Phase-stabilized Ultrafast Laser Sources for Spectroscopy

The investigation of laser-matter interactions calls§for ever shorter pulses as new effects can thus be§explored. With few-cycle laser pulses, the phase of§the electric field oscillations becomes important for§many applications.§This book presents ultrafast laser sources that§provide few-cycle pulses with controlled evolution of§the electric field. Firstly, a technique for§phase-stabilizing ultra-broadband oscillators is§discussed. Further, the realization of a§phase-stabilized chirped-pulse amplifier is described.§§Frequency conversion of intense laser pulses by§high-order harmonic generation is a common way of§producing coherent light in the extreme ultraviolet§(XUV) spectral region.§Here, high-harmonic generation from solid surfaces§under grazing incidence instead from a gas target is§studied as higher efficiencies are expected in this§configuration.§Another approach to increasing the efficiency of§high-harmonic generation is the placing of the gas§target in an enhancement resonator. Further, the high§repetition rate of the XUV pulses enables their use§for high-precision optical frequency metrology with§the frequency comb technique. The investigation of laser-matter interactions calls§for ever shorter pulses as new effects can thus be§explored. With few-cycle laser pulses, the phase of§the electric field oscillations becomes important for§many applications.§This book presents ultrafast laser sources that§provide few-cycle pulses with controlled evolution of§the electric field. Firstly, a technique for§phase-stabilizing ultra-broadband oscillators is§discussed. Further, the realization of a§phase-stabilized chirped-pulse amplifier is described.§Frequency conversion of intense laser pulses by§high-order harmonic generation is a common way of§producing coherent light in the extreme ultraviolet§(XUV) spectral region.§Here, high-harmonic generation from solid surfaces§under grazing incidence instead from a gas target is§studied as higher efficiencies are expected in this§configuration.§Another approach to increasing the efficiency of§high-harmonic generation is the placing of the gas§target in an enhancement resonator. Further, the high§repetition rate of the XUV pulses enables their use§for high-precision optical frequency metrology with§the frequency comb technique.