title: Self-compression of ultrashort pulses through ionization-induced spatiotemporal reshaping.
abstract: We present the first demonstration of a new mechanism for temporal compression of ultrashort light pulses that operates at high (i.e., ionizing) intensities. By propagating pulses inside a hollow waveguide filled with low-pressure argon gas, we demonstrate a self-compression from 30 to 13 fs, without the need for any external dispersion compensation. Theoretical models show that 3D spatiotemporal reshaping of the pulse due to a combination of ionization-induced spectral broadening, plasma-induced refraction, and guiding in the hollow waveguide are necessary to explain the compression mechanism.
authors.affiliation: JILA, University of Colorado and National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0440, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Tenio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Popmintchev
authors.forename: Ivan P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Christov
authors.forename: Margaret M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Murnane
authors.forename: Henry C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kapteyn