On feasibility of a single-cycle femtosecond multiJoule laser

An energy scalable method for producing high-energy single-cycle pulse (W ≥ 100 milliJoule, τ ≤ 3 fs) is proposed. A pulse P shorter than the molecular vibrational or rotational Raman period is spectrally broadened during a propagation in the excited Raman medium and the resulting chirped pulse can be further compressed. To avoid nonlinear effects and energy limitations, a method employing a free-space conversion and low-intensity pumping is preferable and is presented. The way of generation of the phase locked pumps is the key element of the proposed method.