Evolution of ultrashort light pulses in a two-level medium visualized with the finite-difference time domain technique
Optics Express, Vol. 8, Issue 7, pp. 452-457 (2001)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.8.000452
Acrobat PDF (126 KB)
Abstract
The finite-difference time-domain technique is employed to examine the evolution of the amplitude, duration, waveform, and phase of ultrashort light pulses propagating in a medium of two-level atoms or molecules. The results of these numerical simulations agree reasonably well with predictions of the McCall-Hahn analysis for the evolution of the amplitude and the phase of short pulses in a two-level medium until the pulse duration becomes less than the duration of a single optical cycle. Noticeable deviations from the McCall-Hahn scenario were observed for pulses with durations shorter than the duration of a single field cycle.
© Optical Society of America
[Optical Society of America ]
1 Introduction
M. Nisoli, S. De Silvestri, O. Svelto, R. Szipocs, K. Ferencz, Ch. Spielmann, S. Sartania, and F. Krausz, “Compression of high-energylaser pulses below 5 fs,” Opt. Lett. 22, 522–524 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
A. Baltuska, Z. Wei, M.S. Pshenichnikov, and D.A. Wiersma, “Optical pulse compression 5fs at a 1-MHz repetition rate,” Opt. Lett. 22, 102–104 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
M.F. Emde, A. Baltuska, A. Kummrow, M.S. Pshenichnikov, and D.A. Wiersma, “Ultrafast Librational Dynamics of the Hydrated Electron,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 4645–4648 (1998). [CrossRef]
P. Villoresi, P. Ceccherini, L. Poletto, G. Tondello, C. Altucci, R. Bruzzese, C. de Lisio, M. Nisoli, G. Cerullo, S. Stagira, S. De Silvestri, O. Svelto, and A. Boscolo, “Spectral Features and Modeling of High-Order Harmonics Generated by Sub-10-fs Pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 2494–2497(2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
P. Antoine, D.B. Milošević, A. L’Huillier, M.B. Gaarde, P. Salières, and M. Lewenstein, “Generation of attosecond pulses in macroscopic media,” Phys. Rev. A 56, 4960–4969 (1997). [CrossRef]
I.P. Christov, M.M. Murnane, and H.C. Kapteyn, “High-Harmonic Generation of Attosecond Pulses in the ‘Single-Cycle’ Regime,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 1251–1254 (1997). [CrossRef]
S. E. Harris and A. V. Sokolov, “Subfemtosecond Pulse Generation by Molecular Modulation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 2894–2897 (1998). [CrossRef]
M. Wittmann, A. Nazarkin, and G. Korn, “fs-Pulse Synthesis Using Phase Modulation by Impulsively Excited Molecular Vibrations,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5508–5511 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency by pulsed coherent light,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 18, 908–911 (1967). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. 183, 457–485 (1969). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency by pulsed coherent light,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 18, 908–911 (1967). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. 183, 457–485 (1969). [CrossRef]
J.H. Eberly, “Area Theorem rederived,” Opt. Express 2, 173–176 (1998), http://www.opticsexpress.org/oearchive/source/4295.htm . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R.W. Ziolkowski, J.M. Arnold, and D.M. Gogny, “Ultrafast pulse interactions with two-level atoms,” Phys. Rev. A 52, 3082–3094 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
S. Hughes, “Subfemtosecond soft-x-ray generation from a two-level atom: Extreme carrier-wave Rabi flopping,” Phys. Rev. A 62, 055401–055405 (2000). [CrossRef]
S. Hughes, “Breakdown of the Area Theorem: Carrier-Wave Rabi Flopping of Femtosecond Optical Pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett 81, 3363–3366 (1998). [CrossRef]
S. Hughes, “Breakdown of the Area Theorem: Carrier-Wave Rabi Flopping of Femtosecond Optical Pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett 81, 3363–3366 (1998). [CrossRef]
