title: Post-compression of high-energy femtosecond pulses using gas ionization.
abstract: We present a new optical post-compression technique designed for high-energy ultrashort pulses. A large spectral broadening is achieved through rapid ionization of helium by an intense pulse (>10(15) W/cm(2)) propagating in a capillary filled with low-pressure helium. The blueshifted pulses are re-compressed with chirped mirrors and silica plates. From a terawatt Ti:sapphire laser chain providing pulses of 40 fs, 70 mJ, we demonstrate the compression of pulses down to 11.4 fs (FWHM) with a total output energy of 13.7 mJ.
authors.affiliation: Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications, Université de Bordeaux-CNRS-CEA, 351, cours de la Libération,33105 Talence Cedex, France.
authors.forename: C Fourcade
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Dutin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubrouil
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mével
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Constant
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Descamps