Spatiotemporal plasma hologram

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the first experimental realization of a 4D plasma hologram capable of recording and reconstructing the full spatiotemporal profile of intense laser pulses, enabling advanced ultrafast optical applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel single-shot plasma holography technique for direct, background-free measurement of laser spatiotemporal fields with potential for high-speed optical data processing.

Findings

Successfully reconstructed Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beam profiles.

Demonstrated stable plasma grating lifetime of 30-40 ps.

Showcased potential for high-repetition-rate ultrafast laser manipulation.

Abstract

We present the first experimental realization of a four-dimensional (4D) plasma hologram capable of recording and reconstructing the full spatiotemporal information of intense laser pulses. The holographic encoding is achieved through the interference of a long object pulse and a counter-propagating short reference pulse, generating an ionized plasma grating that captures both spatial and temporal characteristics of the laser field. A first-order diffractive probe enables the retrieval of encoded information, successfully reconstructing the spatiotemporal profiles of Gaussian and Laguerre-Gaussian beams. The experiment demonstrates the ability to encode artificial information into the laser pulse via spectral modulation and retrieve it through plasma grating diffraction, high-lighting potential applications in ultraintense optical data processing. Key innovations include a single-shot, background-free method for direct far-field spatiotemporal measurement and the obser-vation of laser focus propagation dynamics in plasma. The plasma grating exhibits a stable lifetime of 30-40 ps and supports high repetition rates, suggesting usage for high-speed optical switches and plasmatic analog memory. These advancements establish plasma holography as a robust platform for ultrafast laser manipulation, with implications for secure optical communication, analog computing,and precision spatiotemporal control of high-intensity lasers.