Symmetric spatio-temporal focusing of ultrashort pulses

Abstract

Simultaneous spatio-temporal focusing of few-cycle pulses is usually performed by stretcher-compressor configurations causing pulse-front tilt. By shaping and superimposing two reciprocal sub-beams, opposite tilts can compensate each other. Pulse propagation for asymmetric and symmetric focusing of near infrared 5-fs-pulses is studied by numerical simulations and proof-of-principle experiments.