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High-harmonic pulses driven by a flying focus

ORAL

Abstract

An intense laser pulse can accelerate a photoionized electron back into its parent ion unleashing a broad spectrum of high-harmonic radiation. Conventional techniques for driving coherent pulses of this radiation rely on a delicate balance of dispersion and geometry to achieve phase matching and minimize absorption. Here we discover that spatiotemporally shaped laser pulses enable a novel technique for driving high-harmonic pulses that allows the radiation to accumulate without precise phase matching or significant absorption. By travelling faster than the phase velocity of the radiation, the intensity peak of a spatiotemporally shaped pulse can ionize and drive electron collisions ahead of the existing phase fronts. This prevents the transfer of energy back to the laser pulse and eliminates single-photon absorption in the downstream medium, increasing the energy radiated into broadband, extreme ultraviolet pulses by orders of magnitude.

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Presenters

  • John P Palastro

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

Authors

  • John P Palastro

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Philip Franke

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Dustin H Froula

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Khanh Linh Nguyen

    Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Dillon W Ramsey

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Tanner T Simpson

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • Kathleen Weichman

    Lab for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester