The National Key Laboratory of Strong Field Laser Physics at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently achieved a major breakthrough in laser technology.
The research team, led by Dr Song Liwei, has developed a system that synchronizes picosecond lasers to the attosecond level. Their research, titled "Long-term stable timing fluctuation correction for a picosecond laser with attosecond-level accuracy", has been published in the international journal High Power Laser Science and Engineering.
Picosecond lasers, known for their narrow pulse width and high energy, are used in dermatology and as foundational light sources in attosecond science. Attosecond science, a branch of ultrafast optics, requires extremely precise timing to function effectively.
Song's team advanced laser synchronization by implementing high-precision timing jitter measurement and real-time feedback, keeping timing jitter within the attosecond range. This improved the reliability of the laser system during prolonged operation and allowed for the real-time correction of timing fluctuations.
Attosecond lasers provide unprecedented time resolution, opening a "time window" into the microscopic world. They enable scientists to observe phenomena on finer time scales, such as the motion of electrons within atoms, offering new perspectives on the fundamental laws of the material world.
"This research paves the way for picosecond lasers in high-precision scientific research," said Song. He noted the study's potential across various fields, including biomedicine, precision material processing, electronic science, and laser radar technology. These advancements are expected to drive significant breakthroughs in research and expand applications across multiple domains.