Generation of vortex <i>N</i> <sub>2</sub> <i/> <sup>+</sup> lasing
Yue Hu, Zhengjun Ye, Hanxiao Li, Chenxu Lu, Fei Chen, Jiawei Wang, Shengzhe Pan, Min Zhang, Jian Gao, Jian Wu
Abstract
Harnessing structured light is fascinating for its multidisciplinary applications, e.g., in remote driving microrobots, sensing, communications, and ultrahigh resolution imaging. Here, we experimentally demonstrated the generation of a vortex N 2 + lasing pumped by a wavefront structured near-IR femtosecond pulse with orbital angular momentum. The topological charge of the N 2 + lasing was measured to be twofold that of the pump beam. Compared to the case with a pump beam of a plane wavefront, the N 2 + lasing generation efficiency is much higher for the vortex pump beam at high pumping energy, which has a higher clamping intensity by reducing the on-axis plasma density. Our results herald a march toward remote structured N 2 + lasing.