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Single-Stage Few-Cycle Pulse Amplification, Sagnik Ghosh, Nathan G. Drouillard, Tj Hammond

Physics Publications

Kerr instability can be exploited to amplify visible, near-infrared, and midinfrared ultrashort pulses. We use the results of Kerr instability amplification theory to inform our simulations amplifying few-cycle pulses. We show that the amplification angle dependence is simplified to the phase-matching condition of four-wave mixing when the intense pump is considered. Seeding with few-cycle pulses near the pump leads to broadband amplification without spatial chirp, while longer pulses undergo compression through amplification. Pumping in the midinfrared leads to multioctave spanning amplified pulses with single-cycle duration not previously predicted. We discuss limitations of the amplification process and optimizing pump and seed …