Nonlinear compression toward high-energy single-cycle pulses by cascaded focus and compression

Area of Science:

• Ultrafast Science
• Nonlinear Optics
• Quantum Optics

Background:

• Advancements in ultrafast science depend on high-energy, few-cycle light pulses.
• Existing methods for generating such pulses can be complex or inefficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a compact and efficient method for generating millijoule-level, single-cycle light pulses.
• To enable new possibilities in high harmonic generation and attosecond pulse production.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of the cascaded focus and compression (CASCADE) technique.
• Utilizing multiple stages of focusing in matter followed by immediate pulse compression.
• Employing argon gas cells for spectral broadening and pulse compression.

Main Results:

• Achieved 50-fold pulse compression from 157 fs to 3.1 fs for millijoule-level pulses.
• Generated single-cycle pulses with an output energy of 0.98 mJ and 73% transmission efficiency.
• Demonstrated the capability to drive high harmonic generation, producing an extreme ultraviolet continuum up to 180 eV.

Conclusions:

• The CASCADE technique provides a compact and efficient route to high-energy, single-cycle pulses.
• This advancement supports the generation of isolated attosecond pulses.
• Opens new avenues for research in ultrafast phenomena and extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy.