Multi-millijoule few-cycle mid-infrared pulses through nonlinear self-compression in bulk

V. Shumakova, P. Malevich, S. Ališauskas, A. Voronin, A. M. Zheltikov, D. Faccio, D. Kartashov, A. Baltuška and A. Pugžlys ()
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V. Shumakova: Photonics Institute, TU Wien
P. Malevich: Photonics Institute, TU Wien
S. Ališauskas: Photonics Institute, TU Wien
A. Voronin: International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
A. M. Zheltikov: International Laser Center, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
D. Faccio: Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, David Brewster Building, DB1.12 Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh
D. Kartashov: Institute for Optics and Quantum Electronics, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena
A. Baltuška: Photonics Institute, TU Wien
A. Pugžlys: Photonics Institute, TU Wien

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract The physics of strong-field applications requires driver laser pulses that are both energetic and extremely short. Whereas optical amplifiers, laser and parametric, boost the energy, their gain bandwidth restricts the attainable pulse duration, requiring additional nonlinear spectral broadening to enable few or even single cycle compression and a corresponding peak power increase. Here we demonstrate, in the mid-infrared wavelength range that is important for scaling the ponderomotive energy in strong-field interactions, a simple energy-efficient and scalable soliton-like pulse compression in a mm-long yttrium aluminium garnet crystal with no additional dispersion management. Sub-three-cycle pulses with >0.44 TW peak power are compressed and extracted before the onset of modulation instability and multiple filamentation as a result of a favourable interplay between strong anomalous dispersion and optical nonlinearity around the wavelength of 3.9 μm. As a manifestation of the increased peak power, we show the evidence of mid-infrared pulse filamentation in atmospheric air.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12877

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