A carrier-envelope-phase-stable near-single-cycle mid-infrared laser based on optical parametric chirped pulse amplification and hollow-core fiber compression is demonstrated. A 4 μm laser pulse with 11.8 mJ energy is delivered from a KTA-based optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) with 100 Hz repetition rate, and compressed to 105 fs by a two-grating compressor with efficiency over 50%. Subsequently, the pulse spectrum is broadened by employing a krypton gas-filled hollow-core fiber. Then, the pulse duration is further compressed to 21.5 fs through a CaF bulk material with energy of 2.6 mJ and energy stability of 0.9% RMS, which is about 1.6 cycles for a 4 μm laser pulse. The carrier envelope phase of the near-single-cycle 4 μm laser pulse is passively stabilized with 370 mrad.
Abstract:A high-energy diode-pumped picosecond laser system centered at 1064 nm for optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier (OPCPA) pumping was demonstrated. The laser system was based on a master oscillator power amplifier configuration, which contained an Nd:YVO 4 mode-locked seed laser, an LD-pumped Nd:YAG regenerative amplifier, and two double-pass amplifiers. A reflecting volume Bragg grating with a 0.1 nm reflective bandwidth was used in the regenerative amplifier for spectrum narrowing and pulse broadening to suit the pulse duration of the optical parametric amplifier (OPA) process. Laser pulses with an energy of 316.5 mJ and a pulse duration of 50 ps were obtained at a 100 Hz repetition rate. A top-hat beam distribution and a 0.53% energy stability (RMS) were achieved in this system.
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