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Compressing high-energy laser pulses to a single-cycle and realizing the "λ3 laser concept", where λ is the wavelength of the laser, will break the current limitation of super-scale projects and contribute to the future 100-petawatt and even Exawatt lasers. Here, we have realized ultra-broadband gold gratings, core optics in the chirped pulse amplification, in the 750–1150 nm spectral range with a > 90% −1 order diffraction efficiency for near single-cycle pulse stretching and compression. The grating is also compatible with azimuthal angles from −15° to 15°, making it possible to design a three-dimensional compressor. In developing and manufacturing processes, a crucial grating profile with large base width and sharp ridge is carefully optimized and controlled to dramatically broaden the high diffraction efficiency bandwidth from the current 100–200 nm to over 400 nm. This work has removed a key obstacle to achieving the near single-cycle 100-PW lasers in the future. Gratings are used for pulse compression and stretching in chirped pulse amplification (CPA) or optical parametric CPA methods. Here the authors demonstrate ultra-broadband gold gratings that can compress single-cycle pulses with powers around 100 petawatts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The misalignment of the gratings in pulse compressor can introduce residual angular chirp and finally result in a reduction of focused intensity, especially for high peak power femtosecond laser systems with large beam size and broadband spectrum. In this work, we study the angular chirp produced by grating misalignment in different dimensions and comprehensively investigate the various effects on the deterioration of the spatiotemporal characteristics of focused beam. Moreover, two representative ultra-high peak power femtosecond laser systems, featuring with 10 PW peak power/500 mm beam diameter/100 nm spectral width and 50 PW peak power/640 mm beam diameter/200 nm spectral width, are studied. For a drop of effective focused intensity smaller than 10%, the numerical results show that the misalignment of gratings must be kept below ~ 2 μrad and ~ 1 μrad for aforesaid 10 PW and 50 PW lasers, respectively. This work provides meaningful guidelines for the design and construction of the grating compressors in ultra-high peak power femtosecond laser systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The space-time (ST) wave packet, a type of light source with many anomalous behaviors, has already found application in weak-field optics, however its generation method limits its energy and therefore its application in strong-field optics. Here we show that the type-I collinear optical parametric amplification (OPA) is a natural amplifier for a ST wave packet, because in it, the ST spectrum (i.e., angle-dependent phase-matching spectrum) of the signal and idler has the same analytical expression as that of a ST wave packet under the narrowband approximation. The high gain in a thin-crystal OPA allows for large energy amplification while ensuring unchanged ST correlation. Meanwhile, a double ST wave packet containing two collinear-propagating ones of the amplified signal and the generated idler via the nondegenerate OPA is reported, which with short- and long-wavelengths (relative to the degenerate-wavelength) have superluminal and subluminal velocities, respectively. This study realizes energy amplification, wavelength conversion, and velocity switching of a ST wave packet and will expand its application in many fields. Space-time wave packets are optical pulses synthesized from light waves carrying strong correlations between their spatial and temporal degrees of freedom and show many anomalous behaviors such as superluminal propagation. In this study, the authors proposed a way of amplifying space-time wave packets by nonlinear optical parametric processes, which will widen the applications of the new optical wave packets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface plasmonics with its unique confinement of light1,2 is expected to be a cornerstone for future compact radiation sources and integrated photonics devices. The energy transfer between light and matter is a defining aspect that underlies recent studies on optical surface-wave-mediated spontaneous emissions3–5. However, coherent stimulated emission of free electrons, which is essential for free-electron light sources, and its dynamical amplification process remain to be disclosed in a clear, unambiguous and calibrated manner. Here we present the coherent amplification of terahertz surface plasmon polaritons via free-electron-stimulated emission: a femtosecond optical pulse creates an in-phase free-electron pulse with an initial terahertz surface wave, and their ensuing interactions intensify the terahertz surface wave coherently. The underlying dynamics of the amplification, including a twofold redshift in the radiation frequency over a one-millimetre interaction length, are resolved as electromagnetic-field-profile evolutions using an optical pump–probe method. By extending the approach to a properly phase-matched electron bunch, our theoretical analysis predicts a