Amplitude and phase control of ultrashort pulses by use of an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter: pulse compression and shaping.

We demonstrate experimentally that an arbitrary phase and amplitude profile can be applied to an ultrashort pulse by use of an acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter (AOPDF). Our filter has a large group-delay range that extends over 3 ps and a 30% diffraction efficiency over 150 THz. Experiments were conducted on a kilohertz chirped-pulse amplification laser chain capable of generating 30-fs pulses without additional pulse shaping. Compensating for gain narrowing and residual phase errors with an AOPDF in place of the stretcher results in 17-fs transform-limited pulses. Arbitrary shaping of these 17-fs pulses is also demonstrated in both the temporal and the spectral domains.

Programmable phase control of femtosecond pulses by use of a nonpixelated spatial light modulator.

Programmable spectral phase modulation of femtosecond pulses by use of a nonpixelated spatial light modulator is reported. This light valve, based on the optical addressing of a continuous layer of liquid crystal, allows the operation of spectral phase modulation when optical frequency components are spatially dispersed within a grating-and-lenses pulse-shaping apparatus. Characterization and feedback control of this device were determined by use of spectral interferometry. Demonstrations of the capabilities of this device are given in the spectral and the temporal domains, and recompression of chirped pulses was performed.