Method and apparatus for generating high energy ultrashort pulses
First Claim
1. Apparatus for producing high peak power pulsed energy comprising:
- means for producing a tunable and compressible energy pulse having plural wavelength bands by tuning an emission wavelength of the energy pulse, said energy pulse being compressible in duration by overlapping said wavelength bands; and
means for increasing peak power of said energy pulse, said peak power increasing means further including;
means for amplifying the energy pulse in plural stages of amplification to produce an amplified energy pulse; and
means for suppressing spontaneous emission between at least two stages of said amplifying means.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to providing compact systems and methods for producing and amplifying chirped pulses to provide high energy ultrashort pulses. Further, the present invention is directed to providing a compact system which is reliable and cost effective to fabricate. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, relatively compact tunable lasers can be used to directly generate long chirped optical pulses. For example, compact monolithic semiconductor lasers which have relatively small dimensions (e.g., dimensions smaller than large frame solid state lasers) and which permit their emission wavelength to be tuned (i.e., changed) relatively fast during the generation of an optical pulse can be used. These pulse sources eliminate any need for bulk components in the cavity of, for example, a mode-locked femtosecond laser. The relatively long chirped optical pulses can subsequently be amplified in plural amplification stages to increase their energy content. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, amplification in plural stages can be achieved by suppressing spontaneous emission between the stages. Afterwards, the amplified pluses can be recompressed.
317 Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for producing high peak power pulsed energy comprising:
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means for producing a tunable and compressible energy pulse having plural wavelength bands by tuning an emission wavelength of the energy pulse, said energy pulse being compressible in duration by overlapping said wavelength bands; and means for increasing peak power of said energy pulse, said peak power increasing means further including; means for amplifying the energy pulse in plural stages of amplification to produce an amplified energy pulse; and means for suppressing spontaneous emission between at least two stages of said amplifying means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for producing high peak power pulsed energy comprising:
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means for producing a compressible energy pulse having plural wavelength bands, said energy pulse being compressible in duration by overlapping said wavelength bands; means for tuning an emission wavelength of said energy pulse producing means during generation of said energy pulse; and means for increasing peak power of said energy pulse, said peak power increasing means further including; means for amplifying the energy pulse in plural stages of amplification to produce an amplified energy pulse; means for suppressing spontaneous emission between at least two stages of said amplifying means; and means for compressing said amplified energy pulse by overlapping said wavelength bands. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Method for producing high peak power pulsed energy comprising the steps of:
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tuning an emission wavelength of an energy pulse producing means to provide a compressible energy pulse having plural wavelength bands; amplifying the energy pulse by using plural stages of amplification to produce an amplified energy pulse; and suppressing spontaneous emission between at least two of said amplification stages. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification