High-Energy Sub-Optical-Cycle Parametric Waveform Synthesizer

Abstract

We compressed and characterized using FROG a 3-channel, multi-mJ, sub-optical-cycle parametric waveform synthesizer in the visible and infrared (0.5-2.2 µm). The synthesizer will become a versatile tool for strong-field physics experiments.Waveform Nonlinear Optics aims to study and control the nonlinear interaction of matter with extremely short optical waveforms custom-tailored within an optical cycle of light. Several new applications arise in attoscience and strong-field physics, e.g., the generation of intense isolated attosecond XUV pulses [1], relativistic laserplasma interactions and laser-driven electron acceleration [2], launching valenceelectron wavepacket dynamics in atoms and molecules [3], and control of sub-cycle electron transport in solids [4]. Different technological approaches [5] have recently been pursued to generate such waveforms. Waveform synthesis based on supercontinuum generation in hollow-core fiber compressors represents a rather mature technology and has led to the generation of sub-cycle optical pulses (covering 260-1,100 nm) [3], however,