We report the feasibility of precision broadband dispersion control with multilayer mirrors produced in a single coating run. Inherent fluctuations of the group-delay dispersion (GDD) are suppressed by using the mirrors at two different angles of incidence. With a specialized version of the needle optimization algorithm, we have designed the multilayer structure to yield a complementary pair with a resultant GDD substantially free from spectral oscillations characteristic of broadband chirped multilayers. Since the mirrors employed at two different incidence angles are produced in a single deposition run, their overall dispersion is more robust to errors in layer thicknesses than that of previous complementary mirror pairs manufactured in two different steps. This offers the potential for improving production yield and quality of femtosecond dispersion control. We have successfully used the first “double-angle” mirrors for compressing pulses to a duration of 4.3 fs.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

1. M. Hentschel, R. Kienberger, Ch. Spielmann, G. A. Reider, N. Milosevic, T. Brabec, P. Corkum, U. Heinzmann, M. Drescher, and F. Krausz, "Attosecond metrology," Nature 414, 509-513 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
2. E. Goulielmakis, M. Schultze, M. Hofstetter, V. S. Yakovlev, J. Gagnon, M. Uiberacker, A. L. Aquila, E. M. Gullikson, D. T. Attwood, R. Kienberger, F. Krausz, and U. Kleineberg, "Single-Cycle Nonlinear Optics," Science 320, 1614-1617 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3. F. Krausz and M. Ivanov, "Attosecond physics," Rev. Mod. Phys. 81, 163-234 (2009). [CrossRef]
4. J. Seres, E. Seres, A. J. Verhoef, G. Tempea, C. Streli, P. Wobrauschek, V. Yakovlev, A. Scrinzi, C. Spielmann, and F. Krausz, "Source of coherent kiloelectronvolt x-rays, Nature 433, 596 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. Q1. J. Seres, V. S. Yakovlev, E. Seres, Ch. Streli, P. Wobrauschek, Ch. Spielmann, and F. Krausz, "Coherent superposition of laser-driven soft-X-ray harmonics from successive sources," Nat. Phys. 3, 878-883 (2007). [CrossRef]
6. K. Schmid, L. Veisz, F. Tavella, S. Benavides, R. Tautz, D. Herrmann, A. Buck, and B. Hidding," Few-Cycle-Laser-Driven Electron Acceleration," Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 124801 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
7. A. L. Cavalieri, E. Goulielmakis, B. Horvath, W. Helml, M. Schultze, M. Fieß, V. Pervak, L. Veisz, V. Yakovlev, M. Uiberacker, A. Apolonski, F. Krausz and R. Kienberger, "Intense 1.5-cycle near infrared laser waveforms and their use for the generation of ultrabroad-band soft-X-ray harmonic continua," New J. Phys. 9, 242 (2007). [CrossRef]
8. R. Szipöcs, K. Ferencz, C. Spielmann, and F. Krausz, "Chirped multilayer coatings for broadband dispersion control in femtosecond lasers," Opt. Lett. 19, 201-203 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. R. Szipocs, A. Koházi-Kis, S. Lako, P. Apai, A. P. Kovács, G. DeBell, L. Mott, A. W. Louderback, A.V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, "Negative Dispersion Mirrors for Dispersion Control in Femtosecond Lasers: Chirped Dielectric Mirrors and Multi-cavity Gires-Tournois Interferometers," Appl. Phys. B 70, S51-S57 (2000).
10. B. Golubovic, R. R. Austin, M. K. Steiner-Shepard, M. K. Reed, S. A. Diddams, D. J. Jones, and A. G. Van Engen, "Double Gires—Tournois interferometer negative-dispersion mirrors for use in tunable mode-locked lasers," Opt. Lett. 25, 275-277 (2000). [CrossRef]
11. V. Pervak, C. Teisset, A. Sugita, S. Naumov, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "High-dispersive mirrors for femtosecond lasers," Opt. Express 16, 10220-10233 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. F. X. Kärtner, N. Matuschek, T. Schibli, U. Keller, H. A. Haus, C. Heine, R. Morf, V. Scheuer, M. Tilsch, and T. Tschudi, "Design and fabrication of double-chirped mirrors," Opt. Lett. 22, 831-833 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. F. X. Kartner, U. Morgner, R. Ell, T. Schibli, J. G. Fujimoto, E. P. Ippen, V. Scheuer, G. Angelow, and T. Tschudi, "Ultrabroadband double-chirped mirror pairs for generation of octave spectra, " J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18, 882-885 (2001). [CrossRef]
