arXiv subjects

Karel Žídek

Publications and source records attributed to Karel Žídek.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

The effect of aging in thin films in the picosecond sonar experiment

This work examines aging effects in thin-film stacks studied by picosecond acoustics experiments. The method uses a strain wave created by the absorption of a laser pulse in the top metal transducer layer to study the inner structure and properties of multilayers. We show that significant changes in measured signals developed over time, rapidly after sample deposition and continuing for months. Most apparent was the evolution of the thermal exponential background of the signal, but close inspection showed modifications also in the shape of the echoes and the phase of the Brillouin oscillations. We revealed that these changes originate from the titanium transducer layer exposed to the ambient atmosphere. The aging process involves both - irreversible Ti oxidation and reversible gas/water vapor adsorption. Importantly, these aging effects can be eliminated by passivating the Ti layer with a thin 10 nm Si3N4 coating, providing a simple solution for ensuring long-term measurement stability.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2024

Sensitive optical coating defect detection via second harmonic generation

Optical coating, an integral part of many optical systems, is prone to damage from environmental exposure and laser irradiation. This underscores the need for reliable and sensitive coating diagnostics. We introduce second harmonic generation (SHG) as a method for the sensitive detection of defects and inhomogeneities within optical thin films. We demonstrate the use of SHG on Si3N4 layers tested for their laser-induced damage threshold. The SHG mapping was compared with commonly used diagnostic techniques, including Nomarski microscopy, white light interferometry, and electron microscopy. Owing to its sensitivity to variations in local symmetry, SHG is able to discern minute alterations in material composition, mechanical stress, and interface structures. Therefore, SHG identified modifications in the tested layers, highly extending the damage recognized by standard methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate SHG's ability to enhance specific features by modulation of incidence angles and polarization modes. Based on these findings, we propose SHG as an ideal diagnostic tool for the early identification of laser-induced modifications in centrosymmetric thin films.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

Optically enhanced second harmonic generation in silicon oxynitride thin films via local layer heating

Strong second harmonic generation (SHG) in silicon nitride has been extensively studied-among others, in terms of laser-induced SHG enhancement in Si3N4 waveguides. This enhancement has been ascribed to the all-optical poling induced by the coherent photogalvanic effect. Yet, an analogous process for Si3N4 thin films has not been reported. Our article reports on the observation of laser-induced 3-fold SHG enhancement in Si3N4 thin films. The observed enhancement has many features similar to all-optical poling, such as highly nonlinear power dependence, cumulative effect, or connection to the Si3N4-Si interface. However, identical experiments for low-oxygen silicon oxynitride thin films lead to complex behavior, including laser-induced SHG reduction. By a thorough experimental study, the observed results were ascribed to heat-induced SHG variation caused by multiphoton absorption. Such behavior indicates that the origin of optically-induced SHG enhancement in SiOxNy-Si structures can be a complex interplay of various phenomena.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2020

Precision of silicon oxynitride refractive-index profile retrieval using optical characterization

Layers with gradient refractive-index profile are an attractive alternative to conventional homogeneous stack coatings. However, the optical characterization and monitoring of the graded refractive-index profile is a complex issue, which has been typically solved by using a simplified model of mixed materials. Although this approach provides a solution to the problem, the precision, which can be expected from optical characterization of the refractive index gradient, remains unclear. In this work, we study optical characterization of SiO_xN_y layers deposited via reactive dual ion beam sputtering. To characterize the deposited layers, we use several methods including reflectance, and transmittance spectra at a broad range of incident angles, together with spectral ellipsometry. All the data were simultaneously fitted with a general profile of refractive index. The expected profile used in our fit was based on characterization of SiO_xN_y layers with a varying stoichiometry. By altering of the profile, we discussed sensitivity of such alternation on fit quality and we studied ambiguity of merit-function minimization. We demonstrate that while the scanning of particular parameters of the profile can be seemingly very precise, we obtain a very good agreement between the experimental data and model for a broad range of gradient shapes, where the refractive-index value on major part of the profile can differ as much as 0.02 from the mean value.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Compressive imaging of transient absorption dynamics on the femtosecond timescale

Femtosecond spectroscopy is an important tool for tracking rapid photoinduced processes in a variety of materials. To spatially map the processes in a sample would substantially expand the capabilities of the method. This is, however, difficult to achieve due to the necessity to use low-noise detection and to maintain feasible data acquisition time. Here we demonstrate realization of an imaging pump-probe setup, featuring sub-100 fs temporal resolution, by a straightforward modification of a standard pump-probe technique, using a randomly structured probe beam. The structured beam, made by a diffuser, enabled us to computationally reconstruct the maps of transient absorption dynamics based on the concept of compressed sensing. We demonstrate the functionality of the setup in two proof-of-principle experiments, were we achieve spatial resolution of 20 μm. The presented concept provides a feasible route to imaging, using the pump-probe technique and ultrafast spectroscopy in general.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Unravelling coherences in the FMO complex

The idea that excitonic state (electronic) coherences are of fundamental importance to natural photosynthesis gained popularity when, a decade ago, slowly dephasing quantum beats were observed in the two-dimensional electronic spectra of the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex at 77 K. These were assigned to quantum superpositions of excitonic states; a controversial interpretation, as the spectral linewidths suggested fast dephasing arising from strong interactions with the environment. While it has been pointed out that vibrational motion produces similar spectral signatures, concrete assignment of these coherences to distinct physical processes is still lacking. Here we revisit the coherence dynamics of the Fenna-Matthews-Olson complex using polarization-controlled two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy, supported by theoretical modelling. We show that the long-lived quantum beats originate exclusively from vibrational coherences, whereas electronic coherences dephase entirely within 240 fs even at 77 K - a timescale too short to play a significant role in light harvesting. Additionally, we demonstrate that specific vibrational coherences are excited via vibronically coupled states. The detection of vibronic coupling indicates the relevance of this phenomenon for photosynthetic energy transfer.

physics.chem-ph↗