High energy sub-10 fs pulse generation in vacuum ultraviolet using chirped four wave mixing in hollow waveguides

We numerically study chirped four-wave mixing for VUV pulse generation in hollow waveguides filled with a noble gas. Taking into account ionization effects we predict the generation of signal pulses at 160 nm with shortest durations up to 6.5 fs, highest pulse energy up to the mJ level and maximum energy efficiency of about 30% by broadband chirped idler pulses at 800 nm and narrow-band pump pulses at 270 nm. Using cascaded processes sub-10-fs pulses in the spectral range from 90 to 140 nm can also be generated. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America