We present an easy way to calibrate the simple plasma conductivity (PCo) technique for measuring electron plasma densities in gases. We show that calibration can be achieved using a single absolute plasma density measurement through an independent analytical technique, in our case the in-line holographic microscopy (i-HOM). We show the validity and power of the method by comparing the calibrated PCo with results from i-HOM over an extended range of experimental parameters.

© 2011 OSA

1. A. Couairon and A. Mysyrowicz, “Femtosecond filamentation in transparent media,” Phys. Rep. 441(2-4), 47–189 (2007). [CrossRef]
2. S. Tzortzakis, B. Prade, M. Franco, A. Mysyrowicz, S. Hüller, and P. Mora, “Femtosecond laser-guided electric discharge in air,” Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys. 64(5), 057401 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. G. Méjean, J. Kasparian, E. Salmon, J. Yu, J. P. Wolf, R. Bourayou, R. Sauerbrey, M. Rodriguez, L. Wöste, H. Lehmann, B. Stecklum, U. Laux, J. Eislöffel, A. Scholz, and A. P. Hatzes, “Towards a supercontinuum-based infrared lidar,” Appl. Phys. B 77, 357–359 (2003). [CrossRef]
4. S. Tzortzakis, D. Anglos, and D. Gray, “Ultraviolet laser filaments for remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis: applications in cultural heritage monitoring,” Opt. Lett. 31(8), 1139–1141 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. S. Eisenmann, A. Pukhov, and A. Zigler, “Fine structure of a laser-plasma filament in air,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 98(15), 155002 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. S. Tzortzakis, M. A. Franco, Y. B. André, A. Chiron, B. Lamouroux, B. S. Prade, and A. Mysyrowicz, “Formation of a conducting channel in air by self-guided femtosecond laser pulses,” Phys. Rev. E Stat. Phys. Plasmas Fluids Relat. Interdiscip. Topics 60(4), R3505–R3507 (1999). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. S. Akturk, B. Zhou, M. Franco, A. Couairon, and A. Mysyrowicz, “Generation of long plasma channels in air by focusing ultrashort laser pulses with an axicon,” Opt. Commun. 282, 129–134 (2009). [CrossRef]
8. D. Abdollahpour, P. Panagiotopoulos, M. Turconi, O. Jedrkiewicz, D. Faccio, P. Di Trapani, A. Couairon, D. G. Papazoglou, and S. Tzortzakis, “Long spatio-temporally stationary filaments in air using short pulse UV laser Bessel beams,” Opt. Express 17(7), 5052–5057 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. S. Rebibo, J. P. Geindre, P. Audebert, G. Grillon, J. P. Chambaret, and J. C. Gauthier, “Single-shot spectral interferometry of femtosecond laser-produced plasmas,” Laser Part. Beams 19(1), 67–73 (2001). [CrossRef]
10. C. Y. Chien, B. La Fontaine, A. Desparois, Z. Jiang, T. W. Johnston, J. C. Kieffer, H. Pépin, F. Vidal, and H. P. Mercure, “Single-shot chirped-pulse spectral interferometry used to measure the femtosecond ionization dynamics of air,” Opt. Lett. 25(8), 578–580 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
11. J. P. Geindre, P. Audebert, A. Rousse, F. Falliès, J. C. Gauthier, A. Mysyrowicz, A. D. Santos, G. Hamoniaux, and A. Antonetti, “Frequency-domain interferometer for measuring the phase and amplitude of a femtosecond pulse probing a laser-produced plasma,” Opt. Lett. 19(23), 1997–1999 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. S. Minardi, A. Gopal, M. Tatarakis, A. Couairon, G. Tamosauskas, R. Piskarskas, A. Dubietis, and P. Di Trapani, “Time-resolved refractive index and absorption mapping of light-plasma filaments in water,” Opt. Lett. 33(1), 86–88 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. S. Tzortzakis, B. Prade, M. Franco, and A. Mysyrowicz, “Time-evolution of the plasma channel at the trail of a self-guided IR femtosecond laser pulse in air,” Opt. Commun. 181(1-3), 123–127 (2000). [CrossRef]
14. Z. Liu, M. Centurion, G. Panotopoulos, J. Hong, and D. Psaltis, “Holographic recording of fast events on a CCD camera,” Opt. Lett. 27(1), 22–24 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
15. M. Centurion, Y. Pu, Z. Liu, D. Psaltis, and T. W. Hänsch, “Holographic recording of laser-induced plasma,” Opt. Lett. 29(7), 772–774 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. D. G. Papazoglou and S. Tzortzakis, “In-line holography for the characterization of ultrafast laser filamentation in transparent media,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(4), 041120–041123 (2008). [CrossRef]
17. G. Rodriguez, A. R. Valenzuela, B. Yellampalle, M. J. Schmitt, and K.-Y. Kim, “In-line holographic imaging and electron density extraction of ultrafast ionized air filaments,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 25(12), 1988–1997 (2008). [CrossRef]
18. S. A. Hosseini, B. Ferland, and S. L. Chin, “Measurement of filament length generated by an intense femtosecond laser pulse using electromagnetic radiation detection,” Appl. Phys. B 76, 583–586 (2003). [CrossRef]
19. A. Becker, N. Aközbek, K. Vijayalakshmi, E. Oral, C. M. Bowden, and S. L. Chin, “Intensity clamping and re-focusing of intense femtosecond laser pulses in nitrogen molecular gas,” Appl. Phys. B 73, 287–290 (2001). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. B

