Open AccessActive pump-seed-pulse synchronization for OPCPA with sub-2-fs residual timing jitter
Author(s) -
Stephan Prinz,
Matthias Häfner,
Marcel Schultze,
Catherine Y. Teisset,
Robert Bessing,
Knut Michel,
Reinhard Kienberger,
Thomas Metzger
Publication year - 2014
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.22.031050
Subject(s) - jitter , optics , chirped pulse amplification , regenerative amplification , parametric statistics , residual , synchronization (alternating current) , pulse (music) , signal (programming language) , physics , optical parametric amplifier , materials science , laser , optical amplifier , ultrashort pulse , computer science , telecommunications , detector , channel (broadcasting) , statistics , mathematics , algorithm , programming language
Short-pulse-pumped optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) requires a precise temporal overlap of the interacting pulses in the nonlinear crystal to achieve stable performance. We present active synchronization of the ps-pump pulses and the broadband seed pulses used in an OPCPA system with a residual timing jitter below 2 fs. This unprecedented stability was achieved utilizing optical parametric amplification to generate the error signal, requiring less than 4 pJ of seed- and 10 µJ of pump-pulse-energy in the optical setup. The synchronization system shows excellent long-term performance and can be easily implemented in almost any OPCPA system.