14. N. Matuschek, F. X. Kärtner, and U. Keller, "Analytical design of double-chirped mirrors with custom-tailored dispersion characteristics," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 35, 129-137 (1999). [CrossRef]
15. P. Baum, M. Breuer, E. Riedle, and G. Steinmeyer, "Brewster-angled chirped mirrors for broadband pulse compression without dispersion oscillations," Opt. Lett. 31, 2220-2222 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. G. Steinmeyer, "Brewster-angled chirped mirrors for highfidelity dispersion compensation and bandwidths exceeding one optical octave," Opt. Express 11, 2385-2396 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. N. Matuschek, L. Gallmann, D. H. Sutter, G. Steinmeyer, and U. Keller, "Back-side-coated chirped mirrors with ultrasmooth broadband dispersion characteristics," Appl. Phys. B 71, 509-522 (2000). [CrossRef]
18. G. Tempea, V. Yakovlev, B. Bacovic, F. Krausz, and K. Ferencz, "Tilted-front-interface chirped mirrors," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18, 1747-1750 (2001). [CrossRef]
19. V. Pervak, F. Krausz, A. Apolonski "Dispersion control over the UV-VIS-NIR spectral range with HfO2/SiO2 chirped dielectric multilayers," Opt. Lett. 32, 1183-1185 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
20. V. Laude and P. Tournois, "Chirped mirror pairs for ultrabroadband dispersion control," in Digest of Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO(US) (Optical Society of America, 1999) 187-188.
21. F. X. Kärtner, U. Morgner, R. Ell, T. Schibli, J. G. Fujimoto, E. P. Ippen, V. Scheuer, G. Angelow, and T. Tschudi, "Ultrabroadband double-chirped mirror pairs for generation of octave spectra," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18, 882-885 (2001). [CrossRef]
22. V. Pervak, S. Naumov, G. Tempea, V. Yakovlev, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "Synthesis and manufacturing the mirrors for ultrafast optics," Advances in Optical Thin Films II, Claude Amra, Norbert Kaiser, H. Angus Macleod, eds., Proc. SPIE 5963, 490-500 (2005).
23. V. Pervak, A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, S. Naumov, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "1.5-octave chirped mirror for pulse compression down to sub-3 fs," Appl. Phys. B. 87, 5-12, (2007). [CrossRef]
24. P. Dombi, V. S. Yakovlev, K. O'Keeffe, T. Fuji, M. Lezius, and G. Tempea, "Pulse compression with time-domain optimized chirped mirrors," Opt. Express 13, 10888-10894 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
25. M. Trubetskov, A. Tikhonravov, and V. Pervak, "Time-domain approach for designing dispersive mirrors based on the needle optimization technique. Theory," Opt. Express 16, 20637-20647 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
26. V. Pervak, I. Ahmad, J. Fulop, M. K. Trubetskov, and A. V. Tikhonravov, "Comparison of dispersive mirrors based on the time-domain and conventional approaches, for sub-5-fs pulses," Opt. Express 17, 2207-2217 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
27. H.A. Macleod, Thin-Film Optical Filters, 3rd edition, Bristol: Adam Hilger Ltd. (2001). [CrossRef]
28. A. V. Tikhonravov and M. K. Trubetskov, OptiLayer Thin Film Software, http://www.optilayer.com
29. A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, and G. W. DeBell, "Application of the needle optimization technique to the design of optical coatings," Appl. Opt. 35, 5493-5508 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
30. A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, and G. W. DeBell, "Optical coating design approaches based on the needle optimization technique," Appl. Opt. 46, 704-710 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
31. V. Pervak, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski "Hafnium oxide films made by magnetron sputtering system," Thin Solid Films 515, 7984-7989 (2007). [CrossRef]
32. V. Pervak, A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, J. Pistner, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "Band filters: two-material technology versus rugate," Appl. Opt. 46, 1190-1193 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
33. T. Amotchkina, M. K. Trubetskov, A. V. Tikhonravov, A. Apolonski, F. Krausz, and V. Pervak, "Measurement of group delay of dispersive mirrors with white-light interferometer," Appl. Opt. 48, 949-956 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Opt.

