Abstract

Carrier-envelope phase (CEP) stabilization in ultrafast laser systems is absolutely mandatory for physical experiments using attosecond pulses. Although oscillator CEP stabilization has now reached limits in terms of precision and bandwidth [1], extension to amplifiers is still subject to improvements. The development of multi-kHz laser chain pushes up the potential CEP “slow drift” correction bandwidth, which is not exploited by current technology. Acousto-Optic Programmable Dispersive Filters (AOPDF) have already been used for this slow drift correction up to 15 Hz [2]. We introduce here a novel feedback scheme using a new AOPDF electronic design with a potential 30 kHz input bandwidth. As an AOPDF can control the absolute spectral phase, it enables a fortiori CEP control. Proof of principle is achieved by stabilizing the phase of a Michelson interferometer below 25 mrad, at 7.5 kHz.

© 2011 Optical Society of America