Ultra-short pulse laser USPL propagation in turbulence University of Maryland
Abstract
We propose an experimental and theory/simulation program in which we will apply unique diagnostic techniques to measure the effects of controlled air turbulence on nonlinear propagation of ultrashort laser pulses in a controlled lab environment. The pulses available in our lab span thewavelength range from the near UV to the mid-IR, ~=0.4~m to 3.9~m. The newest of our diagnostics, developed especially for intense laser pulse propagation experiments, are a microphone array for measurement of a full axial propagation profile in a single shot, and a nonlinear propagation termination cell to enable transverse amplitude and phase images of intensepulses in mid-flight. The experiments will be accompanied by extensive propagation simulations incorporating simulated turbulence, using a Univ. of Maryland-developed UPPE (unidirectional pulse propagation equation) simulation code run on a lab-based GPU (graphical processing unit) computer. We will investigate in detail schemes for mitigating the effects of turbulence, including nonlinear and filamentary propagation, the use of spatial orbital angular momentum (OAM) and spatio-temporal optical vortices (STOVs) imposed on beams, and the use thermal air index profiles written by femtosecond filament air heating, with which we have previously demonstrated air waveguide generation. Lessons learned from experiments and simulations will inform longer rangepropagation scenarios.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 11, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012233
Entities
People
- Howard Milchberg
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Maryland