super-radiant surface-wave growth, which lays the ground for a stimulated surface-wave light source and may facilitate capable means for matter manipulation, especially in the terahertz band.Stimulated emission by free electrons is used to amplify terahertz surface plasmon polaritons in a manner resembles that of light amplification in a high-gain free-electron laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-induced damage of compression gratings has become the shortest stave for petawatt (PW) laser facilities, as it is hard to manufacture large enough meter-sized gratings with high damage threshold. Multistep pulse compressor (MPC) was proposed to improve the peak power of PW lasers recently. Using the asymmetric four-grating compressor (AFGC) to replace both of the prism-pair-based pre-compressor and typical four-grating compressor (FGC)-based main compressor, the typical three-step MPC is simplified to two steps, and can be easily extended to all PW lasers by simply reducing and increasing same amount of suitable distances of the two grating pairs, respectively. Furthermore, the AFGC will induce spatial dispersion and direct smooth the laser beam on the last grating, which is the easiest to be damaged one, and then protect it away from damage and increase the operating safety straightly. More than 100 PW can be achieved without beam combination theoretically using the AFGC-based two-step MPC method with currently available biggest gold-coated gratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser ignition of lean fuels offers a promising route for green combustion with high combustion efficiency and low exhaust emissions. The fundamental limitations which apply to femtosecond laser ignition (fs-LI) of lean fuels are the inferior energy deposition and low thermodynamic temperature. However, it was discovered recently that the fs laser filamentation can induce 100% success rate of fs-LI with ultralow sub-mJ minimum ignition energy, exhibiting distinct contrast to the general understanding that it is hard to achieve fs-LI The present contribution examines the extent to which the minimum ignition energies depend on filamentation formation, and explores the key factors for the success of fs-LI. We perform fs-LI of a lean-fuel CH4/air mixture using a femtosecond near-infrared (~40 fs, 800 nm) pulse at different external focal conditions, and find a Goldilocks focal zone to facilitate fs-LI. In this special zone, a crucial balance between the length of igniting "line" kernel and the plasma density of the fs laser filament is achieved, which determines not only the total amount of resultant OH radicals, but also their distribution along the plasma filament. Our finding provides a viable strategy with clear guidelines for fs-LI, and also opens up an avenue of exploring unprecedented ultrafast ignition dynamics after fs-laser-fuel interactions towards gaining deeper insights into reaction intermediates and combustion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine structured targets are promising in enhancing laser-driven proton acceleration for various applications. Here, we apply 3D-printed microwire-array (MWA) structure to boost the energy conversion efficiency from laser to proton beam. Under irradiation of high contrast femtosecond laser pulse, the MWA target generates over 1.2 × 1012 protons (>1 MeV) with cut-off energies extending to 25 MeV, corresponding to top-end of 8.7% energy conversion efficiency. When comparing to flat foils the efficiency is enhanced by three times, while the cut-off energy is increased by 32%. We find the dependence of proton energy/conversion-efficiency on the spacing of the MWA. The experimental trend is well reproduced by hydrodynamic and Particle-In-Cell simulations, which reveal the modulation of pre-plasma profile induced by laser diffraction within the fine structures. Our work validates the use of 3D-printed micro-structures to produce high efficiency laser-driven particle sources and pointed out the effect in optimizing the experimental conditions. The performance of laser-driven ion accelerators is intimately linked to the structure of the target. Here, laser-proton acceleration from a 3D-printed microwire-array target boosts the conversion efficiency and cut-off energy compared to a flat foil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray free-electron lasers can generate intense and coherent radiation at wavelengths down to the sub-ångström region1–5, and have become indispensable tools for applications in structural biology and chemistry, among other disciplines6. Several X-ray free-electron laser facilities are in operation2–5; however, their requirement for large, high-cost, state-of-the-art radio-frequency accelerators has led to great interest in the development of compact and economical accelerators. Laser wakefield accelerators can sustain accelerating gradients more than three orders of magnitude higher than those of radio-frequency accelerators7–10, and are regarded as an attractive option for driving compact X-ray free-electron lasers11. However, the realization of such devices remains a challenge owing to the relatively poor quality of electron beams that are based on a laser wakefield