Isolated attosecond pulse generation by direct optimization of two-color laser fields using the genetic algorithm

We propose a method to optimize two-color laser fields, composed of an intense driving pulse at 580 nm and a weaker control pulse at 1160 nm, for isolated attosecond pulse generation. We use genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize laser parameters including the group-delay dispersion and the third-order dispersion of the control pulse. The fitness function is constructed by directly using the duration of the generated high-harmonic extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse. Our simulation results show that the isolated attosecond pulse can be significantly shortened without much affecting its spectral width. © 2012 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.