In a groundbreaking achievement, scientists have successfully generated extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spatiotemporal optical vortices (STOVs). This discovery, detailed in recent research, opens new avenues in various fields, including imaging and ultrafast science. The research was conducted at the Jozef Stefan Institute.
STOVs are unique laser beams with a twisted phase profile in the spatiotemporal plane. This allows them to carry orbital angular momentum (OAM) along the direction transverse to propagation. The team used high-order harmonic generation (HHG), an extreme non-perturbative nonlinear process, to create these complex beams.
The process involves focusing an intense infrared (IR) laser beam into a gas. This generates a comb of harmonics, including EUV light. The researchers found that the topological charge of the resulting EUV vortices scales linearly with that of the driving laser field. This allows for precise control over the properties of the EUV STOVs.
The ability to generate and manipulate EUV STOVs has significant implications. These beams can be used for non-destructive, low-dose imaging of delicate structures. This is a major advancement compared to traditional methods like electron microscopy, which can cause damage. The study also highlights the potential for applications in quantum optics, optical communications, and metrology.
The researchers demonstrated the duality in the focusing dynamics of STOVs, showing they can be transformed into spatiospectral optical vortices (SSOVs) and vice versa. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize various scientific and technological fields.