accelerator. Here we present an experimental demonstration of undulator radiation amplification in the exponential-gain regime by using electron beams based on a laser wakefield accelerator. The amplified undulator radiation, which is typically centred at 27 nanometres and has a maximum photon number of around 1010 per shot, yields a maximum radiation energy of about 150 nanojoules. In the third of three undulators in the device, the maximum gain of the radiation power is approximately 100-fold, confirming a successful operation in the exponential-gain regime. Our results constitute a proof-of-principle demonstration of free-electron lasing using a laser wakefield accelerator, and pave the way towards the development of compact X-ray free-electron lasers based on this technology with broad applications.Lasing in the extreme-ultraviolet range is demonstrated using a laser wakefield accelerator, as a step towards compact X-ray free-electron lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subcycle interaction of light and electrons has been one of the key frontiers in free-electron lasers, attosecond science and dynamical investigation of matter. Capturing the underlying subcycle dynamics of electrons with an optical field promises fascinating vistas with unprecedented temporal resolution. Yet the rigorous synchronization requirement has kept its realization out of reach. Here, by direct spatial observation of periodic electron bunch fringes, we demonstrate a laser streaking concept for revealing the dynamics of free electrons emitted from a plasma mirror under sub-relativistic laser intensity. Field-induced electron beam deflection demonstrates subcycle charge dynamics with a streaking speed of ~60 μrad as−1. This provides us with an attosecond-resolution metrology to obtain more direct evidence about the light-field-induced electron dynamics in the plasma mirror. Our results offer unprecedented characterization of attosecond dynamics and open the way to extensive experimental investigations of the interaction of attosecond electrons with intense lasers. By focusing a sub-relativistic infrared laser pulse onto a silica target, a periodic deflection pattern of attosecond electron pulse trains is observed. It reveals these subcycle charge dynamics with a streaking speed of ~60 μrad as−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capability of synchrotron radiation to produce ultrabright emission has attracted considerable interest over the last half a century. To date, magnetic undulators with a period of several centimetres are commonly used for wiggling relativistic electrons in a modulated field. Here, we propose a novel compact undulator with a period down to the submillimetre level based on a spontaneous electric field that is driven by a femtosecond laser. Both the guided energetic electrons and the gyrotron-like undulator are spontaneously produced by irradiating a thin metallic wire with an intense laser pulse. An intense radial electric field instantaneously created on the wire can guide the electrons' helical motion along the wire and induce periodic THz emission. We have demonstrated that this scheme can produce intense THz sources with a conversion efficiency of 1% that are frequency-tunable by adjusting the diameter of the wire. Amplified emission of THz radiation by more than tenfold has been observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airflow induced by femtosecond laser (800 nm/1 kHz/25 fs) filamentation with different lengths was investigated in a laboratory cloud chamber. Various filament lengths were generated by adjusting laser energy and lens focal length. It was found that airflow patterns are closely related to filament intensity and length. Intense and long filaments are beneficial in updraft generation with large vortices above the filament, while intense and short filaments tend to promote the formation of well-contacted vortices below the filament. Differently patterned airflows induced elliptical snow piles with different masses. We simulated airflow in a cloud chamber numerically taking laser filaments as heat sources. The mechanisms of differently patterned airflow and snow formation induced by filaments were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calculation of the saturation ratio inside vortices formed below the filament in a sub-saturation zone in a cloud chamber was given. By mixing the air with a large temperature gradient, supersaturation was sustained inside the vortices. This led to precipitation and snow formation when strong filaments were created using short focal length lenses ( f = 20 and 30 cm). However, when longer filaments were formed with the same laser pulse energy but longer focal length lenses ( f = 50 and 80 cm), only condensation (mist) was observed. The lack of precipitation was attributed to the weaker air flow, which was not strong enough to form strong vortices below the filament to sustain precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-temporal contrast femtosecond Stokes pulse near 1,053 nm is obtained simply without polarizer extinction ratio limitation based on the stimulated Raman frequency shift process in ethanol with an 800-nm femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser as a pump source. By optimizing the incident pump pulse chirp and the ethanol Raman cell length, a clean Stokes pulse near 1,053 nm with a maximum energy of 0.24 mJ is obtained with ~7.5 % conversion efficiency and 0.8 % (rms) energy fluctuation. Compared with the incident pump pulse, the temporal contrast of the Stokes pulse is improved by at least approximately three orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of intense carrier-envelope-phase-stabilized sub-1.5 cycle circularly polarized pulses at 1.8 μm is reported. After changing the polarization of the pulses produced by an optical parameter amplifier to circular, selected nonlinear medium parameters are found to be able to expand the spectrum to supercontinuum (1,300-2,100 nm) with a extremely high transmittance (>65 %). Using such laser pulses, polarization control of terahertz emission is demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of initial humidity and temperature on the formation of water condensation and various snowflake patterns by firing high-repetition filaments of femtosecond Ti-sapphire laser pulses at 9 mJ/50 fs per pulse into a cloud chamber. While adjusting initial temperature and humidity distributions near the filaments, snowflakes and ice particles with various shapes and sizes were observed on the bottom cold plate. In addition, significant differences were found in the weights of the laser-induced snow below the filament center. From those data, initial conditions of low temperature (<−15 °C) and high humidity (relative to water RH > (90 ± 11) % and to ice RH > (120 ± 15) %) were found being important to assist an efficient laser-filamentation-induced condensation and snow formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas flow field and the separation efficiency of a novel fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) riser terminal device, named as Super Short Quick Separator (SSQS), were studied. On the basis of above investigations, a section-lateral-mixing separation model was proposed, which included both the effect of inertia and structure of gas outlet on particles capture. After final modification, the results predicted with this model could be in good agreement with the cold experimental data. According to this model, the separation efficiency of SSQS is mainly influenced by the difference between the arc radius and the center pipe radius as well as the magnitude of particle tangential velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central inhibition, discovered by Sechenov in 1862, suggests that electrically stimulating the forebrain or medulla oblongata in frog generally suppresses reflexes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Using ethanol (EtOH), noradrenalin (NA), and other neurotransmitters in thalamic preparations, Sechenov inhibition was stimulated in Bufo toads in this study. The result showed that, similar to Sechenov inhibition, the acute application of EtOH or NA excited the thalamus and prolonged the latency of withdrawal reflex. Our study evidences the involvement of a-adrenoceptors in such central inhibition, and explains the role of acute EtOH application in the induction of reflex inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microtubules (MT) are composed of 13 protofilaments, each of which is a series of two-state tubulin dimers. In the MT wall, these dimers can be pictured as “lattice” sites similar to crystal lattices. Based on the pseudo-spin model, two different location states of the mobile electron in each dimer are proposed. Accordingly, the MT wall is described as an anisotropic two-dimensional (2D) pseudo-spin system considering a periodic triangular “lattice”. Because three different “spin-spin” interactions in each cell exist periodically in the whole MT wall, the system may be shown to be an array of three types of two-pseudo-spin-state dimers. For the above-mentioned condition, the processing of quantum information is presented by using the scheme developed by Lloyd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase-matched high-order harmonic generation in Ar gas-filled cell was investigated experimentally. We obtained phase-matched 27th order harmonic driven by a commercially available solid-state femtosecond laser system at 0.55 mJ/pulse energy level and 1 kHz repetition rate. To our knowledge, this is the lowest driving laser energy used to obtain phase-matched 27th order harmonic in a static gas cell. High-order harmonic generation at different gas density was studied systematically. Spectral blueshift and broadening of high harmonics under different pressure were analyzed. We found that the source size and spatial distribution of high-order harmonics are quite different under the phase-matching condition from those of the phase-mismatching case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A shock wave is driven by a laser pulse of 1.2 ps duration (FWHM), with the intensity of ∼1014 W/cm2 at 785 nm, irradiating a 500 nm thick aluminum foil. A chirped laser pulse split from the main pulse is used to detect the shock breakout process at the rear surface of the target based on frequency domain interferometry. The mean