Open AccessCreating circularly polarized light with a phase-shifting mirror
Author(s) -
B. Aurand,
Stephan Kuschel,
Christian Rödel,
Martin Heyer,
Frank Wunderlich,
O. Jäckel,
Malte C. Kaluza,
Gerhard G. Paulus,
T. Kühl
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.017151
Subject(s) - optics , laser , femtosecond , materials science , polarization (electrochemistry) , linear polarization , sapphire , circular polarization , optoelectronics , physics , chemistry , microstrip
We report on the performance of a system employing a multi-layer coated mirror creating circularly polarized light in a fully reflective setup. With one specially designed mirror we are able to create laser pulses with an ellipticity of more than ε = 98% over the entire spectral bandwidth from initially linearly polarized Titanium:Sapphire femtosecond laser pulses. We tested the homogeneity of the polarization with beam sizes of the order of approximately 10 cm. The damage threshold was determined to be nearly 400 times higher than for a transmissive quartz-wave plate which suggests applications in high intensity laser experiments. Another advantage of the reflective scheme is the absence of nonlinear effects changing the spectrum or the pulse-form and the scalability of coating fabrication to large aperture mirrors.