A.M. Sayler

Precise, real-time, every-single-shot, carrier-envelope phase measurement of ultrashort laser pulses

In this Letter we demonstrate a method for real-time determination of the carrier-envelope phase of each and every single ultrashort laser pulse at kilohertz repetition rates. The technique expands upon the recent work of Wittmann and incorporates a stereographic above-threshold laser-induced ionization measurement and electronics optimized to produce a signal corresponding to the carrier-envelope phase within microseconds of the laser interaction, thereby facilitating data-tagging and feedback applications. We achieve a precision of 113 mrad (6.5°) over the entire 2π range.

Review of attosecond resolved measurement and control via carrier–envelope phase tagging with above-threshold ionization

A precise, real-time, single-shot carrier–envelope phase (CEP) tagging technique for few-cycle pulses was developed and combined with cold-target recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy and velocity-map imaging to investigate and control CEP-dependent processes with attosecond resolution. The stability and precision of these new techniques have allowed for the study of intense, few-cycle, laser-matter dynamics with unprecedented detail. Moreover, the same stereo above-threshold ionization (ATI) measurement was expanded to multi-cycle pulses and allows for CEP locking and pulse-length determination. Here we review these techniques and their first applications to waveform characterization and control, non-sequential double ionization of argon, ATI of xenon and electron emission from SiO2 nanospheres.

Single-shot velocity-map imaging of attosecond light-field control at kilohertz rate

High-speed, single-shot velocity-map imaging (VMI) is combined with carrier-envelope phase (CEP) tagging by a single-shot stereographic above-threshold ionization (ATI) phase-meter. The experimental setup provides a versatile tool for angle-resolved studies of the attosecond control of electrons in atoms, molecules, and nanostructures. Single-shot VMI at kHz repetition rate is realized with a highly sensitive megapixel complementary metal-oxide semiconductor camera omitting the need for additional image intensifiers. The developed camera software allows for efficient background suppression and the storage of up to 1024 events for each image in real time. The approach is demonstrated by measuring the CEP-dependence of the electron emission from ATI of Xe in strong (≈10(13) W/cm(2)) near single-cycle (4 fs) laser fields. Efficient background signal suppression with the system is illustrated for the electron emission from SiO(2) nanospheres.

Improved carrier-envelope phase locking of intense few-cycle laser pulses using above-threshold ionization

A robust nonoptical carrier-envelope phase (CEP) locking feedback loop, which utilizes a measurement of the left-right asymmetry in the above-threshold ionization (ATI) of Xe, is implemented, resulting in a significant improvement over the standard slow-loop f-to-2f technique. This technique utilizes the floating average of a real-time, every-single-shot CEP measurement to stabilize the CEP of few-cycle laser pulses generated by a standard Ti:sapphire chirped-pulse amplified laser system using a hollow-core fiber and chirped mirror compression scheme. With this typical commercially available laser system and the stereographic ATI method, we are able to improve short-term (minutes) CEP stability after a hollow-core fiber from 450 to 290 mrad rms and long-term (hours) stability from 480 to 370 mrad rms.

Permanent dipole transitions remain elusive in HD+ strong-field dissociation

A pertinent question in strong-field molecular physics is: what role does the permanent electric dipole moment of heteronuclear molecules play in their dissociation dynamics? Recently, Kiess et al (2008 Phys. Rev. A 77 053401) reported the first evidence for direct two-photon dissociation of an HD+ beam involving its permanent dipole moment, using 790 nm, 100 fs pulses. However, the measurement was convoluted by the fact that the H+ (H) and D+ (D) fragments could not be well resolved. Using high resolution coincidence 3D momentum imaging, which distinguishes all fragments, we find new evidence that challenges the previous findings. Specifically, we find that the small peak observed and assigned earlier to direct two-photon dissociation is instead due to one-photon dissociation of the v= 8 vibrational state by bond softening. Our vibrationally resolved spectra covering the intensity interval 3 × 1013 − 5 × 1014 W cm−2 show that one-photon dissociation of HD+ dominates, with no clear evidence of permanent dipole transitions.

Accurate determination of absolute carrier-envelope phase dependence using photo-ionization.

The carrier-envelope phase (CEP) dependence of few-cycle above-threshold ionization (ATI) of Xe is calibrated for use as a reference measurement for determining and controlling the absolute CEP in other interactions. This is achieved by referencing the CEP-dependent ATI measurements of Xe to measurements of atomic H, which are in turn referenced to ab initio calculations for atomic H. This allows for the accurate determination of the absolute CEP dependence of Xe ATI, which enables relatively easy determination of the offset between the relative CEP measured and/or controlled by typical devices and the absolute CEP in the interaction.

Low kinetic energy release upon dissociation of benchmark molecular ions

We explore very slow laser-induced dissociation processes of molecular ion beams employing an upgraded coincidence 3D momentum imaging technique. A selection of our studies, focused on zero-photon dissociation of H2+, two-body breakup of D3+, and vibrational structure in O2+ dissociation, will be presented.