Temporal and spectral characterization of femtosecond deep-UV chirped pulses

In contrast to the case of pulses in the infrared (IR) and visible range, the temporal characterization of deep-UV femtosecond pulses in combination with their spectral features is still a challenge, essentially due to the lack of suitable nonlinear crystals for second harmonic autocorrelation. Here we report on the characterization of 260 nm, nearly 200 fs pulses, based on two photon absorption in fused silica. 260 nm pulses are obtained as the fourth harmonic component of a near-IR fundamental which is frequency up-converted into a double beta barium borate-based harmonic generator stage. By comparing the obtained pulse duration with its Fourier limit, estimated by measuring pulse spectra, a consistent pulse chirp is retrieved. This chirp is mostly attributed to the considerable group-velocity dispersion occurring in the last doubling stage which converts the green into UV radiation. Additionally, the spectral width of the probe pulse through the fused silica window turns out to be modulated as a function of the time delay between pump and probe in the two-photon absorption setup. The observed modulation is attributed to the interplay between spectrally selective absorption, due to the chirp of the pulses, and moderate self-phase modulation just occurring at the top of the temporal autocorrelation between pump and probe.