Single-shot picosecond interferometry for the characterization of laser-driven shock waves

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Conventional laser-driven shock experiments face challenges with target damage and shot-to-shot reproducibility.
• Interferometric detection is standard but limited by sample degradation after each laser shot.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a single-shot interferometric technique for characterizing laser-induced shock waves.
• To overcome limitations of conventional methods, particularly for sensitive or limited samples.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Sagnac interferometer combined with an echelon to split a femtosecond probe beam into multiple beams.
• Implemented a single-shot measurement for interferometric characterization of shock waves.

Main Results:

• Achieved 10 ps time resolution with a 150 ps time window for shock wave characterization.
• Demonstrated a stable, sensitive, and simple technique for analyzing picosecond to nanosecond shock waves.

Conclusions:

• The single-shot Sagnac interferometer with an echelon offers a robust solution for shock wave characterization.
• This technique is particularly advantageous for samples with limited quantities or spatial inhomogeneities.