TIGER: TIme-Gated Electric field Reconstruction

Herein, a novel self-referenced method for the complete temporal characterization (phase and amplitude) of ultrashort optical laser pulses is presented. The technique, called TIme-Gated Electric field Reconstruction (TIGER), measures a second-order nonlinear signal (namely, second-harmonic generation or twophoton absorption) produced by four time- delayed replicas of the input pulse. The delays are spatially encoded in the beam profile using a four-faced pyramid-like optical element. The presented technique enables single shot measurement and does not require any spectral measurements, in contrast with well-known self-referenced characterization methods. Depending on the chosen geometry, the recorded TIGER signal can be either interferometric (i.e., carrier frequency resolved) or intensimetric. This article describes the principle operation of the device together with a detailed theoretical analysis. TIGER measurements of various laser pulse shapes with their reconstructions are then presented, demonstrating the relevance of this original approach.

Automated summary

In this paper, a novel self-referenced method called TIGER is proposed for the complete temporal characterization of ultrashort optical pulses. The technique uses a second-order nonlinear signal generated by four time-delayed replicas of the input pulse, allowing for single shot measurement without the need for spectral measurements.