Skip to main content
Log in

Poincaré representation of polarization-shaped femtosecond laser pulses

  • Published:
Applied Physics B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

The usage of Poincaré phase space for the representation of polarization-shaped femtosecond laser pulses is discussed. In these types of light fields the polarization state (i.e. ellipticity and orientation) changes as a function of time within a single laser pulse. Such deliberate variation can be achieved by frequency-domain femtosecond pulse shaping in which two polarization components are manipulated individually. Here it is shown how these light pulses can be represented as temporal trajectories through the ellipticity-orientation (Poincaré) phase space, whereas conventional light (either continuous-wave or pulsed) is determined by only one specific Poincaré location. General properties of parametric Poincaré trajectories are discussed, and their relation to experimentally accessible pulse-manipulation parameters (i.e. amplitudes and phases) determined. Specifically, it is shown how the maximum rate by which a given polarization state can be turned into a different one (at significant intensity levels) is limited by the spectral laser bandwidth. Apart from their direct usage in polarization-shaped pulse representation, Poincaré trajectories also form the basis for intuitive quasi-three-dimensional renderings of the electric field profile. There, the temporal evolution of polarization, intensity, and chirp is directly apparent in a single illustration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received: 10 December 2002 / Published online: 24 April 2003

RID="*"

ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +49-931/888-4906, E-mail: brixner@physik.uni-wuerzburg.de

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brixner, T. Poincaré representation of polarization-shaped femtosecond laser pulses . Appl Phys B 76, 531–540 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-003-1137-3

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-003-1137-3

Navigation