Broadband supercontinuum generation method combining mid-infrared chirped-pulse modulation and generalized...

Area of Science:

• Quantum optics
• Attosecond science
• Nonlinear optics

Background:

• High harmonic generation (HHG) is a key process for producing extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and soft X-ray radiation.
• Controlling the HHG process is crucial for generating isolated attosecond pulses and broadband supercontinua.
• Existing gating techniques have limitations in simultaneously controlling ionization, acceleration, and recombination dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel method for controlling high harmonic generation (HHG).
• To achieve efficient generation of ultra-broadband supercontinua using mid-infrared modulated generalized polarization gating.
• To enable the straightforward generation of isolated sub-100 attosecond pulses with tunable wavelengths.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing mid-infrared modulated generalized polarization gating.
• Employing a weaker mid-infrared linearly polarized chirped field for modulation.
• Simultaneously controlling ionization, acceleration, and recombination steps in the HHG process.

Main Results:

• Efficient generation of an ultra-broadband supercontinuum.
• Spectral coverage from ultraviolet to the water window X-ray region.
• Demonstrated control over the fundamental HHG dynamics.

Conclusions:

• The presented method offers precise control over HHG.
• This technique is highly effective for generating ultra-broadband supercontinua.
• It paves the way for straightforward generation of tunable, isolated sub-100 attosecond pulses.