Few-cycle pulse generation by double-stage hybrid multi-pass multi-plate nonlinear pulse compression

TL;DR

This paper presents a compact hybrid multi-pass, multi-plate nonlinear pulse compression setup that significantly shortens picosecond laser pulses to few-cycle durations, achieving record peak powers and enabling advanced ultrafast applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel two-stage hybrid multi-pass, multi-plate compression method that surpasses previous limits in pulse duration and peak power from bulk multi-pass cells.

Findings

Achieved 8.2 fs pulse duration from a 120 ps pulse.

Enhanced peak power from 0.1 GW to 2.9 GW.

Demonstrated the potential for compact high-repetition-rate attosecond sources.

Abstract

Few-cycle pulses present an essential tool to track ultrafast dynamics in matter and drive strong field effects. To address photon-hungry applications, high average power lasers are used which, however, cannot directly provide sub-100 fs pulse durations. Post-compression of laser pulses by spectral broadening and dispersion compensation is the most efficient method to overcome this limitation. Here, we demonstrate a notably compact setup which turns a 0.1 GW peak power, picosecond laser into a 2.9 GW peak power, 8.2 fs source. The 120-fold pulse duration shortening is accomplished in a two-stage hybrid multi-pass, multi-plate compression setup. To our knowledge, neither shorter pulses, nor higher peak powers have been reported to-date from bulk multi-pass cells alone, manifesting the power of the hybrid approach. It puts, for instance, compact, cost-efficient and high repetition rate attosecond sources within reach.