Self-referencing spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field reconstruction with chirped pulses

We analyze the characterization of strongly chirped pulses by spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field reconstruction (SPIDER). We show how to extend the working range of this technique for these relevant cases and derive correction factors for typical operating parameters. The results are straightforward to implement in the calculation algorithms. We demonstrate the validity of this technique by characterizing numerically and experimentally pulses with a known spectral phase profile.