2 The FDTD procedure solving Maxwell and Schrödinger equations for a two-level medium
3 TestingMcCall-Hahn predictions for very short pulses
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. 183, 457–485 (1969). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency by pulsed coherent light,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 18, 908–911 (1967). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. 183, 457–485 (1969). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency by pulsed coherent light,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 18, 908–911 (1967). [CrossRef]
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. 183, 457–485 (1969). [CrossRef]
4 Deviations from the McCall-Hahn scenario
5 Conclusion
Acknowledgments
References and links
M. Nisoli, S. De Silvestri, O. Svelto, R. Szipocs, K. Ferencz, Ch. Spielmann, S. Sartania, and F. Krausz, “Compression of high-energylaser pulses below 5 fs,” Opt. Lett. 22, 522–524 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
A. Baltuska, Z. Wei, M.S. Pshenichnikov, and D.A. Wiersma, “Optical pulse compression 5fs at a 1-MHz repetition rate,” Opt. Lett. 22, 102–104 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
M.F. Emde, A. Baltuska, A. Kummrow, M.S. Pshenichnikov, and D.A. Wiersma, “Ultrafast Librational Dynamics of the Hydrated Electron,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 4645–4648 (1998). [CrossRef] | |
P. Villoresi, P. Ceccherini, L. Poletto, G. Tondello, C. Altucci, R. Bruzzese, C. de Lisio, M. Nisoli, G. Cerullo, S. Stagira, S. De Silvestri, O. Svelto, and A. Boscolo, “Spectral Features and Modeling of High-Order Harmonics Generated by Sub-10-fs Pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 2494–2497(2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
P. Antoine, D.B. Milošević, A. L’Huillier, M.B. Gaarde, P. Salières, and M. Lewenstein, “Generation of attosecond pulses in macroscopic media,” Phys. Rev. A 56, 4960–4969 (1997). [CrossRef] | |
K. J. Schafer and K. C. Kulander, “High Harmonic Generation from Ultrafast Pump Lasers,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 638–641 (1997). [CrossRef] | |
I.P. Christov, M.M. Murnane, and H.C. Kapteyn, “High-Harmonic Generation of Attosecond Pulses in the ‘Single-Cycle’ Regime,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 1251–1254 (1997). [CrossRef] | |
S. E. Harris and A. V. Sokolov, “Subfemtosecond Pulse Generation by Molecular Modulation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 2894–2897 (1998). [CrossRef] | |
A. V. Sokolov, D. R. Walker, D. D. Yavuz, G. Y. Yin, and S. E. Harris, “Raman Generation by Phased and Antiphased Molecular States,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 562–565 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
M. Wittmann, A. Nazarkin, and G. Korn, “fs-Pulse Synthesis Using Phase Modulation by Impulsively Excited Molecular Vibrations,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5508–5511 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency by pulsed coherent light,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 18, 908–911 (1967). [CrossRef] | |
S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, “Self-induced transparency,” Phys. Rev. 183, 457–485 (1969). [CrossRef] | |
J.H. Eberly, “Area Theorem rederived,” Opt. Express 2, 173–176 (1998), http://www.opticsexpress.org/oearchive/source/4295.htm . [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
R.W. Ziolkowski, J.M. Arnold, and D.M. Gogny, “Ultrafast pulse interactions with two-level atoms,” Phys. Rev. A 52, 3082–3094 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
A. Taflove, Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method (Artech House, Norwood, MA, 1995). | |
S. Hughes, “Subfemtosecond soft-x-ray generation from a two-level atom: Extreme carrier-wave Rabi flopping,” Phys. Rev. A 62, 055401–055405 (2000). [CrossRef] | |
