Multipronged mapping to the dynamics of a barium atom deposited on argon clusters.

The dynamics of an electronically excited barium atom deposited at the surface of an Ar≈500 cluster was explored in a multipronged approach which associates information from frequency-resolved nanosecond experiments and information from femtosecond time-resolved experiments. In both types of experiments, the dynamics is monitored by photoelectron and photoion spectroscopy.

Efficient broadband 400 nm noncollinear second-harmonic generation of chirped femtosecond laser pulses in BBO and LBO.

We report on 400 nm broadband type I frequency doubling in a noncollinear geometry with pulse-front-tilted and chirped femtosecond pulses (λ =800 nm; Fourier transform limited pulse duration, 45 fs). With moderate power densities (2 to 10 GW/cm2) thus avoiding higher-order nonlinear phenomena, the energy conversion efficiency was up to 65%. Second-harmonic pulses of Fourier transform limited pulse duration shorter than the fundamental wave were generated, exhibiting good beam quality and no pulse-front tilt. High energy (20 mJ/pulse) was produced in a 40 mm diameter and 6 mm thick LBO crystal. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of this optical configuration with sub-100-fs pulses. Good agreement between experimental results and simulations is obtained.

Multimode pumped continuous-wave solid-state Raman laser.

We demonstrate the continuous-wave operation of a solid-state Raman laser containing a barium nitrate crystal as the Raman medium. The Raman laser, which has a singly resonant cavity, is pumped by multimode radiation. The Raman oscillation threshold is reached at approximately 2 W of pump power. As much as 500 kW/cm2 of Stokes power density at 60-kW/cm2 pump power density is obtained in the cavity.

Efficient anti-Stokes generation through phase-matched four-wave mixing in higher-order modes of a microstructure fiber.

Phase-matched four-wave mixing in higher-order modes of microstructure fibers allows unprecedentedly high efficiencies of anti-Stokes frequency conversion to be achieved for subnanojoule femtosecond laser pulses. 70-fs pulses of 790-nm radiation were used to generate an anti-Stokes component at 520-530 nm in a higher-order mode of a microstructure fiber with a 4.8-microm core. The maximum ratio of the anti-Stokes signal energy to the energy of the pump component in the output spectrum is estimated as 1.7.