Phase Control of Sub-10-Fs Pulses: Is It Feasible?

Abstract

Chirped dielectric mirrors ol’lier a general solution for broadhand dispersion control and fcedhack i n femtosecond laser systems1. Since the first demonstration of a prismless femtosecond Ti:sapphire ( ‘ I 1:s) laser. fenttosccond “i:S laser oscillators generating sub-IO-is pulses2.3, parametric oscillators4 and Ti:S amplifiersS were built utilizing chirped mirrors for secondand higher-order dispersion compcnsation. ‘l‘hc shorlcst laser pulscs (7.5 fs) were ohtained from a mirror dispersion controlled Ti:sapphirc ring oscillator3 by replacing conventional dichroic mirrors by chirped mirrors transparent Ibr the innp wavelengths. Until now. however, only a few papers have been devoted to the theoretical^ and technological7 challanges in connection with their design and manufacture.