Proposal for carrier-envelope-phase stable single-cycle pulse generation in the mid-infrared - extreme-ultraviolet range

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method to generate carrier-envelope-phase stable, single-cycle pulses in the mid-infrared to extreme ultraviolet range using coherent undulator radiation from ultrathin electron layers produced by microbunching.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach utilizing microbunched ultrathin electron layers in a modulator undulator to produce ultra-short, CEP-stable pulses in the mid-IR to EUV spectrum.

Findings

Potential to generate 10 nm long electron layers in a single period undulator.

Predicted CEP-stable pulses with up to a few nJ energy.

Pulse durations as short as 70 attoseconds.

Abstract

A robust method for producing half-cycle - few-cycle pulses in mid-infrared to extreme ultraviolet spectral ranges is proposed. It is based on coherent undulator radiation of relativistic ultrathin electron layers, which are produced by microbunching of ultrashort electron bunches by a TW power laser in a modulator undulator. According to our numerical calculations it is possible to generate as short as 10 nm long electron layers in a single-period modulator undulator having an undulator parameter of only K=0.25 and which is significantly shorter than the resonant period length. By using these electron layers the production of carrier-envelope-phase stable pulses with up to a few nJ energy and down to 30 nm wavelength and 70 as duration is predicted.