ABSTRACT
The temporal dynamics of ultrashort laser pulses undergoing filamentary propagation are investigated with a real-time stereographic above-threshold ionization (ATI) phasemeter. The experimental setup is capable of measuring the pulse duration as well as the carrier-envelope phase distribution of pulses originating from a femtosecond filament, which is either truncated in length or fully propagated. Truncation, by means of a semi-infinite gas cell, allows to elucidate the nonlinear evolution and temporal dynamics of ultrashort laser pulses as a function of the propagation length. We observe the formation of few-cycle pulses as well as temporal pulse splitting dynamics during the propagation of the pulse inside the filament. For the first time, we demonstrate the compression of 35 fs pulses down to a duration of sub-4 fs in a single femtosecond filament. This corresponds to sub-1.5 cycles of the electric field.
Subject(s)
Equipment Failure Analysis/instrumentation , Lasers , Radiometry/instrumentation , Radiation DosageABSTRACT
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) can kill Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) cells, and CTL have been used for the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive HL. For patients with EBV-negative HL, this strategy cannot be employed and alternative target structures have to be defined. In order to establish a system for the stimulation of HL-reactive T cells, we used dendritic cells (DC) as antigen-presenting cells for autologous T cells and transfected these DC with RNA from established HL cell lines. After stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with RNA-transfected DC, we analyzed the reactivity of primed PBMC by interferon gamma enzyme-linked immunospot. Our results suggest the presence of antigens with expression in HL cell lines and recognition of these antigens in combination with DC-derived human leukocyte antigen molecules. By the analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus microarray data sets from HL cell lines and primary HL samples in comparison with testis and other normal tissues, we identified HL-associated cancer testis antigens (CTA) including the preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME). After stimulation of PBMC with RNA-transfected DC, we detected PRAME-reactive T cells. PRAME and other HL-associated CTA might be targets for HL-specific immune therapy or for the monitoring of HL-directed immune responses.
Subject(s)
Dendritic Cells/immunology , Hodgkin Disease/immunology , RNA, Neoplasm/genetics , Antigens, Neoplasm/biosynthesis , Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology , Cell Line, Tumor , Dendritic Cells/metabolism , Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Hodgkin Disease/metabolism , Humans , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/metabolism , Male , RNA, Neoplasm/metabolism , Sarcoma, Ewing/immunology , Sarcoma, Ewing/metabolism , Testis/immunology , Testis/metabolism , TransfectionABSTRACT
The third harmonic generated during femtosecond filamentation in air is studied. By establishing a gradient from atmospheric pressure to vacuum conditions, we truncate the filament abruptly at defined positions. The introduction of the pressure gradient leads to an enhancement of the generated third harmonic radiation by 3 orders of magnitude. This effect is attributed to an improved on-axis phase-matching condition. We investigate the spectral shape and the conversion efficiency of the third harmonic during the propagation in the filament.
ABSTRACT
The spectral evolution of a high-intensity light channel formed by filamentation is investigated in a detailed experimental study. We also track the spatio-temporal dynamics by high-order harmonic generation along the filament. Both the spectral and temporal diagnostics are performed as a function of propagation distance, by extracting the light pulses directly from the hot filament core into vacuum via pinholes that terminate the nonlinear propagation. We compare the measured spectral shapes to simulations and analyze numerically the temporal dynamics inside the filament.
Subject(s)
Lasers , Light , Models, Theoretical , Nonlinear Dynamics , Refractometry/methods , Scattering, Radiation , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted , Computer SimulationABSTRACT
We report on substantial pulse energy increase in Yb:KYW femtosecond laser oscillators by utilizing multiple laser crystals for an enhanced net-gain at higher pump power. The two-crystal oscillator generates pulse energies of 7 µJ at 1 MHz repetition rate which is, to our knowledge the highest energy ever reported from an Yb-doped tungstate fs-laser oscillator. The external pulse compression yields a pulse duration of 416 fs with a peak power of 12 MW being enough for stable white light generation in YAG.
Subject(s)
Lasers , Optics and Photonics , Oscillometry/instrumentation , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Ytterbium/chemistry , Amplifiers, Electronic , Crystallization , Equipment Design , Light , Time Factors , Tungsten/chemistryABSTRACT
7-fs-pulses with 0.3 mJ are obtained after filamentation in argon and compression by double-chirped-mirrors. These pulses are used to generate high-order harmonics in a semi-infinite gas cell in different noble gases. Spectral broadening of high-order harmonics in xenon and argon is observed. In neon, an extended continuous cut-off region down to 10 nm (124 eV) is observed which is to the best of our knowledge the highest cut-off energy obtained by filamented pulses. Our result suggests the feasibility of single attosecond-pulse-generation at both high photon flux and high cut-off energy.
