Nonlinear spectral phase retardance induced in cylindrical vector-polarized, optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Cylindrical vector (CV) beams have garnered widespread research interest owing to their polarization symmetry and unique properties. The advent of high-intensity ultrafast CV laser sources is poised to advance ultrafast science and attosecond physics. The type-II phase-matched, wavelength-degenerate optical parametric amplification (OPA) configuration can realize polarization-independent parametric amplification for the signal. When combined with chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) technology, this method shows promise for producing ultrafast vector beams with customizable polarization profiles at ultrahigh intensities. However, in addition to the linear spectral phase retardance introduced by the birefringent OPA crystal, known as the wave-plate effect, the optical parametric phase (OPP) inherently induced in optical parametric CPA (OPCPA) may cause another type of spectral phase retardation between the ordinary and extraordinary polarized components of the signal. This nonlinear spectral phase retardance depends significantly on the parametric process. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive theoretical investigation of nonlinear spectral phase retardance and correlates it with its linear counterpart. The dynamic behavior of nonlinear spectral phase retardance and its impact on the temporal compensation of compressed signal pulses are comprehensively discussed. These findings are expected to guide the design of CV-polarized OPCPA systems and their future applications.