title: Non-iterative characterization of few-cycle laser pulses using flat-top gates.
abstract: We demonstrate a method for broadband laser pulse characterization based on a spectrally resolved cross-correlation with a narrowband flat-top gate pulse. Excellent phase-matching by collinear excitation in a microscope focus is exploited by degenerate four-wave mixing in a microscope slide. Direct group delay extraction of an octave spanning spectrum which is generated in a highly nonlinear fiber allows for spectral phase retrieval. The validity of the technique is supported by the comparison with an independent second-harmonic fringe-resolved autocorrelation measurement for an 11 fs laser pulse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemisty, University of Konstanz, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany.
authors.forename: Romedi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Selm
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krauss
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leitenstorfer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zumbusch
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007834:Lasers; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*