shock velocity determination benefits from the precise synchronization (<100fs resolution) of the shock pump and probe laser pulses, which is calculated from the time the shock takes to travel the 500 nm thick aluminum. The released particle velocity determination benefits from the chirped pulse frequency domain interferometry. The average shock velocity is 15.15 km/s and the shock release particle velocity is 15.24 km/s, and the corresponding pressure after shock is 3.12 Mbar under our experimental condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear optical properties of a metal cluster [PPh4][Cp*MoS3(CuBr)3] have been studied, with the third-order susceptibility X3) for this cluster determined by degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) experiment, the optical limiting (OL) effect observed by transmission technique, and the nonlinear absorption measured by using Z-scan technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectrum of harmonics generated and propagated in ionized noble gas has been analyzed using one-dimensional wave propagation equation. The result shows that the spectral lines of harmonic become broadened and then split into two peaks when the laser intensity is strong enough to ionize the noble gas. The influence of laser parameters and gas pressure on the splitting has been made clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the role and mechanism of Annexin-A1 Tripeptide (ANXA1sp) in mitigating neuronal damage and promoting functional recovery in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our goal is to identify ANXA1sp as a potential therapeutic drug candidate for TBI treatment. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to controlled cortical impact (CCI) to simulate TBI, supplemented by an in vitro model of glutamate-induced TBI in HT22 cells.  We assessed neurological deficits using the Modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS), tested sensorimotor functions with beam balance and rotarod tests, and evaluated cognitive performance via the Morris water maze. Neuronal damage was quantified using Nissl and TUNEL staining, while microglial activation and inflammatory responses were measured through immunostaining, quantitative PCR (qPCR), Western blotting, and ELISA. Additionally, we evaluated cell viability in response to glutamate toxicity using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Intraperitoneal administration of ANXA1sp significantly enhanced neurological outcomes, markedly reducing sensorimotor and cognitive impairments caused by TBI. This treatment resulted in a significant reduction in lesion volume and decreased neuronal cell death in the ipsilateral cortex. Moreover, ANXA1sp effectively diminished microglial activation around the brain lesion and decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β in the cortex, indicating a significant reduction in neuroinflammation post-TBI. ANXA1sp also offered protection against neuronal cell death induced by glutamate toxicity, primarily by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of ANXA1, highlighting its potential as a neuroprotective strategy in TBI management. Administration of ANXA1sp significantly reduced neuroinflammation and neuronal cell death, primarily by blocking the nuclear translocation of ANXA1. This treatment substantially reduced brain damage and improved neurological functional recovery after TBI. Consequently, ANXA1sp stands out as a promising neuroprotective agent for TBI therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental results of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in Ar and Ne gas driven with a 45fs Ti: sapphire laser are presented. The shortest-wavelength harmonic emission corresponding to the 91st order harmonic (8.63nm) is observed in argon. In neon, the harmonics up to order 131 (5.99nm) is also observed. The effects of gas density, laser intensity, free electron and the focusing geometry parameters of the laser beam on the process of harmonic generation are investigated. The direct experimental evidence that an increased electron density causes a degenerated harmonic radiation is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a method to experimentally generate ionic wind by coupling an external large electric field with an intense femtosecond laser induced air plasma channel. The measured ionic wind velocity could be as strong as >4 m/s. It could be optimized by increasing the strength of the applied electric field and the volume of the laser induced plasma channel. The experimental observation was qualitatively confirmed by a numerical simulation of spatial distribution of the electric field. The ionic wind can be generated outside a high-voltage geometry, even at remote distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear optical properties of a metal cluster [PPh4][Cp*MoS3(CuBr)3] have been studied, with the third-order susceptibility X3) for this cluster determined by degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) experiment, the optical limiting (OL) effect observed by transmission technique, and the nonlinear absorption measured by using Z-scan technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]