• G. Méjean, J. Kasparian, E. Salmon, J. Yu, J. P. Wolf, R. Bourayou, R. Sauerbrey, M. Rodriguez, L. Wöste, H. Lehmann, B. Stecklum, U. Laux, J. Eislöffel, A. Scholz, and A. P. Hatzes, “Towards a supercontinuum-based infrared lidar,” Appl. Phys. B 77, 357–359 (2003). [CrossRef]
• S. A. Hosseini, B. Ferland, and S. L. Chin, “Measurement of filament length generated by an intense femtosecond laser pulse using electromagnetic radiation detection,” Appl. Phys. B 76, 583–586 (2003). [CrossRef]
• A. Becker, N. Aközbek, K. Vijayalakshmi, E. Oral, C. M. Bowden, and S. L. Chin, “Intensity clamping and re-focusing of intense femtosecond laser pulses in nitrogen molecular gas,” Appl. Phys. B 73, 287–290 (2001). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• D. G. Papazoglou and S. Tzortzakis, “In-line holography for the characterization of ultrafast laser filamentation in transparent media,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 93(4), 041120–041123 (2008). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• G. Rodriguez, A. R. Valenzuela, B. Yellampalle, M. J. Schmitt, and K.-Y. Kim, “In-line holographic imaging and electron density extraction of ultrafast ionized air filaments,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 25(12), 1988–1997 (2008). [CrossRef]

Laser Part. Beams

• S. Rebibo, J. P. Geindre, P. Audebert, G. Grillon, J. P. Chambaret, and J. C. Gauthier, “Single-shot spectral interferometry of femtosecond laser-produced plasmas,” Laser Part. Beams 19(1), 67–73 (2001). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• S. Akturk, B. Zhou, M. Franco, A. Couairon, and A. Mysyrowicz, “Generation of long plasma channels in air by focusing ultrashort laser pulses with an axicon,” Opt. Commun. 282, 129–134 (2009). [CrossRef]
• S. Tzortzakis, B. Prade, M. Franco, and A. Mysyrowicz, “Time-evolution of the plasma channel at the trail of a self-guided IR femtosecond laser pulse in air,” Opt. Commun. 181(1-3), 123–127 (2000). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• D. Abdollahpour, P. Panagiotopoulos, M. Turconi, O. Jedrkiewicz, D. Faccio, P. Di Trapani, A. Couairon, D. G. Papazoglou, and S. Tzortzakis, “Long spatio-temporally stationary filaments in air using short pulse UV laser Bessel beams,” Opt. Express 17(7), 5052–5057 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• Z. Liu, M. Centurion, G. Panotopoulos, J. Hong, and D. Psaltis, “Holographic recording of fast events on a CCD camera,” Opt. Lett. 27(1), 22–24 (2002). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Centurion, Y. Pu, Z. Liu, D. Psaltis, and T. W. Hänsch, “Holographic recording of laser-induced plasma,” Opt. Lett. 29(7), 772–774 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• C. Y. Chien, B. La Fontaine, A. Desparois, Z. Jiang, T. W. Johnston, J. C. Kieffer, H. Pépin, F. Vidal, and H. P. Mercure, “Single-shot chirped-pulse spectral interferometry used to measure the femtosecond ionization dynamics of air,” Opt. Lett. 25(8), 578–580 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. P. Geindre, P. Audebert, A. Rousse, F. Falliès, J. C. Gauthier, A. Mysyrowicz, A. D. Santos, G. Hamoniaux, and A. Antonetti, “Frequency-domain interferometer for measuring the phase and amplitude of a femtosecond pulse probing a laser-produced plasma,” Opt. Lett. 19(23), 1997–1999 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Minardi, A. Gopal, M. Tatarakis, A. Couairon, G. Tamosauskas, R. Piskarskas, A. Dubietis, and P. Di Trapani, “Time-resolved refractive index and absorption mapping of light-plasma filaments in water,” Opt. Lett. 33(1), 86–88 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Tzortzakis, D. Anglos, and D. Gray, “Ultraviolet laser filaments for remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis: applications in cultural heritage monitoring,” Opt. Lett. 31(8), 1139–1141 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rep.

• A. Couairon and A. Mysyrowicz, “Femtosecond filamentation in transparent media,” Phys. Rep. 441(2-4), 47–189 (2007). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys.

• S. Tzortzakis, B. Prade, M. Franco, A. Mysyrowicz, S. Hüller, and P. Mora, “Femtosecond laser-guided electric discharge in air,” Phys. Rev. E Stat. Nonlin. Soft Matter Phys. 64(5), 057401 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. E Stat. Phys. Plasmas Fluids Relat. Interdiscip. Topics

• S. Tzortzakis, M. A. Franco, Y. B. André, A. Chiron, B. Lamouroux, B. S. Prade, and A. Mysyrowicz, “Formation of a conducting channel in air by self-guided femtosecond laser pulses,” Phys. Rev. E Stat. Phys. Plasmas Fluids Relat. Interdiscip. Topics 60(4), R3505–R3507 (1999). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• S. Eisenmann, A. Pukhov, and A. Zigler, “Fine structure of a laser-plasma filament in air,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 98(15), 155002 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

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