Femtosecond X-ray magnetic circular dichroism absorption spectroscopy at an X-ray free electron laser
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Higley, Daniel J.↗
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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Repair of a mirror coating on a large optic for high laser damage applications using ion milling and over-coating methods
Here, when an optical coating is damaged, deposited incorrectly, or is otherwise unsuitable, the conventional method to restore the optic often entails repolishing the optic surface, which can incur a large cost and long lead time. We propose three alternative options to repolishing, including (i) burying the unsuitable coating under another optical coating, (ii) using ion milling to etch the unsuitable coating completely from the optic surface and then recoating the optic, and (iii) using ion milling to etch through a number of unsuitable layers, leaving the rest of the coating intact, and then recoating the layers that were etched. Repairs were made on test optics with dielectric mirror coatings according to the above three options. The mirror coatings to be repaired were quarter wave stacks of HfO 2 and SiO 2 layers for high reflection at 1054 nm at 45 deg incidence in P-polarization. One of the coating layers was purposely deposited incorrectly as Hf metal instead of HfO2 to evaluate the ability of each repair method to restore the coating’s high laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of 64.0 J/cm 2 . The repaired coating with the highest resistance to laser-induced damage was achieved using repair method (ii) with an LIDT of 49.0 to 61.0 J/cm 2 .
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Satellite Power System (SPS) laser studies. Volume 2: Meteorological effects on laser beam propagation and direct solar pumped lasers for the SPS
The primary emphasis of this research activity was to investigate the effect of the environment on laser power transmission/reception from space to ground. Potential mitigation techniques to minimize the environment effect by a judicious choice of laser operating parameters was investigated. Using these techniques, the availability of power at selected sites was determined using statistical meteorological data for each site.
Beverly, R. E., III↗
Generating femtosecond X-ray pulses using an emittance-spoiling foil in free-electron lasers
Generation of femtosecond to sub-femtosecond pulses is attracting much attention in X-ray free-electron laser user community. One method is to use a slotted, emittance-spoiling foil which was proposed before (P. Emma et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 074801 (2004)) and has been widely used at the Linac Coherent Light Source. Direct experimental characterization of the slotted-foil performance was previously unfeasible due to a lack of appropriate diagnostics. With a recently installed X-band radio-frequency transverse deflector, we are able to characterize the electron bunch spoiling effect and X-ray pulse when using the slotted foil. We show that few-femtosecond X-ray pulses are generated with flexible control of the single-pulse duration or double-pulse separation with comparison to the theoretical model.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Laser ion source for isobaric heavy ion collider experiment
Heavy-ion collider experiment in isobaric system is under investigation at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. For this experiment, ion source is required to maximize the abundance of the intended isotope. The candidate of the experiment is {sup 96}Ru + {sup 96}Zr. Since the natural abundance of particular isotope is low and composition of isotope from ion source depends on the composites of the target, an isotope enriched material may be needed as a target. We studied the performance of the laser ion source required for the experiment for Zr ions.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Characterization of laser-induced plasmas as a complement to high-explosive large-scale detonations
Experimental investigations into the characteristics of laser-induced plasmas indicate that LIBS provides a relatively inexpensive and easily replicable laboratory technique to isolate and measure reactions germane to understanding aspects of high-explosive detonations under controlled conditions. Furthermore, we examine spectral signatures and derived physical parameters following laser ablation of aluminum, graphite and laser-sparked air as they relate to those observed following detonation of high explosives and as they relate to shocked air. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) reliably correlates reactions involving atomic Al and aluminum monoxide (AlO) with respect to both emission spectra and temperatures, as compared to small- and large-scale high-explosive detonations. Atomic Al and AlO resulting from laser ablation and a cited small-scale study, decay within ~10 -5 s, roughly 100 times faster than the Al and AlO decay rates (~10 -3 s) observed following the large-scale detonation of an Al-encased explosive. Temperatures and species produced in laser-sparked air are compared to those produced with laser ablated graphite in air. With graphite present, CN is dominant relative to N 2 + . Thus, in studies where the height of the ablating laser's focus was altered relative to the surface of the graphite substrate, CN concentration was found to decrease with laser focus below the graphite surface, indicating that laser intensity is a critical factor in the production of CN, via reactive nitrogen.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Frequency stabilization of diode-laser-pumped solid state lasers
