Abstract EN:

The work during my Ph. D was articulated around these requirements. It consisted of using nonlinear pulse shaping to generate high-contrast, few-cycle pulses and to develop new solutions for the CEP stabilization at high energy. The results of this work, done in collaboration with several laser companies like Fastlite, Amplitude Technologies and Femtolasers, are presented in the following chapters. After an introduction to ultra-short pulses and their characterization (chapter 2), in chapters 3, 4 and 5 I present theoretical and experimental results on the third order non linear process called cross-polarized wave (XPW) generation. This nonlinear process is used for generating high contrast, ultra-short pulses. Chapter 6 deals with the development of the CEP stabilized, few-cycle, mJ level laser source (Salle Noire). In chapter 7 I present how this source can be used for high order harmonic generation. In the last chapter (8) I give the prospects for future laser developments in ”Salle Noire” with the integration of an XPW filter in a double CPA configuration and the generation of high contrast, few-cycle, mJ level, CEP stabilized laser pulses