1 kW, 200 mJ picosecond thin-disk laser system.
TL;DR: A laser system based on thin-disk technology and chirped pulse amplification, providing output pulse energies of 200 mJ at a 5 kHz repetition rate, and an excellent output beam characterized by M2=1.1.
Abstract: We report on a laser system based on thin-disk technology and chirped pulse amplification, providing output pulse energies of 200 mJ at a 5 kHz repetition rate. The amplifier contains a ring-type cavity and two thin Yb:YAG disks, each pumped by diode laser systems providing up to 3.5 kW power at a 969 nm wavelength. The average output power of more than 1 kW is delivered in an excellent output beam characterized by M2=1.1. The output pulses are compressed to 1.1 ps at full power with a pair of dielectric gratings.
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TL;DR: This synthesizer uniquely combines ultra-relativistic focused intensities of about 1020 W/cm2 with a pulse duration of sub-two carrier-wave cycles and a coherent combination of two sequentially amplified and complementary spectral ranges yields sub-5-fs pulses with multi-TW peak power.
Abstract: The observation and manipulation of electron dynamics in matter call for attosecond light pulses, routinely available from high-order harmonic generation driven by few-femtosecond lasers. However, the energy limitation of these lasers supports only weak sources and correspondingly linear attosecond studies. Here we report on an optical parametric synthesizer designed for nonlinear attosecond optics and relativistic laser-plasma physics. This synthesizer uniquely combines ultra-relativistic focused intensities of about 1020 W/cm2 with a pulse duration of sub-two carrier-wave cycles. The coherent combination of two sequentially amplified and complementary spectral ranges yields sub-5-fs pulses with multi-TW peak power. The application of this source allows the generation of a broad spectral continuum at 100-eV photon energy in gases as well as high-order harmonics in relativistic plasmas. Unprecedented spatio-temporal confinement of light now permits the investigation of electric-field-driven electron phenomena in the relativistic regime and ultimately the rise of next-generation intense isolated attosecond sources.
102 citations
TL;DR: An ultrafast laser delivering 10.4 kW average output power based on a coherent combination of 12 step-index fiber amplifiers is presented, and automated spatiotemporal alignment allows for hands-off operation.
Abstract: An ultrafast laser delivering 10.4 kW average output power based on a coherent combination of 12 step-index fiber amplifiers is presented. The system emits close-to-transform-limited 254 fs pulses at an 80 MHz repetition rate, and has a high beam quality (M2≤1.2) and a low relative intensity noise of 0.56% in the frequency range of 1 Hz to 1 MHz. Automated spatiotemporal alignment allows for hands-off operation.
99 citations
TL;DR: For the first time, to the best of the knowledge, nonlinear broadening of pulses with about 18 mJ of energy at a 5 kHz repetition rate in an argon-filled Herriott cell is demonstrated and the output beam has an outstanding quality and excellent spectral homogeneity.
Abstract: Nonlinear compression of laser pulses with tens of millijoule energy in a gas-filled multipass cell is a promising approach to realize a new generation of high average power femtosecond sources. For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we demonstrate nonlinear broadening of pulses with about 18 mJ of energy at a 5 kHz repetition rate in an argon-filled Herriott cell and show compressibility from 1.3 ps to 41 fs. In addition to the large compression factor, the output beam has an outstanding quality and excellent spectral homogeneity. Furthermore, we discuss prospects to scale the energy to the 100 mJ level in the near future.
90 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors demonstrate postcompression of 1.2 ps laser pulses to 13 fs via gas-based multipass spectral broadening, yielding a single-stage compression factor of about 40 at 200 W in-burst average power and a total compression factor >90 at reduced power.
Abstract: In this work, we demonstrate postcompression of 1.2 ps laser pulses to 13 fs via gas-based multipass spectral broadening. Our results yield a single-stage compression factor of about 40 at 200 W in-burst average power and a total compression factor >90 at reduced power. The employed scheme represents a route toward compact few-cycle sources driven by industrial-grade Yb:YAG lasers at high average power.
79 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the state-of-the-art of thin-disk ultrafast laser systems are reviewed and a new application field of these cutting-edge laser systems is highlighted.
