Plasma optical modulators for intense lasers

Lu-Le Yu (), Yao Zhao, Lie-Jia Qian, Min Chen, Su-Ming Weng, Zheng-Ming Sheng (), D. A. Jaroszynski, W. B. Mori and Jie Zhang
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Lu-Le Yu: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Yao Zhao: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Lie-Jia Qian: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Min Chen: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Su-Ming Weng: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Zheng-Ming Sheng: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University
D. A. Jaroszynski: SUPA, University of Strathclyde
W. B. Mori: University of California
Jie Zhang: Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Optical modulators can have high modulation speed and broad bandwidth, while being compact. However, these optical modulators usually work for low-intensity light beams. Here we present an ultrafast, plasma-based optical modulator, which can directly modulate high-power lasers with intensity up to 1016 W cm−2 to produce an extremely broad spectrum with a fractional bandwidth over 100%, extending to the mid-infrared regime in the low-frequency side. This concept relies on two co-propagating laser pulses in a sub-millimetre-scale underdense plasma, where a drive laser pulse first excites an electron plasma wave in its wake while a following carrier laser pulse is modulated by the plasma wave. The laser and plasma parameters suitable for the modulator to work are based on numerical simulations.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11893

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