QUANTITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF OPTICAL PHASE-MEASURING TECHNIQUES FOR ULTRASHORT-PULSE LASERS

We have performed a quantitative investigation into the capabilities a nd the limitations of two phase-measuring techniques: second-harmonic- generation frequency-resolved optical gating and direct optical-spectr al phase measurement. In particular, we have studied the reproducibili ty and the accuracy of these techniques in measuring the frequency-dep endent phase of ultrashort pulses with varying amounts of cubic and qu adratic phase. We find that both of these techniques are accurate to w ithin 5% in measuring phase distortions in optical pulses. (C) 1996 Op tical Society of America.