Single-cycle infrared waveform control

Abstract Tailoring the electric-field waveform of ultrashort light pulses forms basis for controlling nonlinear optical phenomena on their genuine, attosecond timescale. Here we extend control from visible and near-infrared—where it was previously demonstrated—to mid-infrared spectral range. Our approach yields single-cycle infrared over several octaves first time. Sub-10-fs a carrier-envelope-phase-stabilized, Kerr-lens-mode-locked, diode-pumped Cr:ZnS laser drive cascaded intrapulse difference-frequency generation evolution resulting coherent emission 0.9–12.0 ?m. Sub-cycle field in this wavelength range will be instrumental launching steering few-femtosecond electron/hole wavepackets low-gap materials, extending bandwidth electronic signal processing to multi-terahertz frequencies, as well electric-field-resolved molecular fingerprinting biological systems.