Calculation of nonlinear optical damage from space-time-tailored pulses in dielectrics

Thomas E. Lanier; Jeremy R. Gulley

doi:10.1117/12.2195299

23 November 2015 Calculation of nonlinear optical damage from space-time-tailored pulses in dielectrics

Thomas E. Lanier, Jeremy R. Gulley

Proceedings Volume 9632, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2015; 96320Z (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2195299
Event: SPIE Laser Damage, 2015, Boulder, Colorado, United States

Abstract

Control of the time duration of a laser pulse as it focuses spatially in a material provides a means for delaying the onset of nonlinear effects during propagation. We investigate simultaneous space-time focusing (SSTF) of femtosecond radially-chirped annular pulses in Kerr dielectrics. The energy and temporal chirp of pulses incident upon a grating-grating-lens system are varied in simulations that solve the unidirectional pulse propagation equation. This system is modeled by inserting transformations that act on the electric field obtained from propagation from one component to the next. The propagation is coupled to the time evolution of the free charge density as a function of space. The resulting “ionization tracks” are taken as a metric for predicting material modification and/or damage in bulk fused silica. As expected from linear-optical considerations, the temporal pre-chirp determines the overall pulse duration as the focusing annulus closes. We find in addition that, for a given pulse energy, the temporal pre-chirp also determines the on-axis intensity distribution as energy collapses onto the propagation axis. This effect determines how the local ionization-induced decrease in refractive index shifts energy in time relative to energy arriving on-axis from the spatially collapsing beam. The magnitude of the pre-chirp can thus control the spatial structure of ionization that may lead to material modification and/or damage.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas E. Lanier and Jeremy R. Gulley "Calculation of nonlinear optical damage from space-time-tailored pulses in dielectrics", Proc. SPIE 9632, Laser-Induced Damage in Optical Materials: 2015, 96320Z (23 November 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2195299

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
12 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Ionization

Electroluminescent displays

Refractive index

Silica

Dielectrics

Pulsed laser operation

Transform theory

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years