High-dynamic-range temporal characterization of laser pulses using tunneling ionization

Abstract

We present a method for measuring laser waveforms with high dynamic range, based on tunneling Ionization with a perturbation for the time-domain observation of an electric-field (TIPTOE). The amplitude and phase of laser pulses, including pre- and post-pulses, are accurately measured. A dynamic range of 89 dB was achieved, which can be further improved to 102 dB when the main pulse was suppressed using the Kerr effect. The retrieved intensity profile shows good agreement with that obtained using a third-order autocorrelator. Our approach effectively suppresses spurious signals that appear in conventional techniques, including the third-order autocorrelator, owing to the high nonlinearity of tunneling ionization. Owing to the universality of tunneling ionization, the technique can be applied across a broad spectral range without sacrificing temporal resolution. This method thus provides a versatile tool for high-dynamic-range laser pulse characterization in various applications. © 2026 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement.