LPHYS'14.    Plenary Speakers:

  1. Singular Optics Revisited: Algebraic Operations with Topological Charges of Optical Vortices

    Abstract:

    As an intriguing phenomenon in nature, vortices have become an important topic in many fields of physics. In the optical domain, they are identified as helical phase profiles within a light beam. Such beams carry photon angular momentum, which can be transferred to matter. The angular momentum is proportional to the topological charge (TC) of the optical vortex (OV). Purely linear, the far-field diffraction of an incident OV beam with an arbitrary TC by a fork-shaped grating encoding an OV with another TC is found to transform the TC of the resultant wave. Performed nonlinear experiments show the algebra of the vortex TC cascade that evolves in the process of four-wave mixing of OV beams in Kerr media. Coherent generation of complex singular beams within a spectral bandwidth larger than 200 nm will be described.

  2. Quantum Fluid Properties of Light in Microcavities

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      Elisabeth Giacobino


      Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, Paris, France
    Abstract:

    Quantum coherence in interacting boson systems is at the origin of striking manifestations such as superfluidity. In semiconductor microcavities, a laser excitation can create two-dimensional composite bosons that are superpositions of exciton and photons in the strong coupling regime. Due to nonlinear interactions, quantum optical and quantum fluid effects have been observed.

  3. Quantum Optics and Quantum Communications using Non-Gaussian States of Light

    Abstract:

    During recent years, much progress has been achieved for generating non-Gaussian states of the light, such as Fock states, or optical "Schrödinger's cat" states. Such states can be used for various quantum information protocols, including remote entanglement preparation, or non-deterministic noiseless amplification. Novel stimulating perspectives are opened by the possibility to implement photon-photon interactions, using for instance cold Rydberg atoms in an optical cavity. We will review these recent developments, and discuss open perspectives for quantum information processing and communications.

  4. Development of 10 PW Ultra-High Peak-Power Laser Facility at SIOM

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      Ruxin Li


      Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
    Abstract:

    Generation of ultra-high intensity laser field is one of the most exciting frontiers of laser physics and technology. Worldwide efforts have been devoted to this field in recent years, with the goal of developing 10 PW level peak-power laser pulse of a few tens femtosecond length. We report recent progress towards a 10 PW laser system at SIOM. The design target is 300 J energy in 30 fs long pulse at the central wavelength of 800 nm. The laser intensity at focus will be higher than 1023 W/cm2. The laser system is based on the chirped pulse amplification (CPA) and optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) hybrid architecture. In 2013 we have demonstrated a 2 PW CPA amplifier and a 0.6 PW OPCPA amplifier.

  5. Biophotonics: Challenges, Opportunities and Impact on Global Healthcare

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      Paras N. Prasad


      Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
    Abstract:

    Biophotonics, a rapidly expanding field, integrates lasers, photonics, biotechnology and nanotechnology to create a fundamental understanding of biological processes at molecular level and to provide new approaches for diagnostic and therapy. It utilizes linear and nonlinear optical processes, together with multispectral microspectrometry for ultrasensitive bioimaging and biosensing as well as for light activated therapies such as photodynamic therapy. The talk will define a broadened scope of biophotonics, present its current status, outline the challenges and identify opportunities. Nanobiophotonics utilizing nanoprobes and nanocarriers such as silicon Quantum dots, upconversion nanoparticles and nanoplasmonics semiconductors for bioimaging, sensing and light activated therapy will also be covered. Impact of Biophotonics on current major health care issues will also be highlighted.

  6. New Prospects of Extreme Light Physics with Mega-Science Project XCELS

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      Alexander M. Sergeev


      Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
    Abstract:

    The XCELS laser facility will open up unique opportunities for studying new phenomena at the interface of high-field and high-energy physics. It is planned to provide the ascent to the highest intensity level 1025–1026 W/cm2 by combining 12 laser beams with 15 PW peak power. Under this condition, a new state of matter emerges, a sort of a boiler containing strongly interacting particles, optical field, and gamma radiation with the energy density exceeding that in the Sun center by many orders of magnitude. This is a completely new physical object, and understanding of its properties and application constitutes a compelling task. In this talk, we will discuss a number of fundamental phenomena to be studied with the XCELS, including ultrarelativistic particle dynamics with amazing and counterintuitive features, production of ultradense electron-positron plasma, gamma ray generation with extreme brilliance, and probing space-time structure of vacuum.

  7. Classical Matter Field: From Einstein to Gross-Pitaevskii and Back to Einstein

    Abstract:

    The concept of time-evolving classical matter filed – originally formulated by Einstein in his condensation papers (1924-1925) – remained abandoned for half a century. Staring with a historical overview, I will proceed with demonstrating how the idea of turbulent matter field is central for qualitative and quantitative description of non-perturbative fluctuational behavior of Bose gas in the vicinity of the critical temperature, as well as for understanding the scenario of essentially non-equilibrium kinetics of Bose-Einstein condensation.