Ultrashort Non-linear Interactions and Sources Group

In our group we are working in the field of intense ultrashort laser pulse interaction with matter. Our activities are grouped in 3 directions.

We study the nonlinear propagation of intense ultrashort laser pulses in transparent media and related filamentation processes. We develop experimental tools to monitor the interaction of the strong laser fields with the matter and also ways to control the nonlinear propagation through the use of “exotic” wavepackets or photonic lattices.

In the second direction we develop novel strong field THz sources. We are investigating mainly filamentation based approaches and explore novel ways for increasing the source peak power. We are proposing ways of taming the source properties through filamentation tailoring methods or using novel artificial materials like metamaterials and eutectics. With the available THz intensities we explore the new era of nonlinear THz optics.

Finally, in the third direction we use photonic lattices for a number of applications. From the control of the nonlinear propagation, to the study of complexity physics and quantum information and quantum analogs.

In our research we are dealing with both fundamental science aspects as well as technological applications. The polyvalent nature of our facility allows studies in cross-disciplinary science including physics, chemistry, materials science and bio-medicine.

THz generation by two-color femtosecond filaments with complex polarization states: four-wave mixing versus photocurrent contributions
V. Y. Fedorov, A. D. Koulouklidis, and S. Tzortzakis
Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 59, 014025 (2017)

Tailored light sheets through opaque cylindrical lenses
D. Di Battista, D. Ancora, H. Zhang, K. Lemonaki, E. Marakis, E. Liapis, S. Tzortzakis, and G. Zacharakis
Optica 3, 1237-1240 (2016)

Janus Waves   [Editors’ Pick]
D. G. Papazoglou, V. Y. Fedorov, and S. Tzortzakis
Opt. Lett. 41, 4656-4659 (2016)

Accessing Extreme Spatiotemporal Localization of High-Power Laser Radiation through Transformation Optics and Scalar Wave Equations
V. Yu. Fedorov, M. Chanal, D. Grojo and S. Tzortzakis
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 043902 (2016)

Enhanced terahertz wave emission from air-plasma tailored by abruptly autofocusing laser beams
K. Liu, A. D. Koulouklidis, D. G. Papazoglou, S. Tzortzakis, X.-C. Zhang
Optica 3, 605-608 (2016)

Robust authentication through stochastic femtosecond laser filament induced scattering surfaces
H. Zhang, D. Di Battista, G. Zacharakis and S. Tzortzakis
Appl. Phys. Lett. 108, 211107 (2016)

Abruptly autofocusing beams for advanced multiscale photo-polymerization
M. Manousidaki, D. G. Papazoglou, M. Farsari, and S. Tzortzakis
Optica 3, 525-530 (2016)

Spectral bandwidth scaling laws and pulse reconstruction of THz wave packets generated from two-color laser plasma filaments
A. D. Koulouklidis, V. Yu. Fedorov, and S. Tzortzakis
Phys. Rev. A 93, 033844 (2016)

Nonlinear plasma assisted collapse of ring-Airy wavepackets
P. Panagiotopoulos, A. Couairon, M. Kolesik, D. G. Papazoglou, J. Moloney, and S. Tzortzakis
Phys. Rev. A 93, 033808 (2016)

Rogue events in complex linear and nonlinear photonic media
M. Mattheakis, I. J. Pitsios, G. P. Tsironis, and S. Tzortzakis
Chaos, Solitons Fractals 84, 73-80 (2016)

Fano resonances in THz metamaterials composed of continuous metallic wires and split ring resonators
Z. Li, S. Cakmakyapan, B. Butun, Chr. Daskalaki, S. Tzortzakis, X. Yang, E. Ozbay
Opt. Express 22, 26572-26584 (2014)

Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Heraklion, Greece