Generating optical supercontinuum and frequency comb in tenuous plasmas

Qu Kenan; Fisch Nathaniel J.

doi:10.1063/5.0052829

Volume 6 Issue 5

Sep. 2021

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Qu Kenan, Fisch Nathaniel J.. Generating optical supercontinuum and frequency comb in tenuous plasmas[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2021, 6(5): 054402. doi: 10.1063/5.0052829

Citation:

Qu Kenan, Fisch Nathaniel J.. Generating optical supercontinuum and frequency comb in tenuous plasmas[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2021, 6(5): 054402. doi: 10.1063/5.0052829

Qu Kenan, Fisch Nathaniel J.. Generating optical supercontinuum and frequency comb in tenuous plasmas[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2021, 6(5): 054402. doi: 10.1063/5.0052829

Citation:

Qu Kenan, Fisch Nathaniel J.. Generating optical supercontinuum and frequency comb in tenuous plasmas[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2021, 6(5): 054402. doi: 10.1063/5.0052829

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Generating optical supercontinuum and frequency comb in tenuous plasmas

doi: 10.1063/5.0052829

Qu Kenan^{,
,},
Fisch Nathaniel J.

Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA

More Information

Corresponding author: a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: kq@princeton.edu
Received Date: 2021-04-01
Accepted Date: 2021-07-10

Available Online: 2021-09-01

Publish Date: 2021-09-15

Abstract

Abstract

There are several mechanisms by which the frequency spectrum of a laser broadens when it propagates at near-relativistic intensity in a tenuous plasma. Focusing on one-dimensional effects, we identify two strong optical nonlinearities, namely, four-wave mixing (FWM) and forward Raman scattering (FRS), for creating octave-wide spectra. FWM dominates the interaction when the laser pulse is short and intense, and its combination with phase modulation produces a symmetrically broadened supercontinuum. FRS dominates when the laser pulse is long and relatively weak, and it broadens the laser spectrum mainly toward lower frequencies and produces a frequency comb. The frequency chirping combined with group velocity dispersion compresses the laser pulse, causing higher peak intensity.

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References

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