Hartmann wavefront sensor characterization of a high charge vortex beam in the extreme ultraviolet spectral range.

We demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the ability of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) Hartmann wavefront sensors to characterize high charge vortex beams produced by high-order harmonic generation up to the order of 25. We also show that phase matched absorption limited high harmonic generation is able to maintain the high charge vortex structure of the XUV beam even in a rather long (1 cm) generation medium. (C) 2018 Optical Society of America