Wilson Derrek J, Summers Adam M, Zigo Stefan, Davis Brandin, Robatjazi Seyyed-Javad, Powell Jeffery A, Rolles Daniel, Rudenko Artem, Trallero-Herrero Carlos A
J. R. Macdonald Laboratory, Department of Physics, Kansas State University, 116 Cardwell Hall, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA.
Advanced Laser Light Source and few-cycle Inc., Institut Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, 1650 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC, J3X 1P7, Canada.
Sci Rep. 2019 Apr 12;9(1):6002. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-42433-1.
For the last several decades, the wavelength range accessible for strong-field, few-cycle studies has remained limited to the visible, near infrared and mid-wave infrared regimes. In particular, sources in the long-wave infrared have been lacking. We report the development of a 1 kHz, few-cycle laser source with up to a 9 μm central wavelength and gigawatt peak powers. When focused, this source can ionize gas targets, which we demonstrate here through the ionization of atomic xenon at wavelengths ranging from 5 μm to 9 μm. This opens up new opportunities for fundamental atomic and molecular physics, enabling experimental tests of strong-field ionization theories in the extreme long-wavelength, few-cycle limit and the direct excitation of vibrational transitions in organic molecules.
在过去几十年里，可用于强场、少周期研究的波长范围一直局限于可见光、近红外和中波红外波段。特别是，长波红外波段的光源一直匮乏。我们报告了一种1千赫兹、少周期激光源的研制成果，其中心波长可达9微米，峰值功率为千兆瓦。聚焦后，该光源能够使气体靶电离，我们在此通过对波长范围为5微米至9微米的氙原子进行电离来加以证明。这为基础原子和分子物理学开辟了新机遇，能够在极长波长、少周期极限下对强场电离理论进行实验测试，并直接激发有机分子中的振动跃迁。
