionization in the field of a strong electromagnetic wave,” Sov. Phys. JETP 20, 1307–1314 (1965).

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[1] Y. Barad, H. Eisenberg, M. Horowitz, and Y. Silberberg, “Nonlinear scanning laser microscopy by third harmonic generation,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 70, 922–924 (1997). [CrossRef]

[2] A. N. Naumov, D. A. Sidorov-Biryukov, A. B. Fedotov, and A. M. Zheltikov, “Third-harmonic generation in focused beams as a method of 3D microscopy of a laser-produced plasma,” Opt. Spectrosc. , 90, 778–783 (2001). [CrossRef]

[3] S. Suntsov, D. Abdollahpour, D. G. Papazoglou, and S. Tzortzakis, “Filamentation-induced third-harmonic generation in air via plasma-enhanced third-order susceptibility,” Phys. Rev. A 81, 033817 (2010). [CrossRef]

[4] K. Hartinger and R. A. Bartels, “Enhancement of third harmonic generation by a laser-induced plasma,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 151102 (2008). [CrossRef]

[5] S. Backus, J. Peatross, Z. Zeek, A. Rundquist, G. Taft, M. M. Murnane, and H. C. Kapteyn, “16-fs, 1-microJ ultraviolet pulses generated by third-harmonic conversion in air,” Opt. Lett. 21, 665–667 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[6] R. W. Boyd, Nonlinear Optics (Academic Press, 2008).

[7] J. F. Ward and G. H. C. New, “Optical third harmonic generation in gases by a focused laser beam,” Phys. Rev. 185, 57–72 (1969). [CrossRef]

[8] A. A. Fridman and L. A. Kennedy, Plasma Physics and Engineering (Taylor & Francis, 2004).

[9] P. E. Ciddor, “Refractive index of air: new equations for the visible and near infrared,” Appl. Opt. 35, 1566–1573 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[10] A. B. Fedotov, S. M. Gladkov, N. I. Koroteev, and A. M. Zheltikov, “Highly efficient frequency tripling of laser radiation in a low-temperature laser-produced gaseous plasma,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 8, 363–366 (1991). [CrossRef]

[11] J. Kasparian, R. Sauerbrey, and S. L. Chin, “The critical laser intensity of self-guided light filaments in air,” Appl. Phys. B 71, 877–879 (2000). [CrossRef]

[12] A. Talebpour, J. Yang, and S. L. Chin, “Semi-empirical model for the rate of tunnel ionization of N2 and O2 molecule in an intense Ti:sapphire laser pulse,” Opt. Commun. 163, 29–32 (1999). [CrossRef]

[13] S. Suntsov, D. Abdollahpour, D. G. Papazoglou, and S. Tzortzakis, “Efficient third-harmonic generation through tailored IR femtosecond laser pulse filamentation in air,” Opt. Express 17, 3190–3195 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[14] Z. Sun, J. Chen, and W. Rudolph, “Determination of the transient electron temperature in a femtosecond-laser-induced air plasma,” Phys. Rev. E 83, 046408 (2011). [CrossRef]

[15] L. V. Keldysh, “Ionization in the field of a strong electromagnetic wave,” Sov. Phys. JETP 20, 1307–1314 (1965).

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Characterization of laser-induced air plasmas by third harmonic generation