Ultra-short isolated attosecond emission in mid-infrared inhomogeneous fields without CEP stabilization

Abstract

We theoretically investigate high-order harmonic generation in a spatially inhomogeneous field with mid-infrared driving wavelength and few-cycle duration. It is found that this spatiotemporally synthesized electric field is powerful to control the quantum path; as a result an ultra-broadband supercontinuum with bandwidth over 300 eV can be obtained successfully. Important characteristics of the attosecond pulse generation, including temporal envelope, harmonic chirp and carrier–envelope phase (CEP) dependence are further discussed. The results show that close-to-Fourier-limit 27 as isolated pulses are straightforwardly filtered from the supercontinuum. Moreover, such short isolated attosecond pulses can be supported by nearly all the CEPs of the laser electric field. This would open a way to obtain broadband isolated attosecond pulses with no need of CEP stabilization of the laser field.