Ultraviolet polarization pulse shaping using sum-frequency generation

We present the generation of amplitude-, phase-, and polarization-controlled femtosecond laser pulses tunable in the ultraviolet (UV) between 305nm and 370nm by nonlinear optical methods. Two delayed sets of individually amplitude-and phase-shaped pulse profiles in the visible are transferred into the UV via two independent sum-frequency generation (SFG) processes in two perpendicular oriented nonlinear crystals. The two resulting shaped UV light fields of orthogonal polarizations are temporally recombined via a birefringent material. Common-path geometry throughout the entire setup is ensured for interferometric phase stability. Examples for polarization pulse shaping around 360nm are demonstrated with emphasis on the creation of interferometrically stable polarization-controlled optical pulse trains. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America