Search

We present a technique for frequency-resolved wavefront characterization of high harmonics based on lateral shearing interferometry. Tilted replicas of the driving laser pulse are produced by a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, producing separate focii in the target. The interference of the resulting harmonics on a flat-field extreme ultraviolet spectrometer yields the spatial phase derivative. A comprehensive set of spatial profiles, resolved by harmonic order, validate the technique and reveal the interplay of single-atom and macroscopic effects., (© 2011 Optical Society of America)

We report on the full amplitude and phase characterization of high-intensity few-cycle laser pulses generated in a single-stage hollow core fiber system with subsequent compression by ultrabroadband chirped mirrors. We use a spatially-encoded arrangement (SEA) spectral phase interferometry for direct electric field reconstruction (SPIDER) with spectral filters for ancilla generation to characterize the sub-4 fs pulses with spatial resolution.