WIAS Preprint No. 1961, (2014)

Non-instantaneous polarization dynamics in dielectric media



Authors

  • Hofmann, Michael
  • Hyyti, Janne
  • Birkholz, Simon
  • Bock, Martin
  • Das, Susanta K.
  • Grunwald, Rüdiger
  • Hoffmann, Mathias
  • Nagy, Tamas
  • Demircan, Ayhan
  • Jupé, Marco
  • Ristau, Detlev
  • Morgner, Uwe
  • Brée, Carsten
  • Wörner, Michael
  • Elsaesser, Thomas
  • Steinmeyer, Günter

2008 Physics and Astronomy Classification Scheme

  • 42.30.Rx 78.20.-e 78.20.Mg 78.20.Bh

Keywords

  • nonlinear optics, ultrafast spectroscopy, interferometric FROG, pulse characterization, time-dependent Schrödinger equation

DOI

10.20347/WIAS.PREPRINT.1961

Abstract

Third-order optical nonlinearities play a vital role for generation and characterization of some of the shortest optical pulses to date, for optical switching applications, and for spectroscopy. In many cases, nonlinear optical effects are used far off resonance, and then an instantaneous temporal response is expected. Here, we show for the first time resonant frequency-resolved optical gating measurements that indicate substantial nonlinear polarization relaxation times up to 6.5,fs in dielectric media, i.e., significantly beyond the shortest pulses directly available from commercial lasers. These effects are among the fastest effects observed in ultrafast spectroscopy. Numerical solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation are in excellent agreement with experimental observations. The simulations indicate that pulse generation and characterization in the ultraviolet may be severely affected by this previously unreported effect. Moreover, our approach opens an avenue for application of frequency-resolved optical gating as a highly selective spectroscopic probe in high-field physics.

Appeared in

  • , 2 (2015) pp. 151--157.

Download Documents