Simultaneous spatial characterization of two independent sources of high harmonic radiation.

We present the simultaneous spatial characterization of two independent sources of high harmonic radiation from a series of interferograms. Our technique transfers the necessity of replicating and shearing the test beam to a second, independent beam that may be easier to manipulate, and thus opens the possibility to characterize complex light sources. We demonstrate our technique by reconstructing the wavefronts of two high harmonic beams and use this information to study the spatial properties of different quantum paths.

Mutual interferometric characterization of a pair of independent electric fields.

We demonstrate a novel interferometric characterization scheme that allows the complete reconstruction of two interfering electric fields. The phase profiles of both beams, and their relative phase, can be retrieved simultaneously as a function of any degree of freedom in which it is possible to shear one of the beams. The method has applications in wavefront sensing or ultrashort-pulse measurement, especially also in the domain of extreme light sources where it is difficult to generate a reference field or to replicate the beam in order to perform a self-referencing measurement. We demonstrate the technique experimentally by measuring simultaneously two ultrashort pulses in a single laser shot.