80 W, up to 2 mJ Yb-based laser multi-pass-cell post-compression down to sub-20 fs: Experimental and numerical results

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In the last years, different methods of laser pulse post-compression have proven their efficiency. Nonlinear spectral broadening achieved when coupling an ultrafast pulse in a gas-filled multi-pass-cell (MPC) provides common pulse compression factors of 10 to 20, depending on the initial pulse duration. We report here on the compression of up to 2 mJ, 330 fs pulses of an Ytterbium (Yb) based laser down to sub-20 fs (compression factor of 17), using argon-filled MPCs, at the limit of temporal pulse breakup. Numerical calculations reproducing the experiment data, and demonstrating the importance of the driver pulse profile on the shape of the broadened spectra, are discussed.