Open AccessDegenerate optical parametric amplifier delivering sub 30 fs pulses with 2GW peak power
Author(s) -
Steffen Hädrich,
Jan Rothhardt,
F. Röser,
Thomas Gottschall,
Jens Limpert,
Andreas Tünnermann
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.019812
Subject(s) - optical parametric amplifier , chirped pulse amplification , optics , ultrashort pulse , amplifier , optical amplifier , bandwidth limited pulse , pulse compression , broadband , regenerative amplification , materials science , parametric oscillator , pulse duration , pulse (music) , femtosecond pulse shaping , laser , physics , optoelectronics , telecommunications , computer science , radar , cmos , detector
Degenerated optical parametric amplification (OPA) is a well known technique to achieve broadband amplification necessary to generate ultrashort pulses. Here we present a parametric amplifier pumped by the frequency doubled output of a state-of-the-art fiber chirped pulse amplification system (FCPA) delivering mJ pulse energy at 30 kHz repetition rate and 650 fs pulse duration. The parametric amplifier and the FCPA system are both seeded by the same Yb:KGW oscillator. Additional spectral broadening of the OPA seed provides enough bandwidth for the generation of ultrashort pulses. After amplification in two 1mm BBO crystals a pulse energy of 90 microJ is yielded at 30 kHz. Subsequent compression with a sequence of chirped mirrors shortens the pulses to 29 fs while the pulse energy is as high as 81 microJ resulting in 2GW of peak power.