Optimizing intracavity high harmonic generation for XUV fs frequency combs

Previous work has shown that use of a passive enhancement cavity designed for ultrashort pulses can enable the up-conversion of the fs frequency comb into the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectral region utilizing the highly nonlinear process of high harmonic generation. This promising approach for an efficient source of highly coherent light in this difficult to reach spectral region promises to be a unique tool for precision spectroscopy and temporally resolved measurements. Yet to date, this approach has not been extensively utilized due in part to the low powers so far achieved and in part due to the challenges in directly probing electronic transitions with the frequency comb itself. We report on a dramatically improved XUV frequency comb producing record power levels to date in the 50-150nm spectral region based on intracavity high harmonic generation. We measure up to 77 mu W at the 11(th) harmonic of the fundamental (72nm) with mu W levels down to the 15(th) harmonic (53nm). Phase-matching and related design considerations unique to intracavity high harmonic generation are discussed, guided by numerical simulations which provide insight into the role played by intracavity ionization dynamics. We further propose and analyze dual-comb spectroscopy in the XUV and show that the power levels reported here permit this approach for the first time. Dual-comb spectroscopy in this physically rich spectral region promises to enable the study of a significantly broader range of atomic and molecular spectra with unprecedented precision and accuracy. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America