Spectral phase control and temporal superresolution toward the single-cycle pulse

The concept of temporal superresolution is applied to optical few-cycle laser pulses for the first time to our knowledge. Pulse durations of as little as to 3.7 fs, well below the Fourier limit, are achieved by pulse shaping of an octave-spanning Ti:sapphire oscillator spectrum. Our prism-based pulse shaper also enables us to generate a manifold of well-controlled pulse sequences that are important for coherent control applications on a femtosecond time scale. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.