Bibliographical work on CEP control for attosecond pulses

generation

Marie OUILLÉ
 Introduction

This bibliographical work focuses on carrier-envelope phase (CEP) control of ultra-short/ultra-

intense lasers, a relatively young field (its history begins in 1996 [Xu96]) that is still quickly evolv-
ing.

I summarize in this report different experimental methods (the list is non-exhaustive) found in
literature for CEP stabilization of Ti:Sa lasers, which are essentially based on detecting the CEP
slip rate from one pulse to the next. I talk in more details about a particular article that describes
the state-of-the-art in that field [Luc12]. Finally, I briefly present other more complex methods
that allow to measure the absolute CEP value.

1. CEP drift measurements

It is useful to quickly recall that a train of pulses corresponds to a frequency comb in the
spectral domain. Whenever the pulses experience dispersion, their CEP varies from one pulse
to the next by an amount ∆ϕ, which corresponds to an offset fceo of the comb in the spectral
domain, proportional to this drift. To measure the drift, we can thus simply detect fceo as detailed
in this document. Then an error signal is generated and sent to an actuator that stabilizes the CEP.

Step 1 : obtain a beatnote

via SHG

One of the oldest and most widely spread method is to broaden the spectrum and frequency
double it [Tel99]. The beating between the high frequency component of the broadened spectrum
f2n and the double of a low frequency 2fn provides a direct access to the CEP drift from one pulse
to the next ∆ϕ:
f2n = 2nfrep + fceo
2fn = 2(nfrep + fceo )
frep
fbeat = 2fn − f2n = fceo = ∆ϕ 2π
Broadening can be done using fibers or sapphire plates, for example, whereas SHG can be done
using LBO, KDP, BBO [Jon04]... Apart from being complex, such setups have the drawback that
fceo changes within the beatnote generation process [Jon04] because of different group and phase
velocities (in the fiber, the SHG crystal, and the air in between). Ideally, one wants to generate the
necessary spectral components in a single thin medium in order not to modify the dispersion. It
is possible to use ZnO layers to broaden and double the laser spectrum at the same time [Muc02].
Interferometers using only one crystal are called "monolithic".

via DFG

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 Another very similar technique is to broaden the spectrum and generate a beat note via Dif-
ference Frequency Generation (DFG) :

fm − fn = mfrep + fceo − (nfrep + fceo ) = (m − n)frep

fm−n = (m − n)frep + fceo
fbeat = fm−n − (fm − fn ) = fceo

We detect a beating between two spectra, one with an offset fceo and one with a zero offset,
which is why it is called "0-to-f" interferometry.

Broadening can be done in PCF and then DFG in KTP [Fuj04]. Another possibility is to use
a PPLN crystal in which both broadening and DFG can occur [Rau06] [Fuj05].

Step 2 : generate an error signal out of this beatnote

via frequency heterodyning

The first idea is to compare fceo to a signal derived from frep : it’s called frequency hetero-
dyning. With a photodiode looking at the oscillator MHz train, we obtain frep and with another
photodiode we look at the beatnote : the intensity varies over time on the detector at the fre-
quency fceo . We then send both signals to phase locking electronics. This method requires fceo
to be different from zero as we need to actually detect a beatnote to be compared to the signal
proportional to frep . This implies locking fceo to a fraction of frep , usually frep /4.

using in-loop interferometers

Another idea is to look at the output spectrum of f-to-2f or 0-to-f interferometers. In such inter-
ferometers, there is a group delay introduced between the broadened spectrum and the SHG/DFG
spectrum so we see spectral fringes. Those fringes move proportionally to the frequency fceo which
is computed from looking at the spectra over time. An error signal proportional to the CEP is
generated. Therefore we can lock ∆ϕ to zero.

The challenge here is to treat the signal and generate feedback at the full repetition rate of
the laser, which was made possible for kHz lasers only recently thanks to the invention of the
Fringeezz (Fastilte), a fast spectrometer with onboard calculation capabilities, around 2014.

Step 3 : send this error signal to an actuator that compensates the

CEP drift

To stabilize the CEP, it is possible to :

• change dispersion by playing with the insertion of glass wedges in the beam path, which is
the oldest technique [Xu96]. However, this method is not very accurate as the wedges also
induce a chirp on the pulses, especially when placed in regions where the spectrum is very
broad. The change of the spectral phase has been proven to make fceo detection in optical
interferometers less reliable [Kre11].
• change dispersion with gratings or prisms [For03], but it also changes the pulse compression
and varies the beam pointing.

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 • use Spatial Light Modulators in 4f configuration [Wan10]
• use Electro Optic Modulation [Fen13]
• use an Acousto Optic Modulator that changes the pump power and therefore the nonlinear
index in the Ti:Sa crystal [Bal03] [Rau06].
• add a phase shift with an Acousto Optic Programmable Dispersive Filter [For09] [Fen13]
(first used in 2009 [Can09]).
• use an Acousto Optic Frequency Shifter (AOFS), as detailed further in this report.

2. State of the art : the feed-forward

method

The state-of-the art method to stabilize the CEP of a Ti:Sa oscillator is the feed-forward
method. The feed forward CEP stabilization scheme [Kok10] was invented in 2010 by S. Koke,
C. Grebing and G. Steinmeyer from the Max Born Institute in Berlin. It allows to produce a
frequency comb with an arbitrary offset and a very low phase jitter (the first experimental
demonstration achieved a record CEP noise of less than 50mrad rms over 10 hours [Luc12]).

