Letter abstract
Nature Physics 3, 846 - 850 (2007)
Published online: 28 October 2007 | doi:10.1038/nphys747
Subject Category: Optical physics
Generation of intense continuum extreme-ultraviolet radiation by many-cycle laser fields
P. Tzallas1, E. Skantzakis2, C. Kalpouzos1, E. P. Benis1, G. D. Tsakiris3 & D. Charalambidis1,2
Continuing efforts in ultrashort pulse engineering have recently led to the breakthroughs of the generation of attosecond (10-18 s) pulse trains1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and isolated pulses8, 9, 10, 11. Although trains of multiple pulses can be generated through the interaction of many-optical-cycle pulses with gases—a process that has led to intense extreme-ultraviolet emission3, 4, 5—the generation of isolated high-intensity pulses, which requires few-cycle driving pulses, remains a challenge. Here, we report a vital step towards the generation of such pulses, the production of broad continuum extreme-ultraviolet emission using a high-intensity, many-cycle, infrared pulsed laser, through the interferometric modulation of the ellipticity of 50-fs-long driving pulses. The increasing availability of high-power many-cycle lasers and their potential use in the construction of intense attosecond radiation—with either gas or solid-surface targets12—offer exciting opportunities for multiphoton extreme-ultraviolet-pump–extreme-ultraviolet-probe studies of laser–matter and laser–plasma interactions.
- Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Institute of Electronic Structure & Laser, PO Box 1527, GR71110 Heraklion (Crete), Greece
- Department of Physics, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, GR71003 Heraklion (Crete), Greece
- Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, D-85748 Garching, Germany
Correspondence to: P. Tzallas1 e-mail: ptzallas@iesl.forth.gr
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