Imager sees femtosecond-scale birefringence

Dec. 6, 1999
The ultrafast laser is a scientific tool unlike any other.

The ultrafast laser is a scientific tool unlike any other. When focused, terawatt-level pulses produce large intrinsic electric and magnetic fields that accelerate ions. Also, the femtosecond pulse durations can provide snapshots of chemical reactions. Although technological uses of the ultrafast laser are already being discovered, they will take decades to explore--just as with many of the greatest inventions. Part of understanding just what femtosecond pulses can do comes from developing the right techniques for measuring their effects.

Researchers at Hamamatsu Photonics (Hamakita-City, Japan) have demonstrated a device that produces a femtosecond-resolution series of imagesakin to a movieshowing areas of instantaneous birefringence induced by a focused ultrafast laser pulse in air. When the individual frames are summed, the result is a spatial representation of a light cone that reveals filaments of high birefringence in a distribution very unlike what might be expected near a focus. Such information is important not only to high-field physics in laser plasma interactions but also to inertial-confinement fusion and will undoubtedly be important in the future to ultrafast-laser-based industrial processing.

About the Author

John Wallace | Senior Technical Editor (1998-2022)

John Wallace was with Laser Focus World for nearly 25 years, retiring in late June 2022. He obtained a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and physics at Rutgers University and a master's in optical engineering at the University of Rochester. Before becoming an editor, John worked as an engineer at RCA, Exxon, Eastman Kodak, and GCA Corporation.

Sponsored Recommendations

March 31, 2025
Enhance your remote sensing capabilities with Chroma's precision-engineered optical filters, designed for applications such as environmental monitoring, geospatial mapping, and...
March 31, 2025
Designed for compatibility with a wide range of systems, Chroma's UV filters are engineered to feature high transmission, superior out-of-band blocking, steep edge transitions...
March 31, 2025
Discover strategies to balance component performance and system design, reducing development time and costs while maximizing efficiency.
March 31, 2025
Explore the essential role of optical filters in enhancing Raman spectroscopy measurements including the various filter types and their applications in improving signal-to-noise...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!