The goal of the NASA Sunlite program is to fly two diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers on the space shuttle and while doing so to perform a measurement of their frequency stability and temporal coherence. These measurements will be made by combining the outputs of the two lasers on an optical radiation detector and spectrally analyzing the beat note. Diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers have several characteristics that will make them useful in space borne experiments. First, this laser has high electrical efficiency. Second, it is of a technology that enables scaling to higher powers in the future. Third, the laser can be made extremely reliable, which is crucial for many space based applications. Fourth, they are frequency and amplitude stable and have high temporal coherence. Diode-laser-pumped solid-state lasers are inherently efficient. Recent results have shown 59 percent slope efficiency for a diode-laser-pumped solid-state laser. As for reliability, the laser proposed should be capable of continuous operation. This is possible because the diode lasers can be remote from the solid state gain medium by coupling through optical fibers. Diode lasers are constructed with optical detectors for monitoring their output power built into their mounting case. A computer can actively monitor the output of each diode laser. If it sees any variation in the output power that might indicate a problem, the computer can turn off that diode laser and turn on a backup diode laser. As for stability requirements, it is now generally believed that any laser can be stabilized if the laser has a frequency actuator capable of tuning the laser frequency as far as it is likely to drift in a measurement time.
Byer, Robert L.↗
The dynamics of Al/Pt reactive multilayer ignition via pulsed-laser irradiation
Reactive multilayers consisting of alternating layers of Al and Pt were irradiated by single laser pulses ranging from 100 μs to 100 ms in duration, resulting in the initiation of rapid, self-propagating reactions. The threshold intensities for ignition vary with the focused laser beam diameter, bilayer thickness, and pulse length and are affected by solid state reactions and conduction of heat away from the irradiated regions. High-speed photography was used to observe ignition dynamics during irradiation and elucidate the effects of heat transfer into a multilayer foil. For an increasing laser pulse length, the ignition process transitioned from a more uniform to a less uniform temperature profile within the laser-heated zone. A more uniform temperature profile is attributed to rapid heating rates and heat localization for shorter laser pulses, and a less uniform temperature profile is due to slower heating of reactants and conduction during irradiation by longer laser pulses. Finite element simulations of laser heating using measured threshold intensities indicate that micron-scale ignition of Al/Pt occurs at low temperatures, below the melting point of both reactants.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
The role of ambient gas confinement, plasma chemistry, and focusing conditions on emission features of femtosecond laser-produced plasmas
Ultrafast laser ablation coupled with optical emission spectroscopy is currently under development for standoff detection of elements and their isotopes for a wide range of application areas. In this work, we explore the role of ambient air pressure during the interaction of an ultrafast laser beam with two metallic targets (brass and uranium) with significantly different oxygen gas-phase reactivity. Plasma plumes were generated by focusing ~800 nm, ~35 fs pulses from an ultrafast laser system using a long focal length lens with f = 1 m. Two-dimensional spectral imaging was performed over the pressure range of 30 mTorr-700 Torr air to evaluate emission dynamics, plasma chemistry, signal-to-background ratio, and characteristic parameters (i.e. excitation temperature, electron density). An increase in ambient air pressure during ultrafast laser ablation leads to plume confinement and subsequent changes in the emission dynamics due to plasma chemistry as well as changes in plasma generation conditions (i.e. focused fs laser ablation versus filament ablation). Ablation crater morphologies were also investigated via scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate atomic emission intensity and signal-to-background ratios peak at moderate pressure levels (~50-100 Torr air) for both targets studied, although plasma chemistry influences uranium emission signatures. The emission features of the uranium plasma at pressures = 10 Torr showed the presence of atoms and oxide molecules which are co-located within the plume. We also find filament ablation leads to wider, more shallow craters compared to focused laser ablation. Our study provides unique insight into the interplay between plume dynamics, confinement, and oxygen chemistry of fs laser-produced plasmas and how these phenomena evolve with changing ambient air pressure.
