Efficient angular dispersion compensation in holographic generation of intense ultrashort paraxial beam modes

Authors

James Strohaber, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
C. Petersen, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Cornelis J. Uiterwaal, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

8-15-2007

Comments

Published in OPTICS LETTERS August 15, 2007 / Vol. 32, No. 16. Copyright © 2007 Optical Society of America. Used by permission.

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate that small misalignments of the pulse stretcher or compressor of our chirped-pulse-amplification laser can precompensate for angular chirp when producing ultrashort paraxial beam modes with holographic gratings. Using this approach we can eliminate one of the two gratings needed in our 2f–2f setup [Mariyenko et al., Opt. Express 13, 7599 (2005)]. This allows for up to an order of magnitude more output power. We see our method as the next step in the production of intense exotic forms of ultrashort pulses, which can be used in the investigation of intense laser–matter interactions. In addition, we produce the first femtosecond (helical–)Ince–Gaussian beams.