Survey of spatio-temporal couplings throughout high-power ultrashort lasers

The investigation of spatio-temporal couplings (STCs) of broadband light beams is
becoming a key topic for the optimization as well as applications of ultrashort laser systems.
This calls for accurate measurements of STCs. Yet, it is only recently that such complete
spatio-temporal or spatio-spectral characterization has become possible, and it has so far mostly
been implemented at the output of the laser systems, where experiments take place. In this survey,
we present for the first time STC measurements at different stages of a collection of high-power
ultrashort laser systems, all based on the chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) technique, but with
very different output characteristics. This measurement campaign reveals spatio-temporal effects
with various sources, and motivates the expanded use of STC characterization throughout CPA
laser chains, as well as in a wider range of types of ultrafast laser systems. In this way knowledge
will be gained not only about potential defects, but also about the fundamental dynamics and
operating regimes of advanced ultrashort laser systems.