Laser-produced plasma↗
The laser micro-machining system for diamond anvil cell experiments and general precision machining applications at the High Pressure Collaborative Access Team
We report we have designed and constructed a new system for micro-machining parts and sample assemblies used for diamond anvil cells and general user operations at the High Pressure Collaborative Access Team, sector 16 of the Advanced Photon Source. The new micro-machining system uses a pulsed laser of 400 ps pulse duration, ablating various materials without thermal melting, thus leaving a clean edge. With optics designed for a tight focus, the system can machine holes any size larger than 3 μm in diameter. Unlike a standard electrical discharge machining drill, the new laser system allows micro-machining of non-conductive materials such as: amorphous boron and silicon carbide gaskets, diamond, oxides, and other materials including organic materials such as polyimide films (i.e., Kapton). An important feature of the new system is the use of gas-tight or gas-flow environmental chambers which allow the laser micro-machining to be done in a controlled (e.g., inert gas) atmosphere to prevent oxidation and other chemical reactions in air sensitive materials. The gas-tight workpiece enclosure is also useful for machining materials with known health risks (e.g., beryllium). Specialized control software with a graphical interface enables micro-machining of custom 2D and 3D shapes. The laser-machining system was designed in a Class 1 laser enclosure, i.e., it includes laser safety interlocks and computer controls and allows for routine operation. Though initially designed mainly for machining of the diamond anvil cell gaskets, the laser-machining system has since found many other micro-machining applications, several of which are presented here.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
Efficient laser-driven proton acceleration from a petawatt contrast-enhanced second harmonic mixed-glass laser system
Efficient laser-driven plasma acceleration of ion beams requires precision control of the target–plasma profile, which is crucial to optimize the laser energy transfer. Along the laser propagation direction, this can be achieved by tailoring the temporal structure of the laser pulse. We show for the first time that frequency-doubling of a short pulse (hundreds-femtosecond range) petawatt-class mixed-glass laser system, which results in temporal intensity contrast enhancement, enables surface and volumetric laser–energy coupling, and the acceleration of proton beams from few-nanometer-thick foil targets. Experimentally, maximum ion energies and laser-to-proton energy conversion efficiencies were found to be both maximized at optimum laser and target conditions manifested when the normalized target density nearly equalizes the normalized laser vector potential, which is in agreement with theory and simulations. These signatures are recognized as a unique indication of the interaction between ultra-intense laser pulses with high temporal intensity contrast and ultra-thin nanometer-scale targets. Transverse modulations of accelerated proton beams in the form of bubble- and ring-like structures measured in the thinnest targets provide additional evidence of volumetric laser-driven particle acceleration regimes and transitional features in ultra-thin foil targets specific to laser–plasma interactions characterized by a high temporal intensity contrast. These results open avenues in the generation of high contrast laser pulses from short-pulse-femtosecond petawatt mixed-glass laser systems and demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for applications requiring high laser intensity contrast with high efficiency.
