Abstract

We report on phase-locked optical coherence experiments on the 10 fs timescale. While optical-phase sensitive experiments have been contemplated [1] and performed in the past on a 100 fs timescale [2], exploration of their true potential had to wait for the right fs laser to appear on the scene. It turns out that the almost ideal laser to perform these very subtle phase-locked experiments is the (cavity-dumped) mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. This laser is capable not only of generating pulses of 10 fs or less [3], but exhibits also little amplitude noise, which is an important characteristics for stabilisation schemes based on an feedback loop. In our group we have gone one step further: our 13-fs cavity-dumped laser [4] and experimental set-up now functions under complete control of a PC computer such that fs photon echo experiments can be done uninterrupted for days if not weeks.

© 1996 Optical Society of America