Downchirped pulse amplification
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of Colorado
InventorsHenry C. Kapteyn, Sterling J. Backus
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Abstract
An ultrashort pulse amplifier produces high-power ultrafast laser pulses. Pulses first have net negative (i.e. blue to red) chirp applied, and are then amplified in a laser amplifier. After amplification, the pulses are compressed using propagation through a block of material or other convenient optical system with a positive sign of chromatic dispersion. High-order dispersion correction may also be included.
Claims36
A pulse amplifier for generating high-power ultra-short pulses from moderate-power ultra-short pulses comprising:
- a subsystem configured for applying negative group velocity dispersion to the moderate-power ultra-short pulses to generate moderate power, longer-duration pulses having negative chirp;
- an amplifier configured for amplifying the moderate power, long pulses to generate high power long pulses;
- and
- a compressor configured for de-chirping the moderate power, long pulses by applying positive group velocity dispersion to generate ultra-short, high power pulses;
- wherein the negative dispersion subsystem is configured to apply sufficient negative dispersion to result in pulses having negative chirp after the amplifier amplifies the pulse;
- and
- wherein the negative dispersion subsystem is configured to result in sufficient pulse stretching to avoid nonlinear distortion within the amplifier or damage to the amplifier.
A pulse amplifying subsystem for generating high-power longer duration pulses from moderate-power ultra-short pulses comprising:
- a subsystem configured for applying negative group velocity dispersion to the moderate-power ultra-short pulses to generate moderate power, longer-duration pulses having chirp;
- and
- an amplifier configured for amplifying the moderate power, long pulses to generate high power long pulses;
- wherein the negative dispersion subsystem is configured to apply sufficient negative dispersion to result in pulses with negative chirp after the amplifier amplifies the pulses;
- and
- wherein the negative dispersion subsystem is configured to result in sufficient pulse stretching to avoid nonlinear distortion within the amplifier or damage to the amplifier.
The method of generating high-power ultra-short pulses from moderate-power ultra-short pulses comprising the steps of:
- applying negative group velocity dispersion to the moderate-power ultra-short pulses to generate moderate power, longer-duration pulses having negative chirp;
- amplifying the moderate power, long pulses to generate high power long pulses;
- and
- compressing and de-chirping the moderate power, long pulses by applying positive group velocity dispersion to generate ultra-short, high power pulses;
- wherein the step of applying negative dispersion applies sufficient negative dispersion to result in pulses with negative chirp after the amplifier amplifies the pulses;
- and
- wherein the step of applying negative dispersion results in sufficient pulse stretching to avoid nonlinear distortion within the amplifier or damage to the amplifier.
A pulse amplifier configured for generating high-power ultra-short pulses from moderate-power ultra-short pulses comprising:
- a subsystem configured for applying negative group velocity dispersion to the moderate-power ultra-short pulses to generate moderate power, longer-duration pulses having negative chirp;
- an amplifier configured for amplifying the moderate power, long pulses to generate high power long pulses;
- and
- a compressor configured for de-chirping the moderate power, long pulses by applying positive group velocity dispersion to generate ultra-short, high power pulses;
- wherein the amplifier is configured to operate in saturated gain mode;
- and
- wherein the negative dispersion subsystem is configured to result in sufficient pulse stretching to avoid nonlinear distortion within the amplifier or damage to the amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.