Optimizing laser coupling,matter heating,and particle acceleration from solids using multiplexed ultraintense lasers

Realizing the full potential of ultrahigh-intensity lasers for particle and radiation generation will require multi-beam arrangements due to technology limitations.Here,we investigate how to optimize their coupling with solid targets.Experimentally,we show that overlapping two intense lasers in a mirror-like configuration onto a solid with a large preplasma can greatly improve the generation of hot electrons at the target front and ion acceleration at the target backside.The underlying mechanisms are analyzed through multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations,revealing that the self-induced magnetic fields driven by the two laser beams at the target front are susceptible to reconnection,which is one possible mechanism to boost electron energization.In addition,the resistive magnetic field generated during the transport of the hot electrons in the target bulk tends to improve their collimation.Our simulations also indicate that such effects can be further enhanced by overlapping more than two laser beams.

975 nm multimode semiconductor lasers with high-order Bragg diffraction gratings

The 975 nm multimode diode lasers with high-order surface Bragg diffraction gratings have been simulated and calcu-lated using the 2D finite difference time domain(FDTD)algorithm and the scattering matrix method(SMM).The periods and etch depth of the grating parameters have been optimized.A board area laser diode(BA-LD)with high-order diffraction grat-ings has been designed and fabricated.At output powers up to 10.5 W,the measured spectral width of full width at half maxi-mum(FWHM)is less than 0.5 nm.The results demonstrate that the designed high-order surface gratings can effectively nar-row the spectral width of multimode semiconductor lasers at high output power.

Collective coherent emission of electrons in strong laser fields and perspective for hard x-ray lasers

Coherent motion of particles in a plasma can imprint itself on radiation.The recent advent of high-power lasers—allowing the nonlinear inverse Compton-scattering regime to be reached—has opened the possibility of looking at collective effects in laser–plasma interactions.Under certain conditions,the collective interaction of many electrons with a laser pulse can generate coherent radiation in the hard x-ray regime.This perspective paper explains the limitations under which such a regime might be attained.

On the generation of high-quality Nyquist pulses in mode-locked fiber lasers

Nyquist pulses have wide applications in many areas,from electronics to optics.Mode-locked lasers are ideal platforms to generate such pulses.However,how to generate high-quality Nyquist pulses in mode-locked lasers remains elusive.We address this problem by managing different physical effects in mode-locked fiber lasers through extensive numerical simulations.We find that net dispersion,linear loss,gain and filter shaping can affect the quality of Nyquist pulses significantly.We also demonstrate that Nyquist pulses experience similariton shaping due to the nonlinear attractor effect in the gain medium.Our work may contribute to the design of Nyquist pulse sources and enrich the understanding of pulse shaping dynamics in mode-locked lasers.

Gigahertz frequency hopping in an optical phase-locked loop for Raman lasers

Raman lasers are essential in atomic physics,and the development of portable devices has posed requirements for time-division multiplexing of Raman lasers.We demonstrate an innovative gigahertz frequency hopping approach of a slave Raman laser within an optical phase-locked loop(OPLL),which finds practical application in an atomic gravimeter,where the OPLL frequently switches between near-resonance lasers and significantly detuned Raman lasers.The method merges the advantages of rapid and extensive frequency hopping with the OPLL’s inherent low phase noise,and exhibits a versatile range of applications in compact laser systems,promising advancements in portable instruments.

Phase-locked single-mode terahertz quantum cascade lasers array

We demonstrated a scheme of phase-locked terahertz quantum cascade lasers(THz QCLs)array,with a single-mode pulse power of 108 mW at 13 K.The device utilizes a Talbot cavity to achieve phase locking among five ridge lasers with first-order buried distributed feedback(DFB)grating,resulting in nearly five times amplification of the single-mode power.Due to the optimum length of Talbot cavity depends on wavelength,the combination of Talbot cavity with the DFB grating leads to better power amplification than the combination with multimode Fabry-Perot(F-P)cavities.The Talbot cavity facet reflects light back to the ridge array direction and achieves self-imaging in the array,enabling phase-locked operation of ridges.We set the spacing between adjacent elements to be 220μm,much larger than the free-space wavelength,ensuring the operation of the fundamental supermode throughout the laser's dynamic range and obtaining a high-brightness far-field distribution.This scheme provides a new approach for enhancing the single-mode power of THz QCLs.

