1-D imaging of rotation-vibration non-equilibrium from pure rotational ultrafast coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering.

We present one-dimensional (1-D) imaging of rotation-vibration non-equilibrium measured by two-beam pure rotational hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps CARS). Simultaneous measurements of the spatial distribution of molecular rotation-vibration non-equilibrium are critical for understanding molecular energy transfer in low temperature plasmas and hypersonic flows. However, non-equilibrium CARS thermometry until now was limited to point measurements.

Electric field vector measurements via nanosecond electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation.

Electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation, or E-FISH, has received renewed interest as a nonintrusive tool for probing electric fields in gas discharges and plasmas using ultrashort laser pulses. An important contribution of this work lies in establishing that the E-FISH method works effectively in the nanosecond regime, yielding field sensitivities of about a kV/cm at atmospheric pressure from a 16 ns pulse. This is expected to broaden its applicability within the plasma community, given the wider access to conventional nanosecond laser sources.

1D time evolving electric field profile measurements with sub-ns resolution using the E-FISH method.

We present an approach for the measurement of time evolving electric field profiles in atmospheric pressure plasma discharges using electric field induced second harmonic generation (E-FISH). While the E-FISH effect has been known of for some time, recent advances in laser and detection technology have allowed the method to be utilized for spatial measurements of an arbitrarily applied electric field. A cylindrical lens is used to focus the femtosecond laser light to a line and an intensified charge coupled device is used for detection, allowing for one-dimensional (1D) spatial resolution on the order of ∼50  μm.