Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions

Program Description
The Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions program is focused on the most fundamental process in nature, the interaction of light with the basic constituents of matter. The objective of the program is to explore and understand the broad range of physical phenomena accessible via the interaction of ultrashort pulse (USP) laser sources with matter in order to further capabilities of interest to the U.S. Air Force, including directed energy, remote sensing, communications, diagnostics, and materials processing. The portfolio explores research opportunities accessible by means of the three key distinctive features of USP laser pulses: high peak power, large spectral bandwidth and ultrashort temporal duration.

Basic Research Objectives
The Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions program seeks innovative science concepts in the research focus areas of high-field laser physics, frequency combs and attosecond science described below:

• High-field laser physics: Over the last two decades, progress in laser pulse amplification techniques has resulted in a six order of magnitude increase in achieved focused intensities. The interaction of such intense radiation with matter results in rapid electron ionization and a rich assortment of subsequent interaction physics. Topics of interest in this area include, but are not limited to, techniques for ultrafast- laser processing (e.g. machining, patterning), mechanisms to control dynamics of femtosecond laser propagation in transparent media (e.g. filamentation), concepts for monochromatic, tunable laser-based sources of secondary photons (e.g. extreme ultraviolet, terahertz, x-rays) and particle beams (e.g. electrons, protons, neutrons), laser-based compact particle accelerators and concepts for high peak power laser architectures and technology that efficiently scale up to high repetition rates and/or new wavelengths of operation.
• Optical frequency combs: The large coherent spectral bandwidths intrinsic to USP lasers make them especially suitable for applications requiring high temporal and spectral precision such as telecommunications, optical clocks, time and frequency transfer, precision spectroscopy and arbitrary waveform generation. Research topics in this thrust area include, but are not limited to, dispersion management techniques to increase the spectral coverage to exceed an octave while maintaining high powers per comb, new concepts to extend frequency combs from the extreme ultraviolet into the mid-wave and long-wave infrared spectral regimes, development of novel resonator designs (e.g. micro-resonator based) and ultra-broadband pulse shaping.
• Attosecond science: The development of intense light pulses with attosecond durations has resulted in stroboscopic probes with the unprecedented ability to observe atomic-scale electron dynamics with attosecond temporal resolution. This highly exploratory thrust of the program is interested in developing research aimed at resolving attosecond electron dynamics in complex systems of interest to DOD (i.e. such as solid-state semiconductor, magnetic, and plasmonic systems). If successful, such understanding would have a broad and direct impact on future materials research, moving us closer to designing materials with carefully engineered electronic properties. Topics of interest in this area include, but are not limited to, new concepts for improved attosecond sources (e.g. increased efficiency, higher flux, shorter pulses, and higher photon energy), development of pump-probe methods that investigate interactions with systems ranging from isolated atoms / molecules to condensed matter, attosecond pulse propagation, novel concepts for attosecond experiments and fundamental interpretations of attosecond measurements.

You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort.

Solicitation
BAA-AFRL-AFOSR-2016-0007

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Program Reviews & Meetings

Program Overview
AFOSR Spring Review 2014 Presentation by Dr. Riq Parra

Contact Information
Dr. Riq Parra
AFOSR/RTB-1
E-mail: Short.Laser@us.af.mil