Intense optical pulse compression with gas-filled hollow-core fibers and bulk materials in anomalous dispersion regime

We numerically study the propagation dynamics and compression of ultrashort laser pulses in a hollow-core fiber (HCF) filled with noble gases at different carrier wavelengths from 1.8 μm to 3.9 μm. In the optimal parameter range, single-cycle or even sub-cycle pulses with clean spatial and temporal profiles can be obtained due to chirp compensation beyond 3rd order by bulk material. It is found that the intensity-dependent group velocity sets the upper limits on both the gas pressures and input pulse energies if a clean and well-compressed pulse is required only through compression with bulk materials. In order to use higher gas pressures and larger input energies, two ways are demonstrated to deal with the limitations imposed by the intensity-dependent group velocity.