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Abstract

There are many applications of pulse shaping in laser physics, e.g. pulse compression of chirped pulses and coherent control of chemical processes. This thesis (Diplomarbeit) deals with the shaping of pulses with octave-spanning spectra using phase-only modulation. A 5 fs-Ti:sapphire laser provides these ultrashort pulses. In order to implement the phase modulation in the experiment, a 4-f-arrangement including two prisms, two parabolic mirrors and a liquid crystal display was built and calibrated. The chosen method of open loop control utilizes the SPIDER technique to measure the spectral phase of the initial pulse. In the scope of this thesis an enhanced SPIDER setup was designed and built. By means of the pulse shaper a complete dispersion compensation was shown by realising a flat phase. Through the flexible, controlled phase manipulation via pulse shaping it is possible, to achieve almost any desired temporal pulse shape. Pulse trains were generated experimentally and the theoretical basis for the generation of more complex pulse shapes was established. These results could be the starting point for many interesting experiments.