• A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, and G. W. DeBell, "Application of the needle optimization technique to the design of optical coatings," Appl. Opt. 35, 5493-5508 (1996). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, and G. W. DeBell, "Optical coating design approaches based on the needle optimization technique," Appl. Opt. 46, 704-710 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• V. Pervak, A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, J. Pistner, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "Band filters: two-material technology versus rugate," Appl. Opt. 46, 1190-1193 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• T. Amotchkina, M. K. Trubetskov, A. V. Tikhonravov, A. Apolonski, F. Krausz, and V. Pervak, "Measurement of group delay of dispersive mirrors with white-light interferometer," Appl. Opt. 48, 949-956 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Appl. Phys. B

• N. Matuschek, L. Gallmann, D. H. Sutter, G. Steinmeyer, and U. Keller, "Back-side-coated chirped mirrors with ultrasmooth broadband dispersion characteristics," Appl. Phys. B 71, 509-522 (2000). [CrossRef]
• R. Szipocs, A. Koházi-Kis, S. Lako, P. Apai, A. P. Kovács, G. DeBell, L. Mott, A. W. Louderback, A.V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, "Negative Dispersion Mirrors for Dispersion Control in Femtosecond Lasers: Chirped Dielectric Mirrors and Multi-cavity Gires-Tournois Interferometers," Appl. Phys. B 70, S51-S57 (2000).

Appl. Phys. B.

• V. Pervak, A. V. Tikhonravov, M. K. Trubetskov, S. Naumov, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "1.5-octave chirped mirror for pulse compression down to sub-3 fs," Appl. Phys. B. 87, 5-12, (2007). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

• N. Matuschek, F. X. Kärtner, and U. Keller, "Analytical design of double-chirped mirrors with custom-tailored dispersion characteristics," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 35, 129-137 (1999). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• F. X. Kartner, U. Morgner, R. Ell, T. Schibli, J. G. Fujimoto, E. P. Ippen, V. Scheuer, G. Angelow, and T. Tschudi, "Ultrabroadband double-chirped mirror pairs for generation of octave spectra, " J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18, 882-885 (2001). [CrossRef]
• G. Tempea, V. Yakovlev, B. Bacovic, F. Krausz, and K. Ferencz, "Tilted-front-interface chirped mirrors," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18, 1747-1750 (2001). [CrossRef]
• F. X. Kärtner, U. Morgner, R. Ell, T. Schibli, J. G. Fujimoto, E. P. Ippen, V. Scheuer, G. Angelow, and T. Tschudi, "Ultrabroadband double-chirped mirror pairs for generation of octave spectra," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 18, 882-885 (2001). [CrossRef]

Nat. Phys.

• Q1. J. Seres, V. S. Yakovlev, E. Seres, Ch. Streli, P. Wobrauschek, Ch. Spielmann, and F. Krausz, "Coherent superposition of laser-driven soft-X-ray harmonics from successive sources," Nat. Phys. 3, 878-883 (2007). [CrossRef]

Nature

• M. Hentschel, R. Kienberger, Ch. Spielmann, G. A. Reider, N. Milosevic, T. Brabec, P. Corkum, U. Heinzmann, M. Drescher, and F. Krausz, "Attosecond metrology," Nature 414, 509-513 (2001). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• J. Seres, E. Seres, A. J. Verhoef, G. Tempea, C. Streli, P. Wobrauschek, V. Yakovlev, A. Scrinzi, C. Spielmann, and F. Krausz, "Source of coherent kiloelectronvolt x-rays, Nature 433, 596 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

New J. Phys.

