Beyond the variable wavelength interferometry—Monitoring the interaction between the ultrashort high power laser pulses and light propagating medium

Abstract

This paper presents the Variable Wavelength Interferometry (VAWI) technique, its applications and expected research potential of this system equipped with a femtosecond laser. The system is configured for observation and measurement of local optical parameters modified by a high power laser pulse. The VAWI measurement technique has a unique feature that can visualize and enables investigation of the immediate matter response to a single high power laser pulse just in the pulse area, which can locally modify dielectric and optical parameters of matter along the propagation path. It affects the dielectric tensor, refractive indices and it may induce birefringence. The high power laser pulse is responsible for the nonlinear effects in the optical materials like crystals, photonic crystals, optical fibers etc. The VAWI provides the ability to measure very accurately the above optical parameters along the laser pulse propagation path and neighboring regions in the VIS-NIR spectral ranges.