Fuertjes P, von Grafenstein L, Mei C, Bock M, Griebner U, Elsaesser T. Cr:ZnS-based soliton self-frequency shifted signal generation for a tunable sub-100 fs MWIR OPCPA.
OPTICS EXPRESS 2022;
30:5142-5150. [PMID:
35209483 DOI:
10.1364/oe.450210]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We present a tunable, high-energy optical parametric chirped pulse amplification system with a front-end based on a femtosecond Cr:ZnS laser. By taking advantage of the broad emission spectrum of the femtosecond Cr:ZnS master oscillator, we are able to directly seed the holmium-based pump around 2 µm. At the same time, the signal pulses for the parametric process are generated via Raman self-frequency shifting of the red end of the spectrum centered at 2.4 µm. The solitons, generated in a fluoride fiber, are tunable over the wavelength range between 2.8 and 3.2 µm. The optical parametric amplifier operates at a 1 kHz repetition rate, and consists of two stages equipped with ZGP as nonlinear crystal. The generated idler pulses are tunable between 5.4 and 6.8 µm with a pulse energy of up to 400 µJ. Dispersion management using bulk material stretching and compression in combination with precise phase shaping prior to amplification enables idler pulses of a sub-100 fs duration, translating into a peak power as high as 4 GW.
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