The design, construction, optimization, and application of self-compression of high energy pulses in gas filled hollow core waveguide

Abstract

The effects of the input pulse dispersion and gas pressure on the self-compression of high energy pulses in a noble gas filled hollow core waveguide are systematically studied. Self-compression of 3 mJ pulses to 10.5 fs is successfully demonstrated in a 2 cm Kr filled hollow core waveguide. To our best knowledge, this is the shortest pulse at mJ level achieved by self-compression in such short hollow core waveguide driven by a Ti:sapphire laser. A damage-free ramping procedure is developed to efficiently couple the high-power laser into a hollow core waveguide. The demonstrated self-compression techniques are applied in high harmonic generation (HHG) in a noble gas filled hollow core waveguide. HHG spectrum above 200 eV is achieved. A 10 kHz, deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser at 206 nm, with a peak power of 129 MW, is developed. Applying self-compression techniques in the DUV laser can further enhance its peak power.