Physics↗
The scaling of electron and positron generation in intense laser-solid interactions
This study presents experimental scalings of the electrons and positrons produced by intense laser-target interactions at relativistic laser intensities (10 18 –10 20 W cm -2 ). The data were acquired from three short-pulse laser facilities with laser energies ranging from 80 to 1500 J. We found a non-linear (≈E L 2 ) scaling of positron yield [Chen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 215001 (2015)] and a linear scaling of electron yield with the laser energy. These scalings are explained by theoretical and numerical analyses. Positron acceleration by the target sheath field is confirmed by the positron energy spectrum, which has a pronounced peak at energies near the sheath potential, as determined by the observed maximum energies of accelerated protons. The parameters of laser-produced electron-positron jets are summarized together with the theoretical energy scaling. Finally, the measured energy-squared scaling of relativistic electron-positron jets indicates the possibility to create an astrophysically relevant experimental platform with such jets using multi-kilojoule high intensity lasers currently under construction.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Review of laser produced multi-keV X-ray sources from metallic foils, cylinders with liner, and low density aerogels
Experimental results obtained within the last fifteen years on multi-keV X-ray sources irradiated with nanosecond scale pulse duration 3ω laser light at TW power levels by CEA and collaborators are discussed in this review paper. Experiments were carried out on OMEGA and GEKKO XII laser facilities where emitting materials in the 5–10 keV multi-keV energy range are intermediate Z value metals from titanium to germanium. Results focused on conversion efficiency improvement by a factor of 2 when an underdense plasma is created using a laser pre-pulse on a metallic foil, which is then heated by a second laser pulse delayed in time. Metal coated inner surface walls of plastic cylindrical tube ablated by laser beam impacts showed that plasma confinement doubles X-ray emission duration as it gives adequate plasma conditions (electron temperature and density) over a long period of time. Low-density aerogels (doped with metal atoms uniformly distributed throughout their volume or metal oxides) contained in a plastic cylinder have been developed and their results are comparable to gas targets. A hybrid target concept consisting of a thin metal foil placed at the end of a cylinder filled with low density aerogel has emerged as it could collect benefits from pre-exploded thin foils, efficient laser absorption in aerogel, and confinement by cylinder walls. All target geometry performances are relatively close together at a given photon energy and mainly depend on laser irradiation condition optimizations. Results are compared with gas target performances from recent NIF experiments allowing high electron temperatures over large dimension low density plasmas, which are the principal parameters for efficient multi-keV X-ray production.
Girard, Frédéric↗
Effects of laser fluence on silicon modification by four-beam laser interference
This paper discusses the effects of laser fluence on silicon modification by four-beam laser interference. In this work, four-beam laser interference was used to pattern single crystal silicon wafers for the fabrication of surface structures, and the number of laser pulses was applied to the process in air. By controlling the parameters of laser irradiation, different shapes of silicon structures were fabricated. The results were obtained with the single laser fluence of 354 mJ/cm{sup 2}, 495 mJ/cm{sup 2}, and 637 mJ/cm{sup 2}, the pulse repetition rate of 10 Hz, the laser exposure pulses of 30, 100, and 300, the laser wavelength of 1064 nm, and the pulse duration of 7–9 ns. The effects of the heat transfer and the radiation of laser interference plasma on silicon wafer surfaces were investigated. The equations of heat flow and radiation effects of laser plasma of interfering patterns in a four-beam laser interference distribution were proposed to describe their impacts on silicon wafer surfaces. The experimental results have shown that the laser fluence has to be properly selected for the fabrication of well-defined surface structures in a four-beam laser interference process. Laser interference patterns can directly fabricate different shape structures for their corresponding applications.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
The laser shock station in the dynamic compression sector. I
