# A self referencing attosecond interferometer with zeptosecond precision

## TL;DR

This paper presents a novel self-referencing attosecond interferometer capable of measuring higher harmonic generation pulses with 12.8 attoseconds resolution and 680 zeptoseconds precision, enabling ultra-stable pump-probe experiments.

## Contribution

The work introduces a new interferometric setup that achieves zeptosecond-level timing precision using a common path design for attosecond pulses.

## Key findings

- Achieved 12.8 attoseconds resolution in measuring harmonic pulses.
- Demonstrated 680 zeptoseconds stability in phase control.
- Created a stable, common-path interferometer for attosecond pulses.

## Abstract

In this work we demonstrate the generation of two intense, ultrafast laser pulses that allow a controlled interferometric measurement of higher harmonic generation pulses with 12.8 attoseconds in resolution (half the atomic unit of time) and a precision as low as 680 zeptoseconds ($10^{-21}$ seconds). We create two replicas of a driving femtosecond pulse which share the same optical path except at the focus where they converge to two foci. An attosecond pulse train emerges from each focus through the process of HHG. The two attosecond pulse trains from each focus interfere in the far field producing a clear interference pattern in the XUV region. By controlling the relative optical phase between the two driving laser pulses we are able to actively influence the delay between the pulses and are able to perform very stable and precise pump-probe experiments. Because of the phase operation occurs across the entire spatial profile we effectively create two indistinguishable intense laser pulses or a common path interferometer for attosecond pulses. Commonality across the two beams means that they are extremely stable to environmental and mechanical fluctuations up to a Rayleigh range from the focus. In our opinion this represents an ideal source for homodyne and heterodyne spectroscopic measurements with sub-attosecond precision.