Dane Edward Laban

Self-focusing in air with phase-stabilized few-cycle light pulses

We investigate the nonlinear optical phenomenon of self-focusing in air with phase-stabilized few-cycle light pulses. This investigation looks at the role of the carrier-envelope phase by observing a filament in air, a nonlinear phenomenon that can be utilized for few-cycle pulse compression [Appl. Phys. B79, 673 (2004)]. We were able to measure the critical power for self-focusing in air to be 18+/-1 GW for a 6.3 fs pulse centered at 800 nm. Using this value and a basic first-order theory, we predicted that the self-focusing distance should deviate by 790 mum as the carrier-envelope phase is shifted from 0 to pi/2 rad. In contrast, the experimental results showed no deviation in the focus distance with a 3sigma upper limit of 180 mum. These counterintuitive results show the need for further study of self-focusing dynamics in the few-cycle regime.

Precise and Accurate Measurements of Strong-Field Photoionization and a Transferable Laser Intensity Calibration Standard.

Ionization of atoms and molecules in strong laser fields is a fundamental process in many fields of research, especially in the emerging field of attosecond science. So far, demonstrably accurate data have only been acquired for atomic hydrogen (H), a species that is accessible to few investigators. Here, we present measurements of the ionization yield for argon, krypton, and xenon with percent-level accuracy, calibrated using H, in a laser regime widely used in attosecond science. We derive a transferable calibration standard for laser peak intensity, accurate to 1.3%, that is based on a simple reference curve. In addition, our measurements provide a much needed benchmark for testing models of ionization in noble-gas atoms, such as the widely employed single-active electron approximation.

Experimental ionization of atomic hydrogen with few-cycle pulses

We present experimental data on strong-field ionization of atomic hydrogen by few-cycle laser pulses. We obtain quantitative agreement at the 10% level between the data and an ab initio simulation over a wide range of laser intensities and electron energies.

Absolute metastable atom-atom collision cross section measurements using a magneto-optical trap

We present a new technique to measure absolute total collision cross sections from metastable neon atoms. The technique is based on the observation of the decay rate of trapped atoms as they collide with room temperature atoms. We present the first measurement of this kind using trapped neon atoms in the (3)P(2) metastable state colliding with thermal ground state argon. The measured cross section has a value of 556+/-26 A(2).

Carrier-envelope phase effects in above-threshold ionization of atomic hydrogen

Recent experiments in ultrafast physics have established the importance of above-threshold ionization (ATI) experiments in measuring and controlling the carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of few-cycle laser pulses. We have performed an investigation of atomic hydrogen subjected to intense CEP- stable few-cycle laser pulses. The experimental ATI spectra have been compared to predictions from an ab initio numerical solution of the time-dependent Schr¨ odinger equation in three dimensions. Good agreement between experiment

Optical control of collision dynamics in a metastable neon magneto-optical trap

We present results for controlled optical collisions of cold, metastable Ne atoms in a magneto-optical trap. The modification of the ionizing collision rate is demonstrated using a control laser tuned close to the (3s)3P2 to (3p)3D3 cooling transition. The measured ionization spectrum does not contain resonances due to the formation of photoassociated molecules connected to the Ω = 5 excited state potential as predicted by Doery et al (1998 Phys. Rev. A 57 3603–20). Instead, we observe a broad unresolvable ionization spectrum that is well described by established theory (Gallagher and Pritchard 1989 Phys. Rev. Lett. 63 957). In order to induce collisions between pairs of trapped metastables, a control laser is tuned to the red of the transition where we measure a factor of 4 increase in the rate for ionizing collisions. We also investigate the effect of optical shielding by tuning the laser to the blue of the transition and observe a factor of 5 suppression in the ionization rate.

The interaction of excited atoms and few-cycle laser pulses

This work describes the first observations of the ionisation of neon in a metastable atomic state utilising a strong-field, few-cycle light pulse. We compare the observations to theoretical predictions based on the Ammosov-Delone-Krainov (ADK) theory and a solution to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE). The TDSE provides better agreement with the experimental data than the ADK theory. We optically pump the target atomic species and measure the ionisation rate as the a function of different steady-state populations in the fine structure of the target state which shows significant ionisation rate dependence on populations of spin-polarised states. The physical mechanism for this effect is unknown.

Carrier-Envelope Phase effect for Dissociation of Molecular Hydrogen

We studied the dependence on the dissociative ionization of H2 as a function of carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of few-cycle (6 fs) near-infrared (NIR) laser pulses. For low-energy channels, we present the first experimental observation of CEP dependence for combined dissociation yield (with protons emitted in both directions) and the highest degree of asymmetry reported to date (40%).

An extreme ultraviolet interferometer using high order harmonic generation

We present a new interferometer technique based on the interference of high-order harmonic generation radiation from translatable successive gas jets. The phase shifts in the apparatus are shown to originate from the Gouy phase shift of the driving laser. The technique can be used to deliver time delays between light pulses and we demonstrate the unprecedented capability of delivering pulses of extreme ultraviolet light delayed in time by as small as 100 zeptoseconds.

Optimization of Attosecond XUV Pulses

The generation of attosecond XUV pulses has been optimized by characterizing the effects of experimental conditions. The optimized high harmonic generation is verified and the CEP-dependent spectrum indicates the signature of isolated attosecond pulse generation.