A small fraction of the beam goes through a PPLN crystal after it exits the oscillator (Rainbow
CEP4, Femtolasers) cavity. It generates a beatnote at fceo that is detected with a photodiode.
The remaining output of the oscillator goes through an Acousto Optic Frequency Shifter (AOFS)
to which a signal proportional to fceo is sent from the photodiode. Consequently, the -1st order
diffracted beam from the AOFS exhibits a zero offset frequency comb.

At the output of the oscillator, we have a frequency comb whose components are fn =
fceo + nfrep . The photodiode placed after the PPLN detects fceo . This signal is low-pass fil-
tered and amplified. We mix it with a constant radiofrequency fRF so that it can meet the AOFS
requirements. The frequency of the acoustic wave inside the AOFS crystal is the sum of these two
components:
facoustic = fceo + fRF .
After the beam is being diffracted by the AOFS, the spectral components are given by :
fn0 = fn − facoustic = nfrep − fRF .
Therefore, we just have to make fRF a multiple of the repetition rate of the oscillator : fRF = kfrep
with k integer to obtain a zero offset (in the end, fn0 = (n − k)frep ).

There is no delay between the fceo measurement and its stabilization as we feed forwards (and
not backwards) and as it is done passively (no digital computation is needed). Furthermore, the
correction method does not rely on heterodyning (we don’t compare frequencies) so it is possible
to make fceo = 0 and therefore work at the full oscillator repetition rate.

Then, they added an amplifier (Femtopower, Femtolasers) after the oscillator, and reached a
stability of 98 mrad rms with feedback (in-loop single shot measurements at full repetition rate)
within 50 s [Luc14].

The experiment is summarized in figure 2. After the oscillator, there is a prism stretcher,
then a ten-pass Ti:Sa amplifier working at 10kHz repetition rate and a transmission gratings

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Figure 1: Illustration of the feed-forward scheme. The out-of-loop interferometer (IF) is used to
measure residual CEP variations. Source : [Luc12]

Figure 2: Schematic layout of the experiment described in [Luc14] aiming at stabilizing the CEP
of a mJ-class amplifier by use of the feed-forward method.

compressor. A small fraction of the beam is extracted before the compressor and sent to a f-to-2f
interferometer. A Fringeezz (Fastlite) is used to detect the spectral fringes’ positions over time
at the full repetition rate of the laser and generates a correction signal that is sent to the AOFS
located inside the oscillator. The feedback correction varies the phase of the acoustic wave inside
the AOFS to precompensate fceo for the next pulse.

3. CEP absolute value

The methods presented above measure CEP drifts and allow to stabilize the CEP. However,
they do not provide access to the actual value of the CEP. To determine the absolute CEP value,
one generally uses a process that is sensitive to the electric field of the laser and thus to the
CEP. Such processes often take place in the "strong field regime" of laser-matter interaction, ie
the regime where the force exerted by the laser field on a valence electron is comparable to the
binding force exerted by the nucleus. One such process is HHG [Bal03]. Indeed, if a single as pulse
is emitted, the HHG spectra will be smooth whereas for two as pulses, the spectra will exhibit
strong periodical modulation (the Fourier transform of two peaks is a cosine) as seen in figure
3. Therefore, once the CEP is stabilized as described previously, we can attribute a value to the

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measurements by looking at the HHG spectra. Here are two other direct methods for absolute
CEP measurements :

Figure 3: HHG cutoff spectra dependance on the CEP

• the single-shot stereo ATI [Wit09] : the idea is to detect Above Threshold Ionization (ATI)
photoelectrons emitted in opposite directions and parallel to the laser polarization. The
asymmetries of photoelectrons at given energies allow to retrieve the CEP. To record the
spectra, MCPs are needed and the measurements must be done under vacuum so it is more
complex and less compact compared to interferometers but it has the advantage of being
very precise.

• ARIES (Attosecond Resolved Interferometric Electric-field Sampling) : it is also based on

the HHG spectra modulation. The probe pulse drives the HHG process and the test pulse,
less intense, is the one to be characterized. Constructive interferences between the probe
and the test pulse induce a cutoff spectra shift towards higher energies whereas destructive
interferences shift it to lower energies [Wya16] [Fab15].

Conclusion

The best technique so far for CEP stabilization of Ti:Sa oscillators is the feed-forward scheme
as it is direct, passive and immediate. Then a feedback loop is added to compensate for slow CEP
drifts in the amplifiers, using the AOFS within the oscillator for CEP correction. It is possible to
measure absolute CEP values but it requires complex setups, so it’s easier to just detect drifts if

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no absolute measurement is needed.

However, the most promising source of CEP-stable, high-power lasers [Bud17] [Thi17] seems
to rely on a different amplification method than in Ti:Sa crystals : Optical Parametric Chirped
Pulsed Amplification (OPCPA), as well as a different CEP stabilization scheme : generation of a
CEP stable seed via DFG [Bal02] (no locking-loop is needed anymore) along with a slow feedback
loop that compensates for amplification noise.

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