Generation and regulation of electromagnetic pulses generated by femtosecond lasers interacting with multitargets

Ultrashort and powerful laser interactions with a target generate intense wideband electromagnetic pulses(EMPs).In this study,we report EMPs generated by the interactions between petawatt(30 fs,1.4×10^(20) W/cm^(2))femtosecond(fs)lasers with metal flat,plastic flat,and plastic nanowire-array(NWA)targets.Detailed analyses are conducted on the EMPs in terms of their spatial distribution,time and frequency domains,radiation energy,and protection.The results indicate that EMPs from metal targets exhibit larger amplitudes at varying angles than those generated by other types of targets and are enhanced significantly for NWA targets.Using a plastic target holder and increasing the laser focal spot can significantly decrease the radiation energy of the EMPs.Moreover,the composite shielding materials indicate an effective shielding effect against EMPs.The simulation results show that the NWA targets exert a collimating effect on thermal electrons,which directly affects the distribution of EMPs.This study provides guidance for regulating EMPs by controlling the laser focal spot,target parameters,and target rod material and is beneficial for electromagnetic-shielding design.

Characteristic analysis of 1.06μm long-cavity diode lasers based on asymmetric waveguide structures

In long-cavity edge-emitting diode lasers,longitudinal spatial hole burning(LSHB),two-photon ab⁃sorption(TPA)and free carrier absorption(FCA)are among the key factors that affect the linear increase in out⁃put power at high injection currents.In this paper,a simplified numerical analysis model is proposed for 1.06μm long-cavity diode lasers by combining TPA and FCA losses with one-dimensional(1D)rate equations.The ef⁃fects of LSHB,TPA and FCA on the output characteristics are systematically analyzed,and it is proposed that ad⁃justing the front facet reflectivity and the position of the quantum well(QW)in the waveguide layer can improve the front facet output power.

Optical facet coatings for high-performance LWIR quantum cascade lasers atλ∼8.5μm

We report on the performance improvement of long-wave infrared quantum cascade lasers(LWIR QCLs)by studying and optimizing the anti-reflection(AR)optical facet coating.Compared to the Al2O3 AR coat⁃ing,the Y_(2)O_(3)AR coating exhibits higher catastrophic optical mirror damage(COMD)level,and the optical facet coatings of both material systems have no beam steering effect.A 3-mm-long,9.5-μm-wide buried-heterostruc⁃ture(BH)LWIR QCL ofλ~8.5μm with Y_(2)O_(3)metallic high-reflection(HR)and AR of~0.2%reflectivity coating demonstrates a maximum pulsed peak power of 2.19 W at 298 K,which is 149%higher than that of the uncoated device.For continuous-wave(CW)operation,by optimizing the reflectivity of the Y_(2)O_(3)AR coating,the maximum output power reaches 0.73 W,which is 91%higher than that of the uncoated device.

The second fusion of laser and aerospace-an inspiration for high energy lasers

Since the first laser was invented,the pursuit of high-energy lasers(HELs)has always been enthusiastic.The first revolution of HELs was pushed by the fusion of laser and aerospace in the 1960s,with the chemical rocket engines giving fresh impetus to the birth of gas flow and chemical lasers,which finally turned megawatt lasers from dream into reality.Nowadays,the development of HELs has entered the age of electricity as well as the rocket engines.The properties of current electric rocket engines are highly consistent with HELs’goals,including electrical driving,effective heat dissipation,little medium consumption and extremely light weight and size,which inspired a second fusion of laser and aerospace and motivated the exploration for potential HELs.As an exploratory attempt,a new configuration of diode pumped metastable rare gas laser was demonstrated,with the gain generator resembling an electric rocket-engine for improved power scaling ability.

Applications of lasers:A promising route toward low-cost fabrication of high-efficiency full-color micro-LED displays

Micro-light-emitting diodes(micro-LEDs)with outstanding performance are promising candidates for next-generation displays.To achieve the application of high-resolution displays such as meta-displays,virtual reality,and wearable electronics,the size of LEDs must be reduced to the micro-scale.Thus,traditional technology cannot meet the demand during the processing of micro-LEDs.Recently,lasers with short-duration pulses have attracted attention because of their unique advantages during micro-LED processing such as noncontact processing,adjustable energy and speed of the laser beam,no cutting force acting on the devices,high efficiency,and low cost.Herein,we review the techniques and principles of laser-based technologies for micro-LED displays,including chip dicing,geometry shaping,annealing,laserassisted bonding,laser lift-off,defect detection,laser repair,mass transfer,and optimization of quantum dot color conversion films.Moreover,the future prospects and challenges of laser-based techniques for micro-LED displays are discussed.

