Phase-retrieval algorithm for the characterization of broadband single attosecond pulses
Open Access
- 10 April 2017
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review A
- Vol. 95 (4), 043407
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.95.043407
Abstract
Recent progress in high-order harmonic generation with few-cycle mid-infrared wavelength lasers has pushed light pulses into the water-window region and beyond. These pulses have the bandwidth to support single attosecond pulses down to a few tens of attoseconds. However, the present available techniques for attosecond pulse measurement are not applicable to such pulses. Here we report a phase-retrieval method using the standard photoelectron streaking technique where an attosecond pulse is converted into its electron replica through photoionization of atoms in the presence of a time-delayed infrared laser. The iterative algorithm allows accurate reconstruction of the spectral phase of light pulses, from the extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) to soft x-rays, with pulse durations from hundreds down to a few tens of attoseconds. At the same time, the streaking laser fields, including short pulses that span a few octaves, can also be accurately retrieved. Such well-characterized single attosecond pulses in the XUV to the soft-x-ray region are required for time-resolved probing of inner-shell electronic dynamics of matter at their own timescale of a few tens of attoseconds.Keywords
Funding Information
- U.S. Department of Energy (DE-FG02-86ER13491)
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