S. Hughes, “Breakdown of the Area Theorem: Carrier-Wave Rabi Flopping of Femtosecond Optical Pulses,” Phys. Rev. Lett 81, 3363–3366 (1998). [CrossRef] |
OCIS Codes
(020.1670) Atomic and molecular physics : Coherent optical effects
(190.7110) Nonlinear optics : Ultrafast nonlinear optics
ToC Category:
Research Papers
History
Original Manuscript: February 13, 2001
Published: March 26, 2001
Citation
A. Tarasishin, S. Magnitskii, V. Shuvaev, and Alexei Zheltikov, "Evolution of ultrashort light pulses in a two-level medium visualized with the finite-difference time domain technique," Opt. Express 8, 452-457 (2001)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-8-7-452
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References
- M. Nisoli, S. De Silvestri, O. Svelto, R. Szipocs, K. Ferencz, Ch. Spielmann, S. Sartania, and F. Krausz, "Compression of high-energylaser pulses below 5 fs," Opt. Lett. 22, 522-524 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- A. Baltuska, Z. Wei, M.S. Pshenichnikov, and D.A. Wiersma, "Optical pulse compression 5fs at a 1-MHz repetition rate," Opt. Lett. 22, 102-104 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- M.F. Emde, A. Baltuska, A. Kummrow, M.S. Pshenichnikov, D.A. Wiersma, "Ultrafast Librational Dynamics of the Hydrated Electron," Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 4645-4648 (1998). [CrossRef]
- P. Villoresi, P. Ceccherini, L. Poletto, G. Tondello, C. Altucci, R. Bruzzese, C. de Lisio, M. Nisoli, G. Cerullo, S. Stagira, S. De Silvestri, O. Svelto, and A. Boscolo, "Spectral Features and Modeling of High-Order Harmonics Generated by Sub-10-fs Pulses," Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 2494-2497(2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- P. Antoine, D.B. Miloševic , A. L'Huillier, M.B. Gaarde, P. Salières, and M. Lewenstein, "Generation of attosecond pulses in macroscopic media," Phys. Rev. A 56, 4960-4969 (1997). [CrossRef]
- K. J. Schafer and K. C. Kulander, "High Harmonic Generation from Ultrafast Pump Lasers," Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 638-641 (1997). [CrossRef]
- I.P. Christov, M.M. Murnane, and H.C. Kapteyn, "High-Harmonic Generation of Attosecond Pulses in the 'Single-Cycle' Regime," Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 1251-1254 (1997). [CrossRef]
- S. E. Harris and A. V. Sokolov, "Subfemtosecond Pulse Generation by Molecular Modulation," Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 2894-2897 (1998). [CrossRef]
- A. V. Sokolov, D. R. Walker, D. D. Yavuz, G. Y. Yin, and S. E. Harris, "Raman Generation by Phased and Antiphased Molecular States," Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 562-565 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- M. Wittmann, A. Nazarkin, and G. Korn, "fs-Pulse Synthesis Using Phase Modulation by Impulsively Excited Molecular Vibrations," Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5508-5511 (2000). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, "Self-induced transparency by pulsed coherent light," Phys. Rev. Lett. 18, 908-911 (1967). [CrossRef]
- S. L. McCall and E. L. Hahn, "Self-induced transparency," Phys. Rev. 183, 457-485 (1969). [CrossRef]
- J.H. Eberly, "Area Theorem rederived," Opt. Express 2, 173-176 (1998), http://www.opticsexpress.org/oearchive/source/4295.htm . [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- R.W. Ziolkowski, J.M. Arnold, and D.M. Gogny, "Ultrafast pulse interactions with two-level atoms," Phys. Rev. A 52, 3082-3094 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- A. Taflove, Computational Electrodynamics: The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method (Artech House, Norwood, MA, 1995).
- S. Hughes, "Subfemtosecond soft-x-ray generation from a two-level atom: Extreme carrier-wave Rabi flopping," Phys. Rev. A 62, 055401-055405 (2000). [CrossRef]
- S. Hughes, "Breakdown of the Area Theorem: Carrier-Wave Rabi Flopping of Femtosecond Optical Pulses," Phys. Rev. Lett 81, 3363-3366 (1998). [CrossRef]
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