title: Direct measurement of wave-front distortion induced during second-harmonic generation: application to breakup-integral compensation.
abstract: The wave-front distortion of femtosecond laser pulses recorded with a Shack-Hartmann analyzer makes it possible to retrieve the nonlinear index of refraction of different glasses and the nonlinear phase shift induced during second-harmonic generation in beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal versus the phase mismatch. It is shown that the nonlinear phase shift induced in a 2-mm-thick BBO crystal allows compensation for up to a 2pi breakup-integral induced in a 4-cm fused-silica glass. The stability of the compensation is reported to be from 10 to 100 GW cm(-2).
authors.affiliation: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Centre d'Etudes Scientifiques et Techniques d'Aquitaine, B.P. 2, 33114 Le Barp, France.
authors.forename: Jean Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Caumes
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Videau
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rouyer
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Freysz