• A. L. Cavalieri, E. Goulielmakis, B. Horvath, W. Helml, M. Schultze, M. Fieß, V. Pervak, L. Veisz, V. Yakovlev, M. Uiberacker, A. Apolonski, F. Krausz and R. Kienberger, "Intense 1.5-cycle near infrared laser waveforms and their use for the generation of ultrabroad-band soft-X-ray harmonic continua," New J. Phys. 9, 242 (2007). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• G. Steinmeyer, "Brewster-angled chirped mirrors for highfidelity dispersion compensation and bandwidths exceeding one optical octave," Opt. Express 11, 2385-2396 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• V. Pervak, C. Teisset, A. Sugita, S. Naumov, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "High-dispersive mirrors for femtosecond lasers," Opt. Express 16, 10220-10233 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Dombi, V. S. Yakovlev, K. O'Keeffe, T. Fuji, M. Lezius, and G. Tempea, "Pulse compression with time-domain optimized chirped mirrors," Opt. Express 13, 10888-10894 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. Trubetskov, A. Tikhonravov, and V. Pervak, "Time-domain approach for designing dispersive mirrors based on the needle optimization technique. Theory," Opt. Express 16, 20637-20647 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• V. Pervak, I. Ahmad, J. Fulop, M. K. Trubetskov, and A. V. Tikhonravov, "Comparison of dispersive mirrors based on the time-domain and conventional approaches, for sub-5-fs pulses," Opt. Express 17, 2207-2217 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• V. Pervak, F. Krausz, A. Apolonski "Dispersion control over the UV-VIS-NIR spectral range with HfO2/SiO2 chirped dielectric multilayers," Opt. Lett. 32, 1183-1185 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• F. X. Kärtner, N. Matuschek, T. Schibli, U. Keller, H. A. Haus, C. Heine, R. Morf, V. Scheuer, M. Tilsch, and T. Tschudi, "Design and fabrication of double-chirped mirrors," Opt. Lett. 22, 831-833 (1997). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• B. Golubovic, R. R. Austin, M. K. Steiner-Shepard, M. K. Reed, S. A. Diddams, D. J. Jones, and A. G. Van Engen, "Double Gires—Tournois interferometer negative-dispersion mirrors for use in tunable mode-locked lasers," Opt. Lett. 25, 275-277 (2000). [CrossRef]
• P. Baum, M. Breuer, E. Riedle, and G. Steinmeyer, "Brewster-angled chirped mirrors for broadband pulse compression without dispersion oscillations," Opt. Lett. 31, 2220-2222 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• R. Szipöcs, K. Ferencz, C. Spielmann, and F. Krausz, "Chirped multilayer coatings for broadband dispersion control in femtosecond lasers," Opt. Lett. 19, 201-203 (1994). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• K. Schmid, L. Veisz, F. Tavella, S. Benavides, R. Tautz, D. Herrmann, A. Buck, and B. Hidding," Few-Cycle-Laser-Driven Electron Acceleration," Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 124801 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Rev. Mod. Phys.

• F. Krausz and M. Ivanov, "Attosecond physics," Rev. Mod. Phys. 81, 163-234 (2009). [CrossRef]

Science

• E. Goulielmakis, M. Schultze, M. Hofstetter, V. S. Yakovlev, J. Gagnon, M. Uiberacker, A. L. Aquila, E. M. Gullikson, D. T. Attwood, R. Kienberger, F. Krausz, and U. Kleineberg, "Single-Cycle Nonlinear Optics," Science 320, 1614-1617 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Thin Solid Films

• V. Pervak, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski "Hafnium oxide films made by magnetron sputtering system," Thin Solid Films 515, 7984-7989 (2007). [CrossRef]

Other

• V. Pervak, S. Naumov, G. Tempea, V. Yakovlev, F. Krausz, and A. Apolonski, "Synthesis and manufacturing the mirrors for ultrafast optics," Advances in Optical Thin Films II, Claude Amra, Norbert Kaiser, H. Angus Macleod, eds., Proc. SPIE 5963, 490-500 (2005).
• V. Laude and P. Tournois, "Chirped mirror pairs for ultrabroadband dispersion control," in Digest of Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO(US) (Optical Society of America, 1999) 187-188.
• H.A. Macleod, Thin-Film Optical Filters, 3rd edition, Bristol: Adam Hilger Ltd. (2001). [CrossRef]
• A. V. Tikhonravov and M. K. Trubetskov, OptiLayer Thin Film Software, http://www.optilayer.com

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