Single-shot measurement of spatiotemporal coupling characteristics in ultrafast and ultraintense lasers

Spatiotemporal couplings (STCs) distortions in high-peak-power lasers with large apertures significantly degrade the power density of focal spots. To accurately predict the far-field distribution and compensate for STCs distortions to enhance the far-field peak power density, an effective single-shot measurement method for spatiotemporal coupling characteristics is urgently needed. Our research group has developed a single-shot characterization methodology for spatiotemporal coupling (STC) properties in ultrafast laser systems. While the fundamental principles have been experimentally validated under controlled laboratory conditions, the technique has not yet been implemented in operational high-power laser facilities. This paper presents a detailed description of the carrier-frequency division multiplexed spectral interferometry method for measuring spatiotemporal coupling properties of ultrafast lasers. The experimental setup was optimized, and the method was first applied to a large-scale laser facility, yielding effective measurement results. Simulations and analyses of the results confirm that this method can effectively measure spatiotemporal coupling distortions in large-scale laser systems.