Ultrabroadband, coherent light source based on self-channeling of few-cycle pulses in helium

Self-channeling of few-cycle laser pulses in helium at high pressure generates coherent light supercontinua spanning the range of 270-1000 nm, with the highest efficiency demonstrated to date. Our results open the door to the synthesis of powerful light waveforms shaped within the carrier field oscillation cycle and hold promise for the generation of pulses at the single-cycle limit. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America.