Abstract: Ultrafast lasers continue to be at the forefront of many scientific breakthroughs and technological achievements and progress in the performance of these systems continue to open doors in many new and exciting interdisciplinary fields. In particular, in the last decade, the average power of ultrafast lasers has seen a significant increase, opening up exciting new perspectives. Among the different technologies that have shaped these advances, thin-disk lasers have generated particularly spectacular breakthroughs. We review here the latest state-of-the-art of the technology and highlight new application fields of these cutting-edge laser systems.
68 citations
References
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TL;DR: A compact diode-pumped Yb:KGW femtosecond oscillator-Yb:YAG Innoslab amplifier master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) with nearly transform-limited 636 fs pulses at 620 W average output power, 20 MHz repetition rate, and beam quality of 1.43 and 1.35 is demonstrated.
Abstract: We demonstrate a compact diode-pumped Yb:KGW femtosecond oscillator-Yb:YAG Innoslab amplifier master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) with nearly transform-limited 636fs pulses at 620W average output power, 20MHz repetition rate, and beam quality of Mx
2=1.43 and My
2=1.35. By cascading two amplifiers, we attain an average output power of 1.1kW, a peak power of 80MW, and a 615fs pulse width in a single linearly polarized beam. The power-scalable MOPA is operated at room temperature, and no chirped-pulse amplification technique is used.
378 citations
TL;DR: Angular dispersion of pump frequencies is shown to be an efficient mechanism for bandwidth enhancement in a noncollinear optical parametric amplifier and feedback for an iterative computer-controlled dispersion compensation algorithm is based on pulse characterization by second-harmonic generation frequency-resolved optical gating.
Abstract: Angular dispersion of pump frequencies is shown to be an efficient mechanism for bandwidth enhancement in a noncollinear optical parametric amplifier. We demonstrate the generation of a continuous, simultaneously phase-matched 250-THz parametrically amplified spectrum. The resultant visible-near-IR signal-wave pulses were compressed to a 4-fs duration by a micromachined flexible mirror. Feedback for an iterative computer-controlled dispersion compensation algorithm is based on pulse characterization by second-harmonic generation frequency-resolved optical gating.
363 citations
TL;DR: To the knowledge, this work presents the highest pulse energy ever extracted from fiber based femtosecond laser systems, and a nearly 2 orders of magnitude higher repetition rate than in previously published millijoule-level fiber CPA systems.
Abstract: We report on an ytterbium-doped fiber chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) system delivering millijoule level pulse energy at repetition rates above 100 kHz corresponding to an average power of more than 100 W. The compressed pulses are as short as 800 fs. As the main amplifier, an 80 μm core diameter short length photonic crystal fiber is employed, which allows the generation of pulse energies up to 1.45 mJ with a B-integral as low as 7 at a stretched pulse duration of 2 ns. A stretcher-compressor unit consisting of dielectric diffraction gratings is capable of handling the average power without beam and pulse quality distortions. To our knowledge, we present the highest pulse energy ever extracted from fiber based femtosecond laser systems, and a nearly 2 orders of magnitude higher repetition rate than in previously published millijoule-level fiber CPA systems.
291 citations
TL;DR: A two-stage noncollinear optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system that generates 7.9 fs pulses containing 130 mJ of energy at an 805 nm central wavelength and 10 Hz repetition rate allows for experiments in a regime of relativistic light-matter interactions and attosecond science.
Abstract: We present a two-stage noncollinear optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification system that generates 7.9 fs pulses containing 130 mJ of energy at an 805 nm central wavelength and 10 Hz repetition rate. These 16 TW light pulses are compressed to within 5% of their Fourier limit and are carefully characterized by the use of home-built pulse diagnostics. The contrast ratio before the main pulse has been measured as 10(-4), 10(-8), and 10(-11) at t=-3.3 ps, t=-5 ps, and t=-30 ps, respectively. This source allows for experiments in a regime of relativistic light-matter interactions and attosecond science.
240 citations
TL;DR: An optically synchronized picosecond pump laser for optical parametric amplifiers based on an Yb:YAG thin-disk amplifier is reported, utilizing a broadly intermittent single-energy regime in the deterministic chaos of a continuously pumped regenerative amplifier.
Abstract: We report an optically synchronized picosecond pump laser for optical parametric amplifiers based on an Yb:YAG thin-disk amplifier. At 3 kHz repetition rate, pulse energies of 25 mJ with 1.6 ps pulse duration were achieved with an rms fluctuation in pulse energy of <0.7% by utilizing a broadly intermittent single-energy regime in the deterministic chaos of a continuously pumped regenerative amplifier.
176 citations