Control of the polarization of attosecond pulses using a two-color field

Abstract

Control over the polarization of an attosecond pulse train (APT) is demonstrated theoretically using orthogonally polarized two-color fields. The carrier envelope phase of the two pulses is used as a control parameter to generate both an APT with linear polarization in two nearly perpendicular planes or a train of elliptically polarized pulses of alternating helicity. By using few-cycle driving laser fields an isolated attosecond pulse with elliptical polarization is shown to be generated after selecting the cut-off region of the harmonic spectrum. The control mechanism is explained in terms of classical trajectories. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.