In this Letter we report on the generation of 830 W compressed average power from a femtosecond fiber chirped pulse amplification (CPA) system. In the high-power operation we achieved a compressor throughput of about 90% by using high-efficiency dielectric gratings. The output pulse duration of 640 fs at 78 MHz repetition rate results in a peak power of 12 MW. Additionally, we discuss further a scaling potential toward and beyond the kilowatt level by overcoming the current scaling limitations imposed by the transversal spatial hole burning.

Versatile multigas analysis bears high potential for environmental sensing of climate relevant gases and noninvasive early stage diagnosis of disease states in human breath. In this contribution, a fiber-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (FERS) analysis of a suite of climate relevant atmospheric gases is presented, which allowed for reliable quantification of CH4, CO2, and N2O alongside N2 and O2 with just one single measurement. A highly improved analytical sensitivity was achieved, down to a sub-parts per million limit of detection with a high dynamic range of 6 orders of magnitude and within a second measurement time. The high potential of FERS for the detection of disease markers was demonstrated with the analysis of 27 nL of exhaled human breath. The natural isotopes (13)CO2 and (14)N(15)N were quantified at low levels, simultaneously with the major breath components N2, O2, and (12)CO2. The natural abundances of (13)CO2 and (14)N(15)N were experimentally quantified in very good agreement to theoretical values. A fiber adapter assembly and gas filling setup was designed for rapid and automated analysis of multigas compositions and their fluctuations within seconds and without the need for optical readjustment of the sensor arrangement. On the basis of the abilities of such miniaturized FERS system, we expect high potential for the diagnosis of clinically administered (13)C-labeled CO2 in human breath and also foresee high impact for disease detection via biologically vital nitrogen compounds.

Breath gas analysis is a novel powerful technique for noninvasive, early-stage diagnosis of metabolic disorders or diseases. Molecular hydrogen and methane are biomarkers for colonic fermentation, because of malabsorption of oligosaccharides (e.g., lactose or fructose) and for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Recently, the presence of these gases in exhaled breath was also correlated with obesity. Here, we report on the highly selective and sensitive detection of molecular hydrogen and methane within a complex gas mixture (consisting of H2, CH4, N2, O2, and CO2) by means of fiber-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (FERS). An elaborate FERS setup with a microstructured hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HCPCF) provided a highly improved analytical sensitivity. The simultaneous monitoring of H2 with all other gases was achieved by a combination of rotational (H2) and vibrational (other gases) Raman spectroscopy within the limited spectral transmission range of the HCPCF. The HCPCF was combined with an adjustable image-plane aperture pinhole, in order to separate the H2 rotational Raman bands from the silica background signal and improve the sensitivity down to a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.7 ppm (for only 26 fmol H2). The ability to monitor the levels of H2 and CH4 in a positive hydrogen breath test (HBT) was demonstrated. The FERS sensor possesses a high dynamic range (∼5 orders of magnitude) with a fast response time of few seconds and provides great potential for miniaturization. We foresee that this technique will pave the way for fast, noninvasive, and painless point-of-care diagnosis of metabolic diseases in exhaled human breath.

SummaryReduced carbon (C) assimilation during prolonged drought forces trees to rely on stored C to maintain vital processes like respiration. It has been shown, however, that the use of carbohydrates, a major C storage pool and apparently the main respiratory substrate in plants, strongly declines with decreasing plant hydration. Yet no empirical evidence has been produced to what degree other C storage compounds like lipids and proteins may fuel respiration during drought.We exposed young scots pine trees to C limitation using either drought or shading and assessed respiratory substrate use by monitoring the respiratory quotient, d13 C of respired CO 2 and concentrations of the major storage compounds, that is, carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids. Only shaded trees shifted from carbohydrate-dominated to lipid-dominated respiration and showed progressive carbohydrate depletion. In drought trees, the fraction of carbohydrates used in respiration did not decline but respiration rates were strongly reduced. The lower consumption and potentially allocation from other organs may have caused initial carbohydrate content to remain constant during the experiment.Our results suggest that respiratory substrates other than carbohydrates are used under carbohydrate limitation but not during drought. Thus, respiratory substrate shift cannot provide an efficient means to counterbalance C limitation under natural drought.