Green Vertical‑Cavity Surface‑Emitting Lasers Based on InGaN Quantum Dots and Short Cavity

Room temperature low threshold lasing of green GaNbased vertical cavity surface emitting laser(VCSEL)was demonstrated under continuous wave(CW)operation.By using self-formed InGaN quantum dots(QDs)as the active region,the VCSEL emitting at 524.0 nm has a threshold current density of 51.97 A cm^(-2),the lowest ever reported.The QD epitaxial wafer featured with a high IQE of 69.94%and theδ-function-like density of states plays an important role in achieving low threshold current.Besides,a short cavity of the device(~4.0λ)is vital to enhance the spontaneous emission coupling factor to 0.094,increase the gain coefficient factor,and decrease the optical loss.To improve heat dissipation,AlN layer was used as the current confinement layer and electroplated copper plate was used to replace metal bonding.The results provide important guidance to achieving high performance GaN-based VCSELs.

Backward scattering of laser plasma interactions from hundreds-of-joules broadband laser on thick target

The use of broadband laser technology is a novel approach for inhibiting processes related to laser plasma interactions(LPIs).In this study,several preliminary experiments into broadband-laser-driven LPIs are carried out using a newly established hundreds-of-joules broadband second-harmonic-generation laser facility.Through direct comparison with LPI results for a traditional narrowband laser,the actual LPI-suppression effect of the broadband laser is shown.The broadband laser had a clear suppressive effect on both back-stimulated Raman scattering and back-stimulated Brillouin scattering at laser intensities below 1×10^(15) W cm^(−2).An abnormal hot-electron phenomenon is also investigated,using targets of different thicknesses.

Underwater four-quadrant dual-beam circumferential scanning laser fuze using nonlinear adaptive backscatter filter based on pauseable SAF-LMS algorithm

The phenomenon of a target echo peak overlapping with the backscattered echo peak significantly undermines the detection range and precision of underwater laser fuzes.To overcome this issue,we propose a four-quadrant dual-beam circumferential scanning laser fuze to distinguish various interference signals and provide more real-time data for the backscatter filtering algorithm.This enhances the algorithm loading capability of the fuze.In order to address the problem of insufficient filtering capacity in existing linear backscatter filtering algorithms,we develop a nonlinear backscattering adaptive filter based on the spline adaptive filter least mean square(SAF-LMS)algorithm.We also designed an algorithm pause module to retain the original trend of the target echo peak,improving the time discrimination accuracy and anti-interference capability of the fuze.Finally,experiments are conducted with varying signal-to-noise ratios of the original underwater target echo signals.The experimental results show that the average signal-to-noise ratio before and after filtering can be improved by more than31 d B,with an increase of up to 76%in extreme detection distance.

Influence of layer thickness on formation quality,microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)of Mg alloys has provided tremendous opportunities for customized production of aeronautical and medical parts.Layer thickness(LT)is of great significance to the L-PBF process but has not been studied for Mg alloys.In this study,WE43 Mg alloy bulk cubes,porous scaffolds,and thin walls with layer thicknesses of 10,20,30,and 40μm were fabricated.The required laser energy input increased with increasing layer thickness and was different for the bulk cubes and porous scaffolds.Porosity tended to occur at the connection joints in porous scaffolds for LT40 and could be eliminated by reducing the laser energy input.For thin wall parts,a large overhang angle or a small wall thickness resulted in porosity when a large layer thicknesses was used,and the porosity disappeared by reducing the layer thickness or laser energy input.A deeper keyhole penetration was found in all occasions with porosity,explaining the influence of layer thickness,geometrical structure,and laser energy input on the porosity.All the samples achieved a high fusion quality with a relative density of over 99.5%using the optimized laser energy input.The increased layer thickness resulted to more precipitation phases,finer grain sizes and decreased grain texture.With the similar high fusion quality,the tensile strength and elongation of bulk samples were significantly improved from 257 MPa and 1.41%with the 10μm layer to 287 MPa and 15.12%with the 40μm layer,in accordance with the microstructural change.The effect of layer thickness on the compressive properties of porous scaffolds was limited.However,the corrosion rate of bulk samples accelerated with increasing the layer thickness,mainly attributed to the increased number of precipitation phases.

Diagnosis of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach by confocal laser endomicroscopy:A case report

BACKGROUND In recent years,confocal laser endomicroscopy(CLE)has become a new endoscopic imaging technology at the microscopic level,which is extensively performed for real-time in vivo histological examination.CLE can be performed to distinguish benign from malignant lesions.In this study,we diagnosed using CLE an asymptomatic patient with poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma.CASE SUMMARY A 63-year-old woman was diagnosed with gastric mucosal lesions,which may be gastric cancer,in the small curvature of the stomach by gastroscopy.She consented to undergo CLE for morphological observation of the gastric mucosa.Through the combination of CLE diagnosis and postoperative pathology,the intraoperative CLE diagnosis was considered to be reliable.According to our experience,CLE can be performed as the first choice for the diagnosis of gastric cancer.CONCLUSION CLE has several advantages over pathological diagnosis.We believe that CLE has great potential in the diagnosis of benign and malignant gastric lesions.