The Laser Shock Station in the Dynamic Compression Sector [Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory] links a laser-driven shock compression platform with high energy x-ray pulses from the APS to achieve in-situ, time-resolved x-ray measurements (diffraction and imaging) in materials subjected to well-characterized, high stress, short duration planar shock waves. Additionally, the combination of this station and the other DCS experimental stations provides a unique and versatile experimental facility to study condensed state phenomena by undertaking real-time, multi-scale measurements in materials subjected to a wide range of shock amplitudes (to above ~350 GPa) and time-durations (~10 ns to 1 μs). The Laser Shock Station uses a 100 joule, 5-17 ns, 351 nm frequency tripled Nd:glass laser with programmable pulse shaping and focal profile smoothing for maximum precision. The laser is capable of a shot every 30 minutes. The interaction chamber contains multiple ports for simultaneous diagnostics, a sample holder that allows sequential exposure for 14 samples without breaking vacuum, the capability to vary the angle between the x-ray beam and laser beam by 135°, and the ability to translate to select one of two types of x-ray beams. X-ray data can be taken with a temporal resolution of ~90 psec. Highly reproducible, planar shocks can be propagated in samples to undertake precise and well-characterized experiments. In a series of ten shots, the absolute variation in the time the shock breaks out at the back of the sample is less than 500ps and the variation in peak particle velocity at the sample/window interface is 4.3%. Lastly, this paper describes the entire DCS Laser Shock Station, including sample fabrication and diagnostics, as well as representative experimental results from shock compressed tantalum to demonstrate the excellent quality of x-ray diffraction data in solid tantalum and to establish the stress for tantalum melting.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
A modified pump laser system to pump the titanium sapphire laser
As a result of the wide tunability of the titanium sapphire laser NASA has sited it to be used to perform differential absorption lidar (DIAL) measurements of H2O vapor in the upper and lower troposphere. The titanium sapphire laser can provide a spectrally narrow (0.3 to 1.0 pm), high energy (0.5 to 1.0 J) output at 727, 762, and 940 nm which are needed in the DIAL experiments. This laser performance can be obtained by addressing the line-narrowing issues in a master oscillator and the high energy requirement in a fundamental mode oscillator. By injection seeding, the single frequency property of the master oscillator can produce a line narrow high energy power oscillator. A breadboard model of the titanium sapphire laser that will ultimately be used in NASA lidar atmospheric sensing experiment is being designed. The task was to identify and solve any problem that would arise in the actual laser system. One such problem was encountered in the pump laser system. The pump laser that is designed to pump both the master oscillator and power oscillator is a Nd:YLF laser. Nd:YLF exhibits a number of properties which renders this material an attractive option to be used in the laser system. The Nd:YLF crystal is effectively athermal; it produces essentially no thermal lensing and thermally induced birefringence is generally insignificant in comparison to the material birefringence resulting from the uniaxial crystal structure. However, in application repeated fracturing of these laser rods was experience. Because Nd:YLF rods are not commercially available at the sizes needed for this application a modified pump laser system to replace the Nd:YLF laser rod was designed to include the more durable Nd:YAG laser rods. In this design, compensation for the thermal lensing effect that is introduced because of the Nd:YAG laser rods is included.
Petway, Larry B.↗
Every Good Virtue You Ever Wanted in a Q-switched Solid-state Laser and More: Monolithic, Diode-pumped, Self-q-switched, Highly Reproducible, Diffraction-limited Nd:yag Laser
The applications of Q-switched lasers are well known, for example, laser radar, laser remote sensing, satellite orbit determination, Moon orbit and 'moon quake' determination, satellite laser communication, and many nonlinear optics applications. Most of the applications require additional properties of the Q-switched lasers, such as single-axial and/or single-transverse mode, high repetition rate, stable pulse shape and pulse width, or ultra compact and rugged oscillators. Furthermore, space based and airborne lasers for lidar and laser communication applications require efficient, compact, lightweight, long-lived, and stable-pulsed laser sources. Diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPSSL) have recently shown the potential for satisfying all of these requirements. We will report on the operating characteristics of a diode-pumped, monolithic, self-Q-switched Cr,Nd:YAG laser where the chromium ions act as a saturable absorber for the laser emission at 1064 nm. The pulse duration is 3.5 ns and the output is highly polarized with an extinction ratio of 700:1. It is further shown that the output is single-longitudinal-mode with transform-limited spectral line width without pulse-to-pulse mode competition. Consequently, the pulse-to-pulse intensity fluctuation is less than the instrument resolution of 0.25 percent. This self-stabilization mechanism is because the lasing mode bleaches the distributed absorber and establishes a gain-loss grating similar to that used in the distributed feedback semiconductor lasers. A repetition rate above 5 KHz has also been demonstrated. For higher power, this laser can be used for injection seeding an amplifier (or amplifier chain) or injection locking of a power oscillator pumped by diode lasers. We will discuss some research directions on the master oscillator for higher output energy per pulse as well as how to scale the output power of the diode-pumped amplifier(s) to multi-kilowatt average power.
Chen, Y. C.↗