Carrier envelope offset phase stabilization for absolute optical frequency measurement and extreme nonlinear optics

Summary form only given. For pulse durations in the few-cycle regime, the conversion efficiency of nonlinear optical processes may depend on the phase between the carrier and the envelope of the electric field and the slowly varying envelope approximation is expected to be invalid. For the first time, we present methods and assess the feasibility of measuring and stabilizing the absolute phase of the underlying electric field of a laser pulse with sub-femtosecond accuracy and precision. These novel methods are of particular interest for high-harmonic and attosecond pulse generation. Our methods of controlling the carrier-envelope offset (CEO) utilize the high repetition rate and broad spectral width of Ti:sapphire laser oscillators producing sub-10-fs pulses.