Wavelength-tunable organic semiconductor lasers based on elastic distributed feedback gratings

Wavelength-tunable organic semiconductor lasers based on mechanically stretchable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) gratings were developed. The intrinsic stretchability of PDMS was explored to modulate the period of the distributed feedback gratings for fine tuning the lasing wavelength. Notably, elastic lasers based on three typical light-emitting molecules show com-parable lasing threshold values analogous to rigid devices and a continuous wavelength tunability of about 10 nm by mechanic-al stretching. In addition, the stretchability provides a simple solution for dynamically tuning the lasing wavelength in a spec-tral range that is challenging to achieve for inorganic counterparts. Our work has provided a simple and efficient method of fab-ricating tunable organic lasers that depend on stretchable distributed feedback gratings, demonstrating a significant step in the advancement of flexible organic optoelectronic devices.

Laser‑Induced and MOF‑Derived Metal Oxide/Carbon Composite for Synergistically Improved Ethanol Sensing at Room temperature

Advancements in sensor technology have significantly enhanced atmospheric monitoring.Notably,metal oxide and carbon(MO_(x)/C)hybrids have gained attention for their exceptional sensitivity and room-temperature sensing performance.However,previous methods of synthesizing MO_(x)/C composites suffer from problems,including inhomogeneity,aggregation,and challenges in micropatterning.Herein,we introduce a refined method that employs a metal–organic framework(MOF)as a precursor combined with direct laser writing.The inherent structure of MOFs ensures a uniform distribution of metal ions and organic linkers,yielding homogeneous MO_(x)/C structures.The laser processing facilitates precise micropatterning(<2μm,comparable to typical photolithography)of the MO_(x)/C crystals.The optimized MOF-derived MO_(x)/C sensor rapidly detected ethanol gas even at room temperature(105 and 18 s for response and recovery,respectively),with a broad range of sensing performance from 170 to 3,400 ppm and a high response value of up to 3,500%.Additionally,this sensor exhibited enhanced stability and thermal resilience compared to previous MOF-based counterparts.This research opens up promising avenues for practical applications in MOF-derived sensing devices.

Alloy design for laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing:a critical review

Metal additive manufacturing(AM)has been extensively studied in recent decades.Despite the significant progress achieved in manufacturing complex shapes and structures,challenges such as severe cracking when using existing alloys for laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)AM have persisted.These challenges arise because commercial alloys are primarily designed for conventional casting or forging processes,overlooking the fast cooling rates,steep temperature gradients and multiple thermal cycles of L-PBF.To address this,there is an urgent need to develop novel alloys specifically tailored for L-PBF technologies.This review provides a comprehensive summary of the strategies employed in alloy design for L-PBF.It aims to guide future research on designing novel alloys dedicated to L-PBF instead of adapting existing alloys.The review begins by discussing the features of the L-PBF processes,focusing on rapid solidification and intrinsic heat treatment.Next,the printability of the four main existing alloys(Fe-,Ni-,Al-and Ti-based alloys)is critically assessed,with a comparison of their conventional weldability.It was found that the weldability criteria are not always applicable in estimating printability.Furthermore,the review presents recent advances in alloy development and associated strategies,categorizing them into crack mitigation-oriented,microstructure manipulation-oriented and machine learning-assisted approaches.Lastly,an outlook and suggestions are given to highlight the issues that need to be addressed in future work.

Characterization, preparation, and reuse of metallic powders for laser powder bed fusion: a review

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF) has attracted significant attention in both the industry and academic fields since its inception, providing unprecedented advantages to fabricate complex-shaped metallic components. The printing quality and performance of L-PBF alloys are infuenced by numerous variables consisting of feedstock powders, manufacturing process,and post-treatment. As the starting materials, metallic powders play a critical role in infuencing the fabrication cost, printing consistency, and properties. Given their deterministic roles, the present review aims to retrospect the recent progress on metallic powders for L-PBF including characterization, preparation, and reuse. The powder characterization mainly serves for printing consistency while powder preparation and reuse are introduced to reduce the fabrication costs.Various powder characterization and preparation methods are presented in the beginning by analyzing the measurement principles, advantages, and limitations. Subsequently, the effect of powder reuse on the powder characteristics and mechanical performance of L-PBF parts is analyzed, focusing on steels, nickel-based superalloys, titanium and titanium alloys, and aluminum alloys. The evolution trends of powders and L-PBF parts vary depending on specific alloy systems, which makes the proposal of a unified reuse protocol infeasible. Finally,perspectives are presented to cater to the increased applications of L-PBF technologies for future investigations. The present state-of-the-art work can pave the way for the broad industrial applications of L-PBF by enhancing printing consistency and reducing the total costs from the perspective of powders.