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Oren Cohen

Publications and source records attributed to Oren Cohen.

48 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Generation of phase-matched circularly-polarized extreme ultraviolet high harmonics for magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy

Circularly-polarized extreme UV and X-ray radiation provides valuable access to the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of materials. To date, this capability was available only at large-scale X-ray facilities such as synchrotrons. Here we demonstrate the first bright, phase-matched, extreme UV circularly-polarized high harmonics and use this new light source for magnetic circular dichroism measurements at the M-shell absorption edges of Co. We show that phase matching of circularly-polarized harmonics is unique and robust, producing a photon flux comparable to the linearly polarized high harmonic sources that have been used very successfully for ultrafast element-selective magneto-optic experiments. This work thus represents a critical advance that makes possible element-specific imaging and spectroscopy of multiple elements simultaneously in magnetic and other chiral media with very high spatial and temporal resolution, using tabletop-scale setups.

physics.optics↗

Phase Retrieval with Application to Optical Imaging

This review article provides a contemporary overview of phase retrieval in optical imaging, linking the relevant optical physics to the information processing methods and algorithms. Its purpose is to describe the current state of the art in this area, identify challenges, and suggest vision and areas where signal processing methods can have a large impact on optical imaging and on the world of imaging at large, with applications in a variety of fields ranging from biology and chemistry to physics and engineering.

cs.IT↗

Long-Lived Waveguides and Sound Wave Generation by Laser Filamentation

We discover long-lived (microsecond-scale) optical waveguiding in the wake of atmospheric laser filaments. We also observe the formation and then outward propagation of the consequent sound wave. These effects may be used for remote induction of atmospheric long-lived optical structures from afar which could serve for a variety of applications.

physics.optics↗

Does high harmonic generation conserve angular momentum?

High harmonic generation (HHG) is a unique and useful process in which infrared or visible radiation is frequency up converted into the extreme ultraviolet and x ray spectral regions. As a parametric process, high harmonic generation should conserve the radiation energy, momentum and angular momentum. Indeed, conservation of energy and momentum have been demonstrated. Angular momentum of optical beams can be divided into two components: orbital and spin (polarization). Orbital angular momentum is assumed to be conserved and recently observed deviations were attributed to propagation effects. On the other hand, conservation of spin angular momentum has thus far never been studied, neither experimentally nor theoretically. Here, we present the first study on the role of spin angular momentum in extreme nonlinear optics by experimentally generating high harmonics of bi chromatic elliptically polarized pump beams that interact with isotropic media. While observing that the selection rules qualitatively correspond to spin conservation, we unequivocally find that the process of converting pump photons into a single high-energy photon does not conserve angular momentum, i.e. this process is not self contained. In one regime, we numerically find that this major fundamental discrepancy can be explained if the harmonic photons are emitted in pairs. Yet in another regime, the ionizing electron carries the missing angular momentum. The results presented here, apart from exploring the very foundations of HHG, are also important for a variety of applications, as our system exhibits full control over the harmonics polarization, from circular through elliptical to linear polarization, without comprising the efficiency of the process. This work paves the way for a broad range of applications with HHG, from ultrafast circular dichroism to zepto-clocks and to attosecond quantum optics.

physics.optics↗

Quasi-phase-matching of only even-order high harmonics

We propose a method for generating only even-order high harmonics. We formulate a condition for a shift in the relative-phase between bi-chromatic drivers that leads to a field sign-flip of only even-order harmonics. Induction of this sign-flip periodically during propagation gives rise to quasi phase matching of only even harmonics. We demonstrate this technique numerically and also show that it leads to attosecond pulse trains with constant carrier envelop phase with high repetition rate. This work opens the door for quasi-phase matching of high harmonics with a designed selective enhancement function.

physics.optics↗

Finite element simulation of a perturbed axial-symmetric whispering-gallery mode and its use for intensity enhancement with a nanoparticle coupled to a microtoroid

We present an optical mode solver for a whispering gallery resonator coupled to an adjacent arbitrary shaped nano-particle that breaks the axial symmetry of the resonator. Such a hybrid resonator-nanoparticle is similar to what was recently used for bio-detection and for field enhancement. We demonstrate our solver by parametrically studying a toroid-nanoplasmonic device and get the optimal nano-plasmonic size for maximal enhancement. We investigate cases near a plasmonic resonance as well as far from a plasmonic resonance. Unlike common plasmons that typically benefit from working near their resonance, here working far from plasmonic resonance provides comparable performance. This is because the plasmonic resonance enhancement is accompanied by cavity quality degradation through plasmonic absorption.

physics.optics↗

Self-trapped leaky waves in lattices: discrete and Bragg soleakons

We propose lattice soleakons: self-trapped waves that self-consistently populate leaky modes of their self-induced defects in periodic potentials. Two types, discrete and Bragg, lattice soleakons are predicted. Discrete soleakons that are supported by combination of self-focusing and self-defocusing nonlinearities propagate robustly for long propagation distances. They eventually abruptly disintegrate because they emit power to infinity at an increasing pace. In contrast, Bragg soleakons self-trap by only self-focusing, and they do not disintegrate because they emit power at a decreasing rate.

nlin.PS↗

Two-dimensional multi-pole solitons in nonlocal nonlinear media

We present the experimental observation of scalar multi-pole solitons in highly nonlocal nonlinear media, including dipole-, tri-pole, quadru-pole, and necklace-type solitons, organized as arrays of out-of-phase bright spots. These complex solitons are meta-stable, but with a large parameters range where the instability is weak, enabling their experimental observation.

physics.optics↗

Observation of 2nd band vortex solitons in 2D photonic lattices

We demonstrate second-band bright vortex-array solitons in photonic lattices. This constitutes the first experimental observation of higher-band solitons in any 2D periodic system. These solitons possess complex intensity and phase structures, yet they can be excited by a simple highly-localized vortex-ring beam. Finally, we show that the linear diffraction of such beams exhibits preferential transport along the lattice axes.

physics.optics↗

Brillouin-zone spectroscopy of nonlinear photonic lattices

We present a novel, real-time, experimental technique for linear and nonlinear Brillouin zone spectroscopy of photonic lattices. The method relies on excitation with random-phase waves and far-field visualization of the spatial spectrum of the light exiting the lattice. Our technique facilitates mapping the borders of the extended Brillouin zones and the areas of normal and anomalous dispersion within each zone. For photonic lattices with defects (e.g., photonic crystal fibers), our technique enables far-field visualization of the defect mode overlaid on the extended Brillouin zone structure of the lattice. The technique is general and can be used for photonic crystal fibers as well as for periodic structures in areas beyond optics.

physics.optics↗

Random-phase spatial solitons in instantaneous nonlocal nonlinear media

We predict random-phase spatial solitons in instantaneous nonlocal nonlinear media. The key mechanism responsible for self-trapping of such incoherent wave-packets is played by the non-local (rather than the traditional non-instantaneous) nature of the nonlinearity. This new kind of incoherent solitons has profoundly different features than other incoherent solitons.

nlin.PS↗