Spectral control of high-harmonic generation via drive laser pulse shaping in a wide-diameter capillary

We experimentally investigate spectral control of high-harmonic generation in a wide-diameter (508 mu m) capillary that allows using significantly lower gas pressures coupled with elevated drive laser energies to achieve higher harmonic energies. Using phase shaping to change the linear chirp of the drive laser pulses, we observe wavelength tuning of the high-harmonic output to both larger and smaller values. Comparing tuning via the gas pressure with the amount of blue shift in the transmitted drive laser spectrum, we conclude that both adiabatic and non-adiabatic effects cause pulse-shaping induced tuning of high harmonics. We obtain a fractional wavelength tuning, Delta lambda/lambda, in the range from -0.007 to + 0.01, which is comparable to what is achieved with standard capillaries of smaller diameter and higher pressures. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America