OPCPA - THE KEY TO POWER SCALING AND FLEXIBILITY
The basis of Class 5 Photonics' high-power femtosecond laser technology is the nonlinear amplifier concept called optical parametric amplification (OPA). The energy of an intense laser pulse (pump pulse) is down-converted to a signal and an idler pulse using a nonlinear optical crystal. In contrast to conventional laser amplifiers, no population inversion and thus no energy storage within the medium is required for the amplification. As the photon energy difference is carried away by the idler radiation, no quantum defect exists, which makes the system highly scalable in average power. Furthermore, non-collinear phase-matching in OPA offers a large amplification bandwidth and hence access to few-cycle pulse durations.
The concept of optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) combines the laser chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) scheme with OPA. With this powerful combination, the advantages of both methods are merged. Ultrashort femtosecond pulses can be amplified to high pulse energies at high repetition rates which is offered in Class 5 Photonics' systems.
The concept of optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) combines the laser chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) scheme with OPA. With this powerful combination, the advantages of both methods are merged. Ultrashort femtosecond pulses can be amplified to high pulse energies at high repetition rates which is offered in Class 5 Photonics' systems.
ADVANTAGES and BENEFITS
Low absorption of amplifier crystals allows extreme average power scaling beyond 100 W, while no extensive cooling is required / Broad gain bandwidth offers few-cycle pulse durations (< 10 fs) and a broad wavelength tunability range (UV to MIR) / High single-pass gain allows for compact laser architectures at highest power levels / Using difference-frequency generation (DFG) gives access to passive CEP stabilization / Industry-grade Yb-based pump lasers offer stability and robustness / White light continuum generation (WLG) in bulk crystals provides maintenance-free, continuous operation and stable OPCPA seed signals in different spectral regions.
Our Publications
2020:
- J. H. Buß, M. Schulz, I. Grguraš, T. Golz, M. J. Prandolini, R. Riedel, "Femtosecond OPCPAs from UV to short-wave IR wavelengths for ultrafast dynamics experiments from condensed matter to atoms, molecules, and clusters," Proc. SPIE 11278, Ultrafast Phenomena and Nanophotonics XXIV, 112781A (27 February 2020); doi: 10.1117/12.2551488
- M. Schulz, R. Riedel, I. Grguraš, T. Golz, J. H. Buß, M. J. Prandolini, "Dual channel laser system with gap-less tuning from 250-1300 nm at megahertz repetition rates for time-resolved photoelectron-emission microscopy and spectroscopy," Proc. SPIE 11264, Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials and Devices XIX, 1126415 (2 March 2020); doi: 10.1117/12.2546247
- Robert Riedel, M. Schulz, I. Grguraš, T. Golz, J. H. Buß, M. J. Prandolini, "Femtosecond 100 W-level OPCPAs from near-IR to short-wave-IR wavelengths," Proc. SPIE 11259, Solid State Lasers XXIX: Technology and Devices, 112591F (21 February 2020); doi: 10.1117/12.2543731
- T. Golz, J. H. Buß, M. Schulz, I. Grguras, M. J. Prandolini, R. Riedel, "High power CEP-stable OPCPA at 800nm," Proc. SPIE 11259, Solid State Lasers XXIX: Technology and Devices, 112591L (21 February